Starwars Toys & Games

With the return of the Star Wars as a household name by now, no other franchise has garnered this much hype, months before they are released in cinemas.

There are various mediums and ways that fans can enjoy the Star Wars experience. The list below is not exhaustive but will give you an idea of the myriad options available.
Toys

It’s a fantastic time for Star Wars toy collectors. Several companies have announced a slew of toy line ups and their release dates.

Lego has played an integral part in the Star Wars toy scene; from A New Hope right up to the current Star Wars Rebels series. About 32 sets have already been announced in 2015 and more to come next year.

Hasbro's on-going Black Series 3.75" and 6" figures has been successful in bringing back the vintage vibe. The recent controversy at SDCC 2015 over the product management issue for the release of The First Order Stormtrooper is proof of how hot this series is, with prices having sky-rocketed in the secondary market.

The 1/6 Scale Star Wars figures is a popular series and Sideshow Collectibles is a closely associated name for many collectors. However, after losing a big chunk of the franchise rights, Sideshow Collectibles will eventually cease most of their production at the end of the year. As a result, the value of a Trooper-building set has ramped up significantly.
Hot Toys, the successor of the rights, have announced their 1/6 line which includes the Stormtroopers, the main cast of A New Hope and, even bolder, a Tie Fighter and the Millennium Falcon. If so, what are the chances of a 1/6 AT-AT? Fans will be waiting with bated breath for the answer to this one.

video Games

The Star Wars franchise has done well not only in the toys market, but in video games as well.

The Star Wars arcade game debut was released by Atari back in 1983. It was a first-person space shooter simulating the attack on the Death Star. The game was basically composed of 3D colour vector graphics. Computer graphics were simpler back then, isn't it?

As time passed, LucasArts subsequently established a foothold, and became the driving force that pushed these games out. For nearly 30 years, fans were treated to Star Wars: Dark Forces, Republic Commando, The Force Unleashed, Battlefront, Knights Of The Old Republic and many more. Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm has not adversely affected the Star Wars franchise, rather it has enhanced it. Star Wars games continue to be sold in various platforms.

For the casual gamers, games like Star Wars Commander, Star Wars Rebels and the ever chirpy Star Wars Angry Birds are available for both Android and iOS.

If you’re a Steam user on PC, a selection of 20 titles are available. While they are not free, with prices at S$20 and below, that’s considered a reasonable entry level. As Episode VII opens in December, bundle sales will skyrocket during the annual Steam Summer Sales.

There’s another ongoing MMO game on PC called The Old Republic. Created by the renowned Bioware, it was an ambitious project at the time of its release. Even though failing to topple Warcraft as the dominant MMO game during its first year, The Old Republic's game mechanics, rich storyline and fantastic character development, still manages to survive even after 4 years. Recently, an announcement of a new DLC garnered enough attention for new users to sign-in and old veterans gamers to return. Plus, it’s a Free-To-Play game. So why not?

But much attention has been hogged by a single Star Wars game this year: Battlefront 3. Fans of the franchise and first-person shooter enthusiasts are paying close attention to its every development. The trailers released at this year's E3 received so much positive reactions, pre-order sales spiked significantly. Originally due to release in December, the game was pushed earlier to November 17 although it may still be subjected to change.

Star Wars has come a long way in video games. It allows you to have a deeper experience into a galaxy far, far away, and you can’t help but feel that there’s some kind of force at work.