Luke Skywalker
The primary hero, equipped with a blaster, lightsaber, and Force abilities.
Documented for this version
Directional Pad | Move the character or vehicle |
|---|---|
A | Jump |
B | Fire or perform the character's primary attack |
X | Use a secondary weapon or ability when available |
Start | Pause the game |
Exact attack functions can vary by playable character and stage.
How it plays
The game uses a side-scrolling perspective, with occasional overhead or vehicle-focused sections. The main objective is to clear stages, defeat bosses, and advance through important scenes from the film.
Luke can use his blaster, lightsaber, and Force powers as the adventure progresses. Other playable characters provide different weapons or abilities, while vehicles such as the snowspeeder change the pace and controls. Exploration is mostly linear, but players can collect power-ups, extra lives, and weapon upgrades during stages.
Plan your run
Learn enemy patterns instead of rushing through every screen. Keep moving when facing airborne attackers, and use the edges of platforms to control enemy spacing.
Save special weapons and Force abilities for bosses or crowded sections. Search platforms and side paths for upgrades, and treat vehicle stages as pattern-recognition challenges rather than ordinary shooting sections.
Meet the cast
The primary hero, equipped with a blaster, lightsaber, and Force abilities.
A playable Rebel smuggler who fights with his blaster.
A playable Rebel leader who uses a blaster.
A playable Wookiee with powerful ranged attacks.
A playable ally encountered during the Cloud City portion of the story.
The principal Imperial antagonist and a major boss.
A dangerous bounty hunter fought during the adventure.
Before you begin
Collect weapon upgrades whenever possible; later stages are significantly more difficult without them.
Use a character's ranged attack to remove enemies before entering their contact range.
Bosses usually become more manageable after their attack cycles are observed.
Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a side-scrolling action-platform game developed by Sculptured Software and published for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System by JVC Musical Industries. It adapts the events of The Empire Strikes Back, following Luke Skywalker and his allies from the Battle of Hoth through the confrontation on Cloud City. Players run, jump, shoot, use lightsabers or Force abilities, and battle large enemies across demanding stages. The game is known for fast run-and-gun action, oversized bosses, and a high difficulty level. It received generally favorable attention for its technical presentation and energetic adaptation, although its harsh checkpoints and relentless enemy attacks were frequent criticisms.
Catalog entry maintained by EmuGamers Editorial Team
Community discussion
What are players saying? 0