X-Wing game brings back memories

I haven’t spent much time writing about video games on this site. After all, the main point has been to discuss a love of tabletop gaming. However, that doesn’t mean I haven’t spent time playing various video games over the years, from Atari to the Playstation 3.

I have been keeping an eye on buzz about a forthcoming X-Wing board game that looks much like Wings of War. The brief descriptions I have been able to garner from the Internet and speaking to some friends reveal a game with expansion possibilities where X-Wings dogfight with TIE fighters. If this game is successful when it launches sometime next year, I am sure we can look forward to games with A-Wings, TIE bombers and interceptors and, possibly, even the Millenium Falcon and Star Destroyers.

It surely sounds promising.

But it got me thinking a great deal about a game I played about 20 years ago. The hours I spent playing X-Wing on the PC probably surpass any other games in my life. The game actually kept a log of your statistics such as how many TIE fighters you had shot down, missions you had completed and even how many laser blasts you had fired. It was an amazing game and came out around the same time that I read the Timothy Zahn trilogy.

Check out this video of the game and, please, remember these graphics and the game itself were plenty revolutionary. However, it might look a little quaint now. Judge for yourself.

 

So I can’t help but think  about that game when I hear a new line of games coming from Fantasy Flight set in the Star Wars universe.

Read this excerpt from the Fantasy Flight Games Web site.

“We’ll have to destroy them ship to ship. Get the crews to their fighters.”
–Darth Vader

The X-Wing starter set includes everything you need to begin your battles, such as scenarios, cards, and fully assembled and painted ships. And with the quick-start rules, you can simply select a mission, position your ships on the playing space as instructed, and choose your opening move. Want more fighters? X-Wing’s quick-to-learn ruleset establishes the foundation for a system that can be expanded with your favorite ships and characters from the Star Wars universe. Keep watching in the coming months to see how you can add your favorite Star Wars ships to your space battles!

Whatever your chosen vessel, X-Wing’s rules facilitate fast and visceral gameplay that puts you in the middle of Star Wars’ fiercest firefights. Each ship type has its own unique piloting dial, which is used to secretly select a speed and maneuver each turn. After planning maneuvers, each ship’s dial is revealed and executed (starting with the lowest skilled pilot). So whether you rush headlong toward your enemy showering his forward deflectors in laser fire, or dance away from him as you attempt to acquire a targeting lock, you’ll be in total control throughout all the tense dogfighting action.

I have to be honest: my love for Star Wars has faded over the years. I can’t tell you how much it pains me to write those words, but it is true. A few weeks ago, I remembered there were plans to have a Star Wars TV show set between Episodes Three and Four–a TV show between 100 and 400 hours! I was really excited about this back in 2005 when Episode III first came out. I saw a report this summer revealing the TV show was probably never going to happen now. I felt relieved.

Why in the world would I feel relieved? I am not really sure. I know some fans will call out my blasphemous comments. However, I have always been honest with this site.

I am mentioning this because I should be very excited about the fact Fantasy Flight Games (FFG). I do believe they will have an uphill battle winning back some fans. But I have said for years the Star Wars universe is a promising world for tabletop gaming. There have been tragically few attempts. The only Star Wars tabletop games I own are Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and the Assault on Hoth although I have played many more.

I wish FFG the best of luck with this new license. I am also cautiously optimistic.

For now, remember there is an empty table somewhere.