Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (video game)

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is an action/adventure game set between the time of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

In conjunction with other Shadows of the Empire releases, the game was released on the Nintendo 64 platform in 1996. Later, in 1997, it was released on the PC platform.

Story
The game is divided in four parts (or chapters). The first chapter takes place during the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. Dash Rendar is trapped on Hoth when the Imperial forces attack. As the player, you have to pilot a snowspeeder in the Battle of Hoth destroying AT-ATs, AT-STs and Imperial probes. Then you must fight your way through Echo Base back to your ship the Outrider. After escaping Hoth you must fight your way through the Hoth Asteroid Field and the several waves of TIE Fighters before escaping into hyperspace.

In the second chapter, Dash tracks down some of the bounty hunters that had been dispatched to capture Han Solo. Fighting his way through several trains and finally confronting IG-88 on Ord Mantell and assaulting Imperial outposts throughout canyons, on Gall to finally find and attack Boba Fett.

In the third chapter, Boba Fett has escaped and the player's mission changes: you must now protect Luke Skywalker from an assassination attempt ordered by the Black Sun's Prince Xizor, by fighting a deadly gang of swoop bikers through Mos Eisley and Beggar's Canyon. Dash then recovers Imperial secret plans of the second Death Star, that are being carried aboard the freighter Suprosa.

Finally, in the last chapter, Dash, along with Luke and Lando Calrissian, travels to Imperial Center to rescue Princess Leia from Prince Xizor's stronghold by infiltrating Xizor's palace through the sewers below Imperial City, fighting their way through the castle and eventually engaging in a space battle above the planet. The game's greatest surprise comes at the end, when Xizor's space station is destroyed. The reader of the book and the comics is lead to believe that Dash Rendar dies in the battle that follows, but his real destiny is only revealed in the game.

Part I: The Battle of Hoth
It is a time of crisis. Imperial probes, scouring the galaxy for the hidden Rebel base, have discovered their outpost on the remote ice world of Hoth.

Darth Vader, obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker, has sent his forces to engage the Rebels in battle.

With the dreaded Imperial fleet approaching, a lone freighter has entered the Hoth system....

Battle of Hoth


Here, the player is introduced with the famous Battle of Hoth, and this is the only time the player will use the airspeeder in the game.

Story
Dash Rendar, captain of the Outrider and mercenary-for-hire, has arrived with a supply shipment for Echo Base. After landing he meets up with his long time friend Han Solo.

The two could not have met at a more opportune time. The Empire is on its way and the Rebels could use another good pilot. Dash has never been one to say no to a good dogfight. Han talks to Luke and gets Dash a spot in Rogue Squadron.

Mission Objectives
Destroy Imperial probe droids, AT-STs, and AT-ATs, giving the Alliance the time they need to evacuate Echo Base.

Escape from Echo Base


The wampas make their first appearance of this game here. This level introduces the game's most numerous 3rd/1st person shooting levels, along with its first boss: an Imperial AT-ST.

Story
While Rogue Squadron has been able to give most of the Rebels adequate time to escape, they have not been entirely successful. The main generator has been destroyed and Imperial troops have entered the base. Han, Leia and Luke have escaped, but Dash is left behind. With the generator down, the shield to Bay 3 (where the Outrider is docked) is closed. If Dash is going to get off Hoth alive, he had better find a way to open that bay door!

Mission Objectives
Locate and activate the emergency generators, then make it to the Outrider. Watch out for wampas! They can be either friend or foe.

Asteroid Chase


This level introduces the flying aspect of the game, where players take control of the Outrider's gun turrets to destroy asteroids and TIE Fighters.

Story
Dash has escaped Hoth in one piece, but he's not quite in the clear. An Imperial Star Destroyer has been spotted just off Hoth. As if things weren't bad enough, the Outrider is approaching an asteroid field. With his co-pilot droid Leebo at the helm, Dash mans the gun turrets to fend off incoming TIE Fighters and Bombers. Only when the TIEs are destroyed can the Outrider make the jump to lightspeed and escape the Empire.

Mission Objectives
Man the Outrider's gunnery controls and destroy incoming TIEs and asteroids. Shoot the red asteroids for challenge points!

Part II: In Search of Boba Fett
A rival bounty hunter has forced Boba Fett into hiding before he could deliver his prize, the carbonite-frozen Han Solo, to the vile gangster, Jabba the Hutt.

As Luke Skywalker and rogue mercenary Dash Rendar search for Boba Fett, a sinister new figure emerges from the underworld.

This cunning and ruthless head of the powerful crime syndicate Black Sun plots to ensnare young Skywalker and replace Lord Vader as the Emperor's right hand....

