Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

aka: Star Wars: Teikoku no Kage
Moby ID: 3105
Nintendo 64 Specs
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Description official descriptions

Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire tells the story of Prince Xizor's quest to replace Darth Vader as the leader of the Sith, and wipe out the Rebels' chances of victory. The only man that can stop him is the interstellar bounty hunter Dash Rendar. The game is based on the novel of the same name, with locations including ice planet Hoth, Mos Eisley and the sewers of Imperial City, all in full 3D.

Levels each have very different objectives, ranging from piloting snowspeeders on Hoth and racing speeder bikes on Tatooine to shooting stormtroopers and droids on foot throughout the galaxy. Dash primarily uses a blaster with unlimited ammo, but can also find more powerful weapons with limited ammunition. Each level has optional "challenge points" that are hidden throughout the level, and finding all of them will unlock a cheat dependent on which difficulty setting the save file is on.

Spellings

  • スター・ウォーズ 帝国の影 - Japanese spelling

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Credits (Nintendo 64 version)

139 People (88 developers, 51 thanks) · View all

Game Designer
Lead Artist
Lead Animator
Project Leader
Senior Programmer
Technical Lead/Programmer
Programmer/Lycanthrope
Aesthetic Technology/Robin's Dad
Level Designers
3D Artists
3D Animator
Texture Artist
3D/Background Artist
Storyboard Artist
Music Editor/Sound Quality Control
Sound Designers
Composers
Lead Tester
Production Manager
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 76% (based on 51 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.6 out of 5 (based on 76 ratings with 11 reviews)

The game now lives in shadows

The Good
Ok I got this game after seeing people play it at a store in some demo thing that had been made. The demo was playing the very good battle of Hoth level at the start. I later ate my words but we will gat back to this later. Firstly the good things about this game was, the Battle of Hoth level, The final level and the speeder bike level. Why? Apart from all of the other levels that were either on rails or boring TPS levels the game had little else that was fun. The shooting parts of the game were fun, once. The levels were ok in design but a little too blocky in my tastes. The lasers were also rectangles. The bad guys were ok in modeling but were pretty dumb. The weapons were ok as well but you often over hoarded all the guns untill you got to a big boss at the end.

The Bad
The game play was only fun once. The character had this lightweight feel about him when you jumped and it just did not feel right. Other problems was that the bosses were almost too hard to beat and some parts were too boring.

The Bottom Line
The first and last levels were good, the rest of the game can wait till you are either on drugs or drunk.

Nintendo 64 · by Sam Hardy (80) · 2001

A Classic Star Wars Adventure

The Good
-

  • Immersive Star Wars experience: deserves praise for its ability to transport players into the Star Wars universe, with its captivating narrative and familiar locations.

  • Varied gameplay: The game successfully blends different gameplay mechanics, allowing players to engage in thrilling third-person shooting, intense space battles, and even vehicle segments, providing a diverse and enjoyable experience.

  • Authentic atmosphere: Captures the essence of the Star Wars universe, thanks to its iconic characters, memorable soundtrack, and impressive attention to detail.

  • Engaging storyline: Shadows of the Empire expands the Star Wars saga, introducing new characters and filling gaps in the narrative, which keeps players invested in the game's events.

  • Nostalgic charm: Players who grew up with the game on the N64 will fondly remember Shadows of the Empire for its nostalgic appeal, making it a beloved classic among Star Wars and retro gaming enthusiasts.

    The Bad

  • Dated visuals: The game's graphics have not aged well. With polygonal character models and low-resolution textures that can be jarring by today's standards, it isn't looking its best.

  • Controls can be challenging: The controls can feel clunky or unresponsive at times, which can hinder gameplay enjoyment. Camera controls also are missing/lacking.

  • Limited replayability: Despite its strong narrative and engaging gameplay, Shadows of the Empire offers limited replay value once the main story is completed, as there are few additional incentives or alternative paths to explore.

  • Inconsistent Difficulty: While the game generally offers a fair challenge, some sections can become overly difficult or require repetitive attempts, potentially frustrating less experienced players.

  • Limited Character Development: While the game features familiar Star Wars characters, the depth of character development is limited, leaving little room for emotional investment in their stories.

