Star Wars Wii lightsaber world première at games festival
By Dave Parrack
Like every Star Wars fan that’s ever picked up a broom handle and swung it around in the style of Luke Skywalker, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the day I’ll get to wield a real lightsaber. Okay, I’m going to have a long wait, although I’m sure a weapons manufacturer somewhere is working on it. My moment of glory will however edge a little nearer on October 26th when the Wiimote lightsaber receives its world première at a UK Games festival.
Digital Spy are reporting that the GameCity Festival in Nottingham, England will play host to the first chance Star Wars fans have had to try out the Wii remote’s version of a working lightsaber. The game in question is LucasArts’ Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga which is due out worldwide in November, and is a compilation of the Lego Star Wars: Video Game, and the Lego Star Wars: Original Trilogy.
Last month Lucasarts announced Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be hitting the Wii in the spring, and that the game will feature Wii remote lightsaber Jedi battles. The Lego version, while not as realistic, does represent gamers first opportunity to act out their Star Wars fantasies on a home console.
A spokesman for GameCity said:
“Since the first film’s debut 30 years ago, fans have longed for the day when they could fight their own lightsaber duels. Now, thanks to the Wii’s motion-sensitive controller, The Complete Saga will finally make that fantasy a reality, allowing players to battle with thrusts and slices of the Remote.”
“GameCity is thrilled to give gamers a chance to be the first in the world to see and try the lightsaber first-hand in a worldwide exclusive première of Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga for Wii.”
3,000 people are expected to attend the festival and I guarantee most of them will want to have a lightsaber duel with their friends. How many of them walk away determined to buy a Wii on the strength of it remains to be seen, but it certainly increases the chances of the Wii selling well this holiday season.
The game will also be released on the PS3 and Xbox 360, but without the sheer playability of being able to use the Wii remote as a lightsaber, the appeal will most certainly be lessened.
I wasn’t going to this games festival but now I’m sorely tempted just to have a go at the Wiimote lightsaber. Whether I wear my Darth Maul costume or not is another question entirely.
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