Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Death Star Battle
First video game based on Return of the Jedi.
In 1983, Parker Brothers developed and published the shoot 'em up video game Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Death Star Battle for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Atari 8-bit computers. Two years later, in 1985, Sinclair Research bundled it with the ZX Spectrum+ as part of a software pack. This title was among the earliest Star Wars video games, arriving after 1982's Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and around the same time as Atari's 1983 Star Wars arcade game. It also holds the distinction of being the first video game based on Return of the Jedi.
The player controls the Millennium Falcon, aiming to destroy the second Death Star. The game consists of two stages. In the first, the player shoots enemy TIE fighters while waiting for a chance to pass through an energy shield. In the second stage, the player must shoot parts of the Death Star until a clear path to the reactor opens. After destroying the reactor, the player must dodge fireballs from the resulting explosion. Once these objectives are completed, the game restarts with increased difficulty.
The cover art, created by science fiction artist John Berkey, shows the Millennium Falcon flying away from the partially built Death Star, chased by four TIE interceptors. Berkey had previously designed some of the earliest poster art for the original 1977 film, Star Wars.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Parker Brothers
- Publisher
- Parker Brothers; Sinclair Research (ZX Spectrum)
- Series
- Star Wars
- Platforms
- Atari 2600
- Atari 5200
- Atari 8-bit
- ZX Spectrum
- Genre
- Shoot 'em up
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The player controls the Millennium Falcon with the aim of destroying the second Death Star. The game is split into two stages. In the first, the player must shoot enemy TIE fighters while waiting for an opportunity to pass through an energy shield. In the second stage, the player must shoot at parts of the Death Star until there is a clear path to the reactor. Once the reactor has been destroyed, the player must avoid being hit by fireballs from the resultant explosion. Once these objectives are completed, the game begins again in a new round with greater difficulty. The cover art depicts the Millennium Falcon in flight away from the partially constructed Death Star, pursued by four TIE interceptors. It was produced by science fiction artist John Berkey, who designed some of the earliest poster art for the original 1977 film, Star Wars.
Reader's Guide
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Death Star Battle holds a notable place in video game history as the first game based on the 1983 film Return of the Jedi. Released in 1983 by Parker Brothers for multiple Atari systems, it was among the earliest Star Wars video games, arriving shortly after Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in 1982 and alongside Atari's own 1983 Star Wars arcade game. Its later inclusion in a 1985 software pack for the ZX Spectrum+ extended its reach to home computer users. The game's two-stage gameplay—first engaging TIE fighters to breach a shield, then targeting the Death Star's reactor—captured key moments from the film's climax. The cover art by John Berkey, known for his early Star Wars poster work, added a visual connection to the franchise's original aesthetic. While the game itself is a straightforward shoot 'em up, its significance lies in being an early licensed adaptation of a major Star Wars installment, helping to establish the pattern of movie-based video games that would become common in the following decades.
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