Intellivision · 1982
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Pilot a snowspeeder against Imperial AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth in this early Star Wars arcade-style shooter.
- Publisher
- Parker Brothers
- Format
- Cartridge
- Genre
- shoot 'em up
- Released
- 1982
01
Overview
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back adapts the Battle of Hoth from the 1980 film for the Intellivision. You fly a Rebel snowspeeder and fire missiles at advancing AT-AT walkers before they reach the power generator. The game rewards precise shooting, careful positioning, and occasional use of The Force to survive increasingly fast waves.
02
Why it matters
As one of the earliest licensed Star Wars home games, it shows how publishers translated a cinematic moment into a simple arcade loop. The Intellivision build also differs from the Atari 2600 version in hit counts and pacing, making it a useful comparative copy for collectors.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete copy includes the original cartridge, box, and printed manual; some versions also include an overlay or stickers. Exact package contents vary by region, so confirm which edition you are buying before approval.
04
Playing it today
The cartridge runs on a standard Intellivision with a joystick, and the action is straightforward enough to pick up in a short session. Emulators are also available for players without original hardware, though they do not replicate the physical packaging experience.