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Chris Baker
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X-Wings, Lightsabers, and Scorpion Vader: Celebrating 40 Years of Star Wars Video Games (From a Certain Point of View) Kindle Edition

by Chris Baker (Author), Thor Thorvaldson (Illustrator), Jason Babler (Illustrator), Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
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THE ULTIMATE CELEBRATION OF STAR WARS VIDEO GAMES!

There has never been a bigger celebration of the history of Star Wars games than X-WINGS, LIGHTSABERS, AND SCORPION VADER. Written by videogame industry veteran Chris Baker—who spent three years at LucasArts himself—the book collects several long pieces he has written on the subject in recent years: some for Rolling Stone's Glixel.com in 2017, one for YouTube channel Superhero.VG, and another reflecting upon his time at LucasArts. More than 15 developers contributed exclusive quotes for this book—even the composer for Namco's Japan-exclusive Star Wars for Famicom (where Darth Vader turns into a scorpion!). When appropriate, new content has been added from the original pieces.

ANSWERING THE STAR WARS VIDEOGAME QUESTIONS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU HAD

  • What role did the founders of Pixar have in the first Star Wars game ever?
  • How didBounty Hunterinfluence The Mandalorian?
  • What game at one point allowed Luke Skywalker to snap necks?
  • What Star Wars game took inspiration from Battlestar Galactica?
  • What game released to early, with fans completing it years later?
  • How did a tester in QA influence a core feature of Jedi Knight?
  • The most authentic localization of Japan's Famicom game ever
  • In what form did Battlefront 3 actually come out?
  • What Battlefront game is so obscure, no live gameplay exists on the internet?
  • How did the worst moment in Star Wars gaming history lead to one of its best?
  • What makes the book's title a lie?
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  1. Print length
    312 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    Sept. 4 2023
  5. File size
    79040 KB
  6. Page Flip
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  7. Word Wise
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CGNY9R7N
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Superhero.VG; 1st edition (Sept. 4 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 79040 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

About the author

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Chris Baker

Chris Baker

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With years-long stints under his belt at Marvel and LucasArts, Chris Baker has played a role in the release of more than 40 game releases since 2005 – some of which you’ve even heard of! To name a few: Marvel vs. Capcom 3, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Marvel Pinball, Star Wars Battlefront II, LEGO Star Wars II...plus quite a few he’d rather not mention while trying to make himself sound awesome. He also worked in the games press from 1998-2005, most notably as an editor at Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, where he reviewed and wrote about hundreds of games.

Take your pick on how to reach him personally:

His website: www.c-bake.com

Twitter: @cbake76

Bluesky: @cbake.bsky.social

Instagram: @cbake76

Threads: @cbake76

Residing in Westchester County, New York, Chris couldn’t do any of this without the continued love and support of his uncannily fantastic and amazing wife, Glenda. Their lovely daughter "T-Bear" might just be the greatest kid on the planet.

Some other fun facts about Chris:

--Stan Lee once called him and told him, "I'm a big fan of yours now." (Seriously!)

--He's been part of more than ten San Diego/New York Comic Con panels regarding Marvel video games.

--He was featured alongside industry legends like Will Wright (Sim City, The Sims) and Cliff Bleszinski (Gears of War, Unreal) in Scholastic's "Hot Jobs in Video Games" book: http://www.christopher-baker.com/hot-jobs-feature.html

--R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe once told him, "You're right. You're not a very good singer."

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
35 global ratings

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GF
5.0 out of 5 stars For those who love Star Wars, games, and Star Wars games
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Right off the bat, it's nice to learn the what, how, and why of the whole Scorpion Vader thing. But that's just one nugget in a book full of great research, tidbits, and anecdotes.

What I like most about this book is its variety, which makes sense given the author's history as a magazine editor. The greatest moments in SW video games is a fun crash course through the highlights of a seemingly infinite series of licensed games. What's funny is that No. 1 is not surprising, yet it's one I know I likely will never play. (There are many different tastes in games across this universe, after all.)

