Star Wars arcade game trailer puts you in the cockpit (hopefully not as Porkins)

Dave & Buster’s and your local barcade traffic in the cabinet games of yesteryear, but there might be a different kind of retro arcade fun heading our way. Following the nostalgic revival of vinyl, cassette tapes, and VHS, perhaps cabinet games are about to have their own resurgence—or at least, that could be the promise if Star Wars: Battle Pod is a success.

As developed by Namco Bandai, Disney Interactive Japan, and Lucasfilm, Battle Pod places users directly in the cockpit for multiple Original Trilogy battles. That means players get to take part in missions and relive moments like the attack on the first Death Star, the Battle of Hoth, the speeder bike race on Endor, and the attack on the second Death Star, while flying famed ships like the Millennium Falcon and Darth Vader’s TIE fighter. The game uses a domed screen to make it more immersive, along with reaction-based effects and sounds to put every wannabe Biggs Darklighter (real character name!) into the action.

The 1,200-pound machine is in select arcades now, so expect some real-world testimonials and Tumblr sites dedicated to mapping out locations where you can play the game to spring up shortly. In the meantime, practice your moves by pivoting your shoulders back and forth while muttering, “Stay on target….stay on target…”

 
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