Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon
Encyclopedia
Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon is a video game based on the events of the original Star Wars
trilogy of films. Published by THQ
for the Game Boy Advance
, the game lets the player pilot various space ships in the battles against the antagonistic Galactic Empire
. The story follows the pilots of the space ship Millennium Falcon
, Han Solo
and his Wookiee
co-pilot Chewbacca
, as they help save the galaxy
from the Empire's forces.
Flight of the Falcon is a 3D
shooter game
and was developed by Pocket Studios. The game was first announced on June 23, 2003, by THQ. It was originally scheduled to be released that summer, but the date was pushed back to November 21, 2003. Flight of the Falcon has received mostly negative reviews. It has been criticized for its lagging graphics and gameplay, and for its overly long levels, which made the game repetitive. Praise focused on the sounds and music in the game, and the detailed backgrounds in the levels.
, soldiers of the Galactic Empire board their ship. Han Solo and Chewbacca fight them off and, after an encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi
and Luke Skywalker
, flies off to help save the galaxy from the Empire.
In the game, the player is able to pilot various space craft, including the Millennium Falcon, to help the Rebel Alliance
defeat the Galactic Empire's forces. Other space ships that can be piloted in the game include a speeder bike
from the film Return of the Jedi, an X-wing
, and a landspeeder
. They are used in either close range battles or high-speed flying action. The fast landspeeder, for example, is used in a level in which the player has to finish a race before the time runs out. The weapons and protective shields on the space ships can be upgraded.
Flight of the Falcon features 14 missions that are based on the storylines from the Star Wars films. The plot of the game, however, does feature twists not seen before, such as various new battles with enemy forces. The locations of the battles include asteroid fields, canyons, and the skies of places such as the planet Yavin
and the moon Endor. The player has to face enemy ships such as TIE Fighter
s, Star Destroyers, and Boba Fett
's Slave 1 ship. The Death Star
s from Star Wars: A New Hope and Return of the Jedi are also attacked by the player. Flight of the Falcon does not come with a save function. Instead, players are rewarded with passwords in the game that can be entered if the console is restarted so that they can resume where they previously left off.
and THQ announced that they had reached an agreement that allows THQ to turn LucasArts licenses into games for the Game Boy
consoles. Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon, a Game Boy Advance game, was first announced on June 23, 2003, by THQ. The press release described it as a game in which players get to pilot "the most popular vehicle from the classic Star Wars universe," the Millennium Falcon, "in 14 combat-filled missions interweaving the movie storylines with all new plot twists." In their announcement, THQ said the game was scheduled for release in the summer of 2003. In July, the company announced that the release date had been pushed back to September 2003. The game was, however, not released until November 21, 2003.
Tiffany Ternan, senior vice president of North American sales and distribution at THQ, said they were "extremely pleased to be publishing the latest Star Wars videogame for Game Boy Advance. The broad appeal of the Star Wars franchise makes it a great addition to our leading portfolio of handheld games." Liz Allen, director of marketing for LucasArts, added that Flight of the Falcon "will once again offer Game Boy Advance players an opportunity to experience all the drama and exhilaration of the Star Wars universe. LucasArts is happy to work with THQ to bring this compelling new title to Star Wars game fans everywhere." Flight of the Falcon was developed by Pocket Studios. The first screenshots from the game were published by the video-gaming website IGN
on August 28, 2003.
. Craig Harris of IGN criticized the game's graphics and gameplay. He stated that despite its powerful 3D engine, the game could not "handle what the level designers wanted to pull off in the game." Harris noted that as the missions became more complex, the engine struggled to "keep up with the action." A Game Informer
editor went as far as saying that "the framerate chugs along to a point where many of the stages should be classified as unplayable." The Australian
' s Steve Polak added to the critique by saying that "despite a smorgasbord
of environments and craft to fly, the game's 3D engine is not up to the task and play is made even less pleasant by awkward controls and a lamentable aiming system."
Harris criticism of the gameplay include the "frustrating control, chuggy animation, and levels that just go on far too long." He felt the levels needed more variety, stating that "the missions are dreadfully too long and feature very little change in gameplay regardless of the settings and craft to control." Eduardo Zacarias of GameZone
also said the game had poor controls and, like Harris, criticized "the fact that the levels seem to drag on forever". He felt there were "a few things that do keep the game from being a simple shooter in outer space, such as the ability to zoom through the forests of Endor on a speeder bike," but added that "these are just minor distractions that just hide the fact that this game is just way too repetitive." Zacarias enjoyed the amount of detail in background of locations such as the forests of Endor, but criticized the vehicle graphics for looking like bad imitations. Nintendo Power
gave Flight of the Falcon a 56/100 rating, echoing Harris and Zacarias's criticism of the length of the levels. The magazine stated, however, that the game has "an unmistakable Star Wars flair."