Ord Mantell Junkyard


Another running around mission, made much more difficult with the addition of a narrow moving train and a difficult boss: IG-88.

Story
After escaping the asteroid field, Dash discovers that IG-88, the bounty hunter trailing Boba Fett, is on Ord Mantell. He's in a junkyard looking for parts to repair his ship after it was damaged by Boba Fett. Dash has landed on Ord Mantell hoping to track down IG-88 and find out where Boba Fett is hiding. He knows that Princess Leia would pay handsomely for news of Han's whereabouts.

Mission Objectives
Move from train car to train car until you reach the end. Watch out for turns in the track! Jumping while the train is turning can be dangerous! A magnetic field surrounding the train disables all of Dash's weapons, except his blaster. He will be able to access other weapons once he reaches IG-88.

Gall Spaceport


The wampas make their second appearance of this game here appearing brown. This level introduces the jetpack and pits the player against three bosses, an Imperial AT-ST, Boba Fett and the Slave I.

Story
Before destroying IG-88, Dash finds out where Boba Fett is hiding; he's sought refuge at the Imperial moon base on Gall. With the Empire on his tail, the only way Dash can get into the base is on foot through the back entrance in Smuggler's Canyon. Once inside the base, Dash hopes to locate Boba Fett and reach Solo before it's too late.

Mission Objectives
Infiltrate the Imperial base, locate the jetpack and reach Boba Fett before he has a chance to escape.

Part III: Hunting the Assassins
The Rebels locate Boba Fett, but with help from an Imperial escort, the bounty hunter escapes from Gall.

Above the planet, an assassin nearly kills Luke. Princess Leia, fearing for his safety, asks Dash to follow him to Tatooine.

There, at the abandoned home of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke refines his Jedi skills while Dash keeps an eye out for trouble in a familiar Mos Eisley cantina....

Mos Eisley and Beggar's Canyon


The player is challenged with another variety in the form of a race/chasing stage, and they must navigate narrow paths at breakneck speeds or face death.

Story
While hiding out in Mos Eisley, Dash overhears a discussion. Jabba the Hutt has hired a swoop gang to kill Skywalker. The mercenaries speed away towards Kenobi's old home.

Why does Jabba the Hutt want Skywalker dead? Dash had better reach Luke before the swoop gang does, or he may never find out!

Mission Objectives
Race through the streets of Mos Eisley and Beggar's Canyon. You must destroy the other swoop bikers by ramming them into walls or obstacles, then get to Kenobi's place at the end of the canyon.

Watch your speed! If you go too fast you might crash! On the other hand, you need to go really fast to clear the Eye of the Needle.

Trivia Fact
The stage will take place during the day in both Easy, Medium, & Hard modes, however, only in Jedi mode, the stage will take place at night.

Imperial Freighter Suprosa


Back on his feet, Dash must make his way through strange terrains consisting of hallways, offices and engine rooms, finally ending with a duel with the level's boss: the loader droid.

Story
With the swoop gang thwarted, Dash meets up with Luke. He tells Luke that Leia is meeting with Black Sun to find out who wants him dead. Spies from Black Sun recently gave Luke the location of a freighter carrying secret Imperial construction plans. Dash warns Luke to stay away from Black Sun, but Luke knows that he can't afford not to check it out.

Mission Objectives
Dash must make his way through the freighter and find the supercomputer containing the secret plans.

Part IV: Lair of the Dark Prince
Princess Leia has met with the mysterious Dark Prince Xizor. When she discovers his plan, she is held captive deep within his lair beneath Imperial City.

Xizor is unaware that both Darth Vader and the Rebels have learned of his treachery and race to confront him.

Determined to rescue Leia and destroy Black Sun, Luke, Chewie, Lando and Dash slip unnoticed into the depths of Imperial City's underworld....

Sewers of Imperial City


The jetpack returns for this level and is put to good use as Dash must navigate through the maze of pipes and creepy dianogas, including the boss: the Giant Dianoga.

Story
Following Xizor's advice, Emperor Palpatine has allowed the plans for the new Death Star that were on the freighter to fall into Rebel hands.

While the Alliance works to decode the plans, Luke, Chewie, Lando and Dash travel to Coruscant to locate Leia. Dash must travel alone through the sewer system and find a way into the palace.

Mission Objectives
Help Dash get through the sewers to get to the entrance of Xizor's palace. Watch out for the dianogas that lurk underwater!

Xizor's Palace


This strange level forces the player to negotiate poor building planning with the jetpack, as the entire level is teeming with enemies and the final boss: the Gladiator droid.

Story
Dash has now penetrated Xizor's palace. Leebo informs Dash that there is a way to cut off Xizor's skyhook space fortress from the palace.

