A few months ago, we asked readers a simple question: What Star Wars character deserves their own game? Obvious picks like Boba Fett and a wide variety of Darths dominated the list, as well as a surprising swell of interest in R2-D2. Since then, Star Wars has remained on the forefront of our minds thanks to the upcoming release of Star Wars Battlefront and, of course, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Players get to take on the roles of iconic characters from the universe such as Han Solo and Emperor Palpatine in Battlefront, but we're expanding the scope. What Star Wars characters would we like to see star in their own games? We've compiled some of our favorites, as well as some ideas on what kinds of experiences they'd be well-suited for.
There are plenty of actual Star Wars games on the horizon, including Battlefront and the upcoming Disney Infinity 3.0 playset based on The Force Awakens. And although Visceral isn’t providing any details, the studio is working on another game based within the universe. Our own Andrew Reiner seems to think it’s a Han Solo game, which is certainly something that fans have been asking for. In the meantime, here are some ideas we've had, including a few that fans have probably not been asking for.
IG-88
Bounty hunters have a special place in the Star Wars universe. When Darth Vader absolutely, positively had to track someone down, he didn't leave it to his Stormtrooper stooges – he sought out the professionals. Boba Fett is a fan favorite, which is a distinction that, let's be honest for a second, he never earned. After all, Fett was slam-dunked into an inverted worm in a moment of ill-advised slapstick. That's not exactly the aspirational role we want to play, disintegrations or not.
Instead, it would be fun to see the world of Star Wars through the eye array of Fett's fellow bounty hunter, IG-88. The droid never got much screen time, which actually works to his benefit. Players could learn about the droid's past through gameplay as they work to collect a series of high-paying bounties. Succeed, and you could upgrade your mechanical husk with new sensors and weapons. Fail, and you could always restore your consciousness in one of his replacement bodies.
Jabba The Hutt
Though it's no longer considered canonical (RIP, expanded universe), the story compilation Tales from Jabba's Palace was a fun read that provided some insight to the inner workings of the notorious gangster Jabba the Hutt's home base. His palace was like an even cooler version of Tatooine's bustling cantina. After all, the place had (at one time, at least) a freaking rancor in the basement.
Playing as Jabba himself might not be an interesting proposition – GTA IV proved that getting virtual lap dances is pretty much the grossest thing – but he'd make for an interesting central character in a gaming anthology. With its game The Walking Dead: 400 Days Telltale Games did a great job telling several short stories set in The Walking Dead's universe, and we'd love to play a Star Wars twist on the concept. What's a day in the life like for that awful torture droid? Is Salacious Crumb a cool little guy underneath it all? And seriously, what is up with Max Rebo? All these questions and more could be answered in a game that focuses on several minor players.