Jedi Challenges Review
June 14, 2018
I recently had the opportunity to review the Star Wars™: Jedi Challenges augmented reality system. The game offers lightsaber battles with villains from the dark side, holochess, strategic combat, and a new multi-player mode.
Sadly, this is not the first lightsaber I’ve used as an adult. However, it is my first augmented reality experience with a headset, so I am excited to review this product.
Star Wars™ Jedi Challenges only works with a limited number of phones, (they state on the site they are adding phone models often). I used an iPhone 6 plus for this test.
The box is thick and sturdy, like a smartphone container. Its elegant feel and pop-off-the-package graphics give a great first impression. If you are thinking of buying this as a gift for a young Jedi, the unveiling of the 12.5-inch lightsaber when the lid is lifted is sure to invoke a movement in their force.
The first step is to charge the devices. There is only one wall charger and cable included, so the headset and lightsaber must be charged separately. Each device took about an hour to charge. I loaded the 2 AA batteries (included) into the tracking device and downloaded the free app on my smartphone.
I set the tracking device on the floor in a 8' x 8' (2.5 square meters) open area, free of pets, vases and ottomans. Light can interfere with the tracking device, so the blinds were closed, and the lights were lowered.
The app walks you through how to insert your smart phone into the headset. Put on the headset and look directly at the tracking device for more instructions and to calibrate the lightsaber. Otherwise, you might be staring into space like an Ewok with big dreams, like I did for around 3 minutes.
The demo mode made it easy to get the hang of things by battling low-level droids and working up to more challenging characters like Darth Maul.
The game has 4 main modes: Lightsaber Battle, Lightsaber Versus Mode, Strategic Combat and Holochess. You gain force power or other bonuses, depending on the mode, as you increase your Jedi skills.
Lightsaber Battle mode is my favorite, as it allows you to use the lightsaber to battle droids and work your way up to fighting serious contenders like Darth Maul. Arrows and other prompts during the battle will help you learn how to defend and attack and when to use the force.
Lightsaber Versus mode allows you to engage other players in battles. We did not test this mode because it takes two lightsabers.
Strategic Combat is a battle simulation that lets you command armies of clone forces against enemy troops of the Empire. Engage in some of the epic battles seen in the movie saga.
The Holochess mode is based on the chess game from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. It’s cool but it requires some patience.
Occasionally, the lightsaber would get out of sync with the game and had to be recalibrated during a battle. It did not happen enough to be a problem.
I only felt the weight of the half-pound headset when I got bored (Holochess), and I could wield the lightsaber for the length of a session with no problems.
The two Jedi trainees that helped test Jedi Challenges, and myself, rated this augmented reality product 5 out of 5 stars.
In my opinion, the $199 retail price is a little high for the value received, especially if you need to buy two for multiplayer mode, but there are deals available online.
Together--the AR display, the lightsaber with haptic feedback (vibration), and the sounds--make the game a great experience for all ages.
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