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Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (video game)
Encyclopedia
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a 1996 video game, developed by LucasArts
. It was one of the first games made available for Nintendo
's 64-bit system, Nintendo 64
. A version for Windows 95
was released a year later. Shadows of the Empire was the third top-selling N64 game for 1997.
In the game, the player controls the mercenary Dash Rendar in his efforts to help Luke Skywalker
and rescue Princess Leia from Prince Xizor's hands. It is part of the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
multimedia project and takes place as a backstory between Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
.
of Hoth
, as Dash Rendar and Leebo arrive in Echo Base to deliver supplies. He briefly talks with Han Solo, who gets him a position in Rogue Squadron. Dash flies in the battle, but returns to Echo Base when the shield generator is destroyed (Just as the Millennium Falcon
leaves). He makes his way through the base, attempting to return to The Outrider. Dash encounters several wampa
s on the way, and has to fight an AT-ST, but eventually makes it back to Leebo and The Outrider, and they escape through an asteroid field.
Part 2 begins after the end of The Empire Strikes Back, as Dash searches for Boba Fett, so he can rescue Han Solo. He hunts down and battles IG-88, attempting to repair his ship on Ord Mantell. The droid tells him that Fett is hiding on a moon of the planet Gall. Dash finds Boba Fett, and damages his ship, Slave I
, but Fett manages to escape.
Meanwhile, Prince Xizor orders Jabba the Hutt
to kill Luke Skywalker
(believing that The Emperor will let him take Vader's place if Skywalker is killed). Jabba sends a group of swoop bikers to Obi-Wan Kenobi's home (where Luke is practicing his Jedi skills). Dash races them, and ends up eliminating all members of the gang. Luke informs Dash of a secret imperial supercomputer
aboard the Imperial Freighter Suprosa. Dash steals the computer, and battles with a cargo droid in a hangar.
The final chapter begins with Luke, Lando Calrissian
, Chewbacca
, and Dash infiltrating Xizor's palace on Coruscant
to save Princess Leia, whom Xizor has taken captive. Dash enters the palace through the sewers, and battles an enormous dianoga in the sewer, before entering the palace itself, where he does battle with Xizor's Gladiator
Droid. After defeating the droid, Xizor escapes to his Skyhook space station. In space, Xizor battles the Rebellion, before a Star Destroyer
arrives. Dash then proceeds to fly into the Skyhook, and destroys it from the inside. Dash is presumably killed in the ensuing blast, along with Xizor.
A short scene before the credits show Luke and Leia on Tatooine
, mourning Dash's death. If the game is beaten on the Medium, Hard, or Jedi difficulty levels, this is followed by one more scene of Dash and Leebo, who had managed to escape the blast, discussing how they plan on hiding from their enemies, with Dash saying, "It's better to be remembered as a martyr and still be alive."
, and who also owns a ship that closely resembles the Millennium Falcon
named the Outrider.
Jon Knoles, who was the game's Senior Artist, Animator and previously worked on other LucasArts games for PC and Super NES, is credited with bringing the idea of "Shadows" and placing it between the Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
films.
While in production, Shigeru Miyamoto
, Senior Marketing Director of Nintendo (and creator of the Mario and Zelda franchises, among others), suggested while viewing an early version of the game that the character of Dash be more animated. He suggested Rendar could become restless when waiting for the player to control him, and more animated in how he holds his weapons.
A prototype Nintendo 64
was not yet available when the work began on Shadows, and as a result, the developers used a Silicon Graphics Onyx. For a controller to test the game, they were required to use a modified SNES controller designed by Konami
, which was placed in a sealed box that the designers had to place their hands into.
Originally, the game was planned to have 19 levels, but an article in Volume 83 of Nintendo Power stated that it was down to 12 levels. When the game was finally released, it contained a total of 10 levels. This game was unique among other Nintendo 64 titles for using a "real" orchestral
soundtrack, instead of synthesized music like that in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
.
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
. It was one of the first games made available for Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's 64-bit system, Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. A version for Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
was released a year later. Shadows of the Empire was the third top-selling N64 game for 1997.
In the game, the player controls the mercenary Dash Rendar in his efforts to help Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
and rescue Princess Leia from Prince Xizor's hands. It is part of the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a multimedia project created by Lucasfilm Ltd. in 1996. The original idea was to create an interquel, a story set between the movies The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi , and to explore all commercial possibilities of a full motion picture release,...
multimedia project and takes place as a backstory between Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
.
Story
The story begins shortly before the battleBattle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
of Hoth
Hoth
In the fictional universe of Star Wars, Hoth is the sixth planet of a remote system of the same name. It is a terrestrial planet blanketed by snow and ice. Many meteorites from a nearby asteroid belt pelt the planet's surface, making temporary craters in the planet's ever-moving snow drifts. Hoth...