Mission Objectives
Place explosives on the service panels to the space elevator that connects Xizor's palace to the skyhook in orbit.

Skyhook Battle


The final level ends with the dogfight over Coruscant.

Story
Imperial and Rebel forces have descended upon Xizor's skyhook. X-wings, TIE Fighters and Xizor's Star Vipers fill the sky. The skyhook must be destroyed.

Mission Objectives
Dash must destroy Xizor's fleet, penetrate the skyhook's reactor, destroy the core and try to make it out in one piece.

Characters

 * Boba Fett
 * Guri
 * IG-88D
 * LE-BO2D9
 * Max
 * Leia Organa
 * Palpatine
 * Dash Rendar
 * Han Solo
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Darth Vader
 * Xizor

Creatures

 * Dianoga
 * Wampa
 * Cliff wampa

Droid models

 * Imperial Assassin Droid
 * Dogbot
 * Black Sun gladiator droid
 * Human replica droid
 * IG-88 combat droid
 * IG drone
 * IT-0
 * Loader droid
 * Seeker AS-M12
 * Sentry droid
 * Viper probe droid

Planets

 * Coruscant
 * Imperial City
 * Xizor's Palace
 * Hoth
 * Echo Base
 * Hoth Asteroid Field
 * Ord Mantell
 * Ord Mantell Scrapyard
 * Junk Heap
 * Tatooine
 * Beggar's Canyon
 * Ben Kenobi's hut
 * Mos Eisley

Moons

 * Gall
 * Imperial Enclave
 * Smuggler's Canyon

Spacestations

 * Falleen's Fist

Organizations

 * Black Sun
 * Galactic Empire
 * Rebel Alliance
 * Rogue Squadron

Capital Ships

 * Imperial II-class Star Destroyer

Freighters

 * Millennium Falcon
 * Outrider
 * Suprosa

Boats/Shuttles

 * Sentinel-class landing craft

Starfighters

 * TIE/sa bomber
 * TIE/ln starfighter
 * Slave I
 * StarViper-class attack platform
 * Virago
 * T-65 X-wing starfighter

Species

 * Falleen
 * Human
 * Wampa

Weapons

 * Blaster Pistol
 * Seekers
 * Flame
 * Pulse
 * Disruptor
 * Stunner

Behind the scenes

 * Though Dash has only a small supporting role in the comics and novel, it was the video game that propelled his character to "stardom".
 * There are many notable differences between the game, novel, and comics. For instance, in the novel and comics, Dash merely guides the Millennium Falcon over the treetops to the Imperial Enclave, but leaves the Falcon to fight it out with the Imperials; the Falcon reaches Boba's platform at the moment the Slaver leaves. In the game it is revealed that Dash did not actually abandon them: he makes his way through the canyons of Gall with a jetpack and fights Boba Fett, defeating him and damaging his ship before he escapes.
 * In the game, Dash plants bombs to destroy Xizor's castle, however in the novel, Lando Calrissian also drops a thermal detonator down the garbage chute.


 * If the player plays the Tatooine level in Jedi difficulty mode it takes place at night, substancially increasing its difficulty, whereas the other difficulty modes cause the level to be set during the day.


 * If the player beats the game on medium difficulty, the game reveals that Dash Rendar escaped the skyhook via a jump to hyperspace and decided to lay low for a while. He remarks that it is good to be known as a martyr while still being alive.


 * On the most difficult setting Dash will not shoot in the same location twice if the controller is not moved, displaying a realistic circle of fire recreating a natural falibility of a shooter's hand.


 * The PC version of the game supported a special set of 3d graphics drivers and filters and therefore had very peculiar graphic cards requirements, more than any other LucasArts game of its time. Even now its requirements are incompatible with recent hardware.
 * The N64 and PC versions of the video game differ greatly. The PC version has sharper and smoother gameplay graphics (using a 3D card) than the N64 version. Both versions have slightly different cutscenes&mdash;the PC version has full-motion cinematic cutscenes with sound effects and voices, while the N64 version only has drawn sketches with text at the bottom of the screen.
 * On the PC version of the game, if a player's file is renamed "_CREDITS", the game credits will play as usual, but with the addition of strange subtitles that parody the "Norwegian" subtitles from the opening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
 * In the Nintendo 64 version of Shadows, the supercomputer housing the Death Star II's plans, when viewed from a sufficient distance in Dash's perspective, greatly resembles an actual Nintendo 64 game console with a Shadows cartridge plugged into its slot.
 * In the PC version, when the disc is inserted a soundtrack is downloaded on the computer. It includes 13 tracks straight from the game. The info says it is composed by John Williams. These tracks are not the same ones from the Official Soundtrack, but are somewhat alike.