The sounds and the music were the only parts of the game that were praised by Harris, who described them as "actually pretty good" (apart from the rendition of the main Star Wars theme). Zacarias was also positive of the sound, commenting that "The Imperial March
" sounds "cool and hearing it through the GBA's tiny speakers is surprisingly good. [...] The sounds of Tie Fighters and speeder bikes sound straight out of the film and listening to the explosions and laser fire just puts us there in the Star Wars universe." Like Harris, Zacarias also criticized the game's rendition of the main Star Wars theme, stating that it sounds nothing like the original.
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
trilogy of films. Published by THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, the game lets the player pilot various space ships in the battles against the antagonistic Galactic Empire
Galactic Empire (Star Wars)
The Galactic Empire is one of the main factions in the fictional universe of Star Wars. It is a galaxy-spanning regime established by the series' lead villain, Palpatine, to replace the Galactic Republic in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Galactic Empire is introduced in Star Wars...
. The story follows the pilots of the space ship 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...
, Han Solo
Han 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 his Wookiee
Wookiee
Wookiees are a species of bipeds in the Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.-Inspiration:...
co-pilot 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...
, as they help save the galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy may mean:* Star Wars Galaxies, a Star Wars themed MMORPG platform for Microsoft Windows* Star Wars galaxy, the fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs...
from the Empire's forces.
Flight of the Falcon is a 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
and was developed by Pocket Studios. The game was first announced on June 23, 2003, by THQ. It was originally scheduled to be released that summer, but the date was pushed back to November 21, 2003. Flight of the Falcon has received mostly negative reviews. It has been criticized for its lagging graphics and gameplay, and for its overly long levels, which made the game repetitive. Praise focused on the sounds and music in the game, and the detailed backgrounds in the levels.
Gameplay and plot
Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon is a 3D aerial shooter game. It is set in the same time as the original Star Wars film trilogy, when the antagonistic Galactic Empire has taken control of the galaxy. The story follows the pilots of the space ship Millennium Falcon, smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca. While they struggle to pay off a debt to Jabba the HuttJabba 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....
, soldiers of the Galactic Empire board their ship. Han Solo and Chewbacca fight them off and, after an encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
and 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...
, flies off to help save the galaxy from the Empire.
In the game, the player is able to pilot various space craft, including the Millennium Falcon, to help the Rebel Alliance
Rebel Alliance
The Alliance to Restore the Republic is an interstellar faction of the fictional universe of Star Wars....
defeat the Galactic Empire's forces. Other space ships that can be piloted in the game include a speeder bike
Speeder bike
Speeder bikes and swoop bikes are small, fast transports that use repulsorlift engines in the fictional Star Wars universe. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi includes a prominent speeder bike chase; speeders and swoops also appear in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode...
from the film Return of the Jedi, an X-wing
X-wing
X-wings are fictional starfighters from the original Star Wars trilogy and the expanded universe. They are depicted as the primary interceptor and dogfighter of the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic...
, and a landspeeder
Landspeeder
Landspeeders are fictional antigravity craft used through the Star Wars movies and Star Wars Expanded Universe. They are depicted both in civilian and military capacities, and several versions have been merchandised as toys and models.-Origin and design:...
. They are used in either close range battles or high-speed flying action. The fast landspeeder, for example, is used in a level in which the player has to finish a race before the time runs out. The weapons and protective shields on the space ships can be upgraded.
Flight of the Falcon features 14 missions that are based on the storylines from the Star Wars films. The plot of the game, however, does feature twists not seen before, such as various new battles with enemy forces. The locations of the battles include asteroid fields, canyons, and the skies of places such as the planet Yavin
Yavin
Yavin is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. As seen in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, it is a red gas giant. Its core is composed of metallic substances and pieces of carbon and metallic hydrogen that form corusca gems. Although mining these gems is a promising venture, Yavin is...
and the moon Endor. The player has to face enemy ships such as TIE Fighter
TIE fighter
TIE fighters are fictional starfighters in the Star Wars universe. Propelled by Twin Ion Engines , TIE fighters are depicted as fast, fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire...
s, Star Destroyers, and Boba Fett
Boba Fett
Boba Fett is a character in Star Wars. A bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon, he is a minor villain in both Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi....