, as Dash Rendar and Leebo arrive in Echo Base to deliver supplies. He briefly talks with Han Solo, who gets him a position in Rogue Squadron. Dash flies in the battle, but returns to Echo Base when the shield generator is destroyed (Just as the Millennium Falcon
Millennium Falcon
The Millennium Falcon is a spacecraft in the Star Wars universe commanded by smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee first mate, Chewbacca...
leaves). He makes his way through the base, attempting to return to The Outrider. Dash encounters several wampa
Wampa
Wampas are fictional predators of the Star Wars universe.-Characteristics:Wampas are Yeti-like creatures that live on the sixth planet of the Hoth system. Wampa's hands have five fingers, each with one large claw. They also have a horn protruding from either side of their heads that curves and...
s on the way, and has to fight an AT-ST, but eventually makes it back to Leebo and The Outrider, and they escape through an asteroid field.
Part 2 begins after the end of The Empire Strikes Back, as Dash searches for Boba Fett, so he can rescue Han Solo. He hunts down and battles IG-88, attempting to repair his ship on Ord Mantell. The droid tells him that Fett is hiding on a moon of the planet Gall. Dash finds Boba Fett, and damages his ship, Slave I
Slave I
Slave I is a spacecraft in the Star Wars universe. It first appears in the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back under the command of bounty hunter Boba Fett , and then in the prequel film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones commanded by Jango Fett...
, but Fett manages to escape.
Meanwhile, Prince Xizor orders Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt is a fictional character in George Lucas's space opera film saga Star Wars. Designed as a large, slug-like alien, his appearance has been described by film critic Roger Ebert as "Dickensian," a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat....
to kill Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
(believing that The Emperor will let him take Vader's place if Skywalker is killed). Jabba sends a group of swoop bikers to Obi-Wan Kenobi's home (where Luke is practicing his Jedi skills). Dash races them, and ends up eliminating all members of the gang. Luke informs Dash of a secret imperial supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
aboard the Imperial Freighter Suprosa. Dash steals the computer, and battles with a cargo droid in a hangar.
The final chapter begins with Luke, Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, Chewbacca
Chewbacca
Chewbacca, also known as Chewie, is a character in the Star Wars franchise, portrayed by Peter Mayhew. In the series' narrative chronology, he appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, and Dash infiltrating Xizor's palace on Coruscant
Coruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
to save Princess Leia, whom Xizor has taken captive. Dash enters the palace through the sewers, and battles an enormous dianoga in the sewer, before entering the palace itself, where he does battle with Xizor's Gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
Droid. After defeating the droid, Xizor escapes to his Skyhook space station. In space, Xizor battles the Rebellion, before a Star Destroyer
Star Destroyer
Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional Star Wars universe. The Imperial Star Destroyer, which first appears in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , is "the signature vessel of the Imperial fleet"...
arrives. Dash then proceeds to fly into the Skyhook, and destroys it from the inside. Dash is presumably killed in the ensuing blast, along with Xizor.
A short scene before the credits show Luke and Leia on Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
, mourning Dash's death. If the game is beaten on the Medium, Hard, or Jedi difficulty levels, this is followed by one more scene of Dash and Leebo, who had managed to escape the blast, discussing how they plan on hiding from their enemies, with Dash saying, "It's better to be remembered as a martyr and still be alive."
Development and production
The work on Shadows of the Empire project started in late 1994 with the idea of making a side story to the movies. After dismissing the use of the main characters from the movies as the star of the new game (which gave the developers more freedom with the game and story) they built on a minor character from the book, Dash Rendar. Rendar is a character with many similarities to Han SoloHan Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
, and who also owns a ship that closely resembles the Millennium Falcon
Millennium Falcon
The Millennium Falcon is a spacecraft in the Star Wars universe commanded by smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee first mate, Chewbacca...
named the Outrider.
Jon Knoles, who was the game's Senior Artist, Animator and previously worked on other LucasArts games for PC and Super NES, is credited with bringing the idea of "Shadows" and placing it between the Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
films.
While in production, Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
, Senior Marketing Director of Nintendo (and creator of the Mario and Zelda franchises, among others), suggested while viewing an early version of the game that the character of Dash be more animated. He suggested Rendar could become restless when waiting for the player to control him, and more animated in how he holds his weapons.
A prototype Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
was not yet available when the work began on Shadows, and as a result, the developers used a Silicon Graphics Onyx. For a controller to test the game, they were required to use a modified SNES controller designed by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
, which was placed in a sealed box that the designers had to place their hands into.
Originally, the game was planned to have 19 levels, but an article in Volume 83 of Nintendo Power stated that it was down to 12 levels. When the game was finally released, it contained a total of 10 levels. This game was unique among other Nintendo 64 titles for using a "real" orchestral
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
soundtrack, instead of synthesized music like that in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is an arcade-style action game co-developed by Factor 5 and LucasArts. The first of three games in the Rogue Squadron series, it was published by LucasArts and Nintendo and released for Windows and the Nintendo 64 in December 1998...
.