    The Bottom Line
    Shadows of the Empire is a classic Star Wars adventure that still holds up today. It provides an immersive and authentic Star Wars experience, featuring varied gameplay and an engaging storyline. While the graphics may show their age and there are occasional control challenges, the game's nostalgic charm and overall enjoyable gameplay make it a must-play for fans of the franchise and those seeking a taste of retro gaming magic.

Nintendo 64 · by WONDERなパン (16196) · 2023

A long time ago in a store not so far away, this might have been worth it.

The Good
This game was the first Star Wars game to come out for the N64. The game pitted you as Dash Rendar, a friend of Han and Luke's as you fought along aside them in a timeframe between Ep. 5 and 6.

The first level of this game really gives you high hopes, with you flying around with other landspeeders trying to haplessly destroy AT-ATs as they approach Echo Base. This level was truly amazing. You could shoot AT-STs and wrap up AT-Ats. To a Star Wars nerd, this is pure bliss. However, this level ends a bit short and you are left with the rest of the game.

The other really exciting part of this game is that last level. Skyhook battle is open, surrounding a giant space station. Nearby is a giant star destroyer, constantly letting out tie fighters, as the skyhook lets out their fighters. In between all this is you and rogue squadron. This provides for a nice three-way war. Buddies help a bit, but not as much as you do. And besides that, there is not much to do except destroy a never-ending wave of tie fighters or else do your mission.

The last, and most valuable part, of the game which I liked was it told you where Luke goes between Ep 5 and 6. Multiple cutscenes have him fighting along side you, but too bad you never get to do it in real play. However, you could have just read the books too.

Sound is a classic, with classic blaster noises and screams. Music is brought straight from the movies with nice tones like the asteroid field music. They made good choices when it came to sound.

The Bad
The rest of the game is mediocre. It's a generic third-person/first-person shooter (they are switchable in game by tapping a button). Besides a blaster, Dash gets a seeker missile, an automatic pulse rifle, a flame thrower, and a pulse bomb which wipes out everything within seeing range. Yeah, thats it. 5 Weapons.

Enemy AI is stupid. Guards patrol nicely when your not around, but when they see you, they NEVER move. The only time they will move is if they've seen you and you go out of range. Then they will get in range again, and stand completely still to shoot. Not much of a challenge there.

The other two vehicle levels are not much to boast. The asteroid field leaves you on a rail cannon, unable to drive. The skiff bike chase is repetitive and annoying.

Graphics are nice (I mean that), however there is a lack of detail in the environments. Why would the rebels even want Echo Base if there wasn't any computers in sight? Most of the levels are just hallways. Boooring!

The Bottom Line
Overall, only about half the game is worth seeing, and even those parts have been vastly improved upon. The Rogue Squadron series improved upon Hoth (number 2 had the best version) and everything else in the air. The Clone Wars improved upon ground vehicles. Even the story has been out for years in the book. The music can easily bought as the Star Wars soundtrack (the background music is taken directly from it)

Unfortunately, at its time of release, had lots of potential, however, it has been left back in light of more updated games.

Nintendo 64 · by Matt Neuteboom (976) · 2005

[ View all 11 player reviews ]

Trivia

Dash Rendar

Dash Rendar is the only character developed from the Star Wars franchise that actually made it "back" to the movies. You can see his modified starship, the Outrider YT-2400 lifting up and taking off from Mos Eisley as Luke and his gang enter the city in the new revised sequence featured on the Star Wars: Special Edition. Also, Dash Rendar in the Nintendo 64 cutscenes looked more like a brown-haired, younger and rougher George Lucas with a rough shave instead of a beard. In the PC edition, he looks more like the original concept art for the character.

Rogue Squadron inspiration

In the first level of the game, where you fly a snowspeeder in the Battle of Hoth, was the inspiration for Rogue Squadron.

Version differences

The PC version is a revised edition of the N64 version (the major difference between the two versions being 3D cutscenes for the PC).

Awards

  • Electronic Gaming Monthly
  • March 1997 (Issue 92) - N64 Game of the Year runner-up + Best Music runner-up + Action Game of the Year (Readers' Choice) + Best Music (Readers' Choice)

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kartanym.

Additional contributors: Apogee IV, chirinea, Joshua J. Slone, Alaka, LepricahnsGold, vedder.

Game added January 21, 2001. Last modified March 9, 2024.