Meanwhile, seeing the re-translation of a particular Japanese Star Wars game is both amusing and insightful, while the avalanche of all the Hoth stages reminded me that 1) there sure are a lot of lost-to-time mobile games, and 2) Shadows of the Empire still wins as the ultimate realization of that iconic scene.

What's really cool is Baker's unique insight; because he has been in both editorial and PR in the gaming space, his point of view is indeed different. In particular, I really enjoyed the mini memoirs section at the end. It's a great way to wrap up a wonderful celebration. Star Wars gamers, and indeed Star Wars fans and fans of gaming, are sure to enjoy this breezy read.
2 people found this helpful
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ND
5.0 out of 5 stars A Galactic Nostalgia Trip!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
As a lifelong Star Wars fan and avid gamer, "X-Wings, Lightsabers, and Scorpion Vader: Celebrating 40 Years of Star Wars Video Games" was a dream come true. This book took me on an exhilarating journey through four decades of Star Wars gaming, and it was an absolute blast!

From the moment I cracked open the pages, I was transported to a galaxy far, far away. The writing style in this book is not only informative but also incredibly engaging. It's clear that the author poured their heart and soul into this celebration of Star Wars video games, and it truly shines through.

What sets this book apart is its unique perspective "From a Certain Point of View." It offers a fresh take on the iconic Star Wars universe, shedding light on the lesser-known aspects of game development and the challenges faced by the creators. It's a refreshing departure from the usual Star Wars lore and adds depth to the franchise.

The illustrations and imagery throughout the book are nothing short of stunning. They complement the narrative beautifully and bring to life the iconic characters, starships, and worlds we've all come to love.

Whether you're a die-hard Star Wars gamer or someone who simply appreciates the magic of the franchise, this book is a must-have. It's a lovingly crafted tribute to the games that have kept us entertained for decades, and it left me with a profound sense of nostalgia and admiration for the Star Wars gaming community.

In conclusion, "X-Wings, Lightsabers, and Scorpion Vader" is a delightful journey through the history of Star Wars video games. It's a heartfelt tribute to a beloved universe that has enriched our lives in countless ways. This book deserves a place on the shelf of every Star Wars fan and gamer. May the Force be with you as you embark on this incredible adventure!
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Angus Christophers
5.0 out of 5 stars Neat History
Reviewed in Australia on September 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
Pretty neat look back at the weird and cool history of Star Wars video games. There is a lot to cover and most, if not all, is here in some detail.
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Carlos Fontes
5.0 out of 5 stars An Entertaining Overview of 40 years of Star Wars Gaming.
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
After Chris Baker's previous book, 'WRONG! Retro Games, You Messed Up Our Comic Book Heroes!', I was really looking forward to this one and it absolutely delivered.

This book is an overview/retrospective on 40 years of Star Wars in gaming and I enjoyed every page and really high quality image. I started playing Star Wars games on SNES so reading about games before my time was fascinating.

The book also has a really interesting look at in-game translation that was a real highlight for me. It was pretty hilarious at times.

Also, something I really appreciated was that this is not an exhaustive, pedantic overview of every single game in minute detail. One of my favorite Star Wars games , a sequel to another Star Wars game, got a brief overview but honestly, there wasn't much to say about it really, and I appreciated that the book maintained a breezy pace that kept me turning pages to see what I would learn next vs getting lost in unnecessary detail.

In my opinion, the best thing about this book is reading Mr. Baker's perspective on these games because of his professional experience with gaming and the Star Wars franchise.

I enjoyed my time with this book and if you're a fan of Star Wars, gaming, or enjoyable writing with a sense of humor, this is 100% worth your time and money.

Thank you for another great read, Mr. Baker!
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
2.0 out of 5 stars A fun read, if not exactly Shakespeare
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book is actually really terribly written but is just so joyful & curated with such passion that it's easy to like.
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