's Slave 1 ship. The Death Star
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional moon-sized space station and superweapon appearing in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe. It is capable of destroying a planet with a single destructive super charged energy beam.-Origin and design:...
s from Star Wars: A New Hope and Return of the Jedi are also attacked by the player. Flight of the Falcon does not come with a save function. Instead, players are rewarded with passwords in the game that can be entered if the console is restarted so that they can resume where they previously left off.
Development
In 2000, the two video game publishers LucasArtsLucasArts
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...
and THQ announced that they had reached an agreement that allows THQ to turn LucasArts licenses into games for the Game Boy
Game Boy line
The line is a line of battery-powered handheld game console sold by Nintendo. It is one of the world's best-selling game system lines with a combined 200+ million units sold worldwide....
consoles. Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon, a Game Boy Advance game, was first announced on June 23, 2003, by THQ. The press release described it as a game in which players get to pilot "the most popular vehicle from the classic Star Wars universe," the Millennium Falcon, "in 14 combat-filled missions interweaving the movie storylines with all new plot twists." In their announcement, THQ said the game was scheduled for release in the summer of 2003. In July, the company announced that the release date had been pushed back to September 2003. The game was, however, not released until November 21, 2003.
Tiffany Ternan, senior vice president of North American sales and distribution at THQ, said they were "extremely pleased to be publishing the latest Star Wars videogame for Game Boy Advance. The broad appeal of the Star Wars franchise makes it a great addition to our leading portfolio of handheld games." Liz Allen, director of marketing for LucasArts, added that Flight of the Falcon "will once again offer Game Boy Advance players an opportunity to experience all the drama and exhilaration of the Star Wars universe. LucasArts is happy to work with THQ to bring this compelling new title to Star Wars game fans everywhere." Flight of the Falcon was developed by Pocket Studios. The first screenshots from the game were published by the video-gaming website IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
on August 28, 2003.
Reception
Flight of the Falcon has received mostly negative reviews from critics, with a rating of 39/100 at MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Craig Harris of IGN criticized the game's graphics and gameplay. He stated that despite its powerful 3D engine, the game could not "handle what the level designers wanted to pull off in the game." Harris noted that as the missions became more complex, the engine struggled to "keep up with the action." A Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
editor went as far as saying that "the framerate chugs along to a point where many of the stages should be classified as unplayable." The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
Smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord, in Denmark it is called det kolde bord, in Finland seisova pöytä and in Estonia rootsi laud...
of environments and craft to fly, the game's 3D engine is not up to the task and play is made even less pleasant by awkward controls and a lamentable aiming system."
Harris criticism of the gameplay include the "frustrating control, chuggy animation, and levels that just go on far too long." He felt the levels needed more variety, stating that "the missions are dreadfully too long and feature very little change in gameplay regardless of the settings and craft to control." Eduardo Zacarias of GameZone
GameZone
GameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...
also said the game had poor controls and, like Harris, criticized "the fact that the levels seem to drag on forever". He felt there were "a few things that do keep the game from being a simple shooter in outer space, such as the ability to zoom through the forests of Endor on a speeder bike," but added that "these are just minor distractions that just hide the fact that this game is just way too repetitive." Zacarias enjoyed the amount of detail in background of locations such as the forests of Endor, but criticized the vehicle graphics for looking like bad imitations. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
gave Flight of the Falcon a 56/100 rating, echoing Harris and Zacarias's criticism of the length of the levels. The magazine stated, however, that the game has "an unmistakable Star Wars flair."
The sounds and the music were the only parts of the game that were praised by Harris, who described them as "actually pretty good" (apart from the rendition of the main Star Wars theme). Zacarias was also positive of the sound, commenting that "The Imperial March
The Imperial March
"The Imperial March " is a musical theme present in the Star Wars franchise. It was composed by John Williams for the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
" sounds "cool and hearing it through the GBA's tiny speakers is surprisingly good. [...] The sounds of Tie Fighters and speeder bikes sound straight out of the film and listening to the explosions and laser fire just puts us there in the Star Wars universe." Like Harris, Zacarias also criticized the game's rendition of the main Star Wars theme, stating that it sounds nothing like the original.