Fans ofStar WarsEpisode I: Jedi Power Battleshave a lot to celebrate today, as the classic PlayStation game has just been tapped for a re-release.Jedi Power Battleswas a 2001 beat-em-up set amid the events ofThe Phantom Menace, with a decidedly lighthearted twist. Players could select from one of five characters (all Jedi from the prequel trilogy), and play through ten different levels that loosely followed the plot of the movie. With plenty of absurd cheats, classic platforming, and “what-if” scenarios through bonus and training levels,Jedi Power Battleswas a classic of its era.
And now, it’s coming back:Jedi Power Battleswill be released for modern platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox consoles on June 27, 2025, according to a post on the officialPlayStation Blog. A Switch release is planned to follow soon after, but no date has been announced for it just yet. The entirety of the PS1 original will be intact in the re-release, which will also come along with a host of new features, including some never before seen outside its Dreamcast port.
The re-release ofJedi Power Battlescomes just in time for its 25th anniversary- originally released in 2000, it’ll turn 25 in April. While such a late resurgence of this long-abandoned sector of theStar Warsfranchise is unexpected, it’s certainly welcome amid the recent spate ofStar Warsvideo game releases.Jedi Power Battlesrepresents a certain kind of nostalgia for many, and is often celebrated as an all-time classic.
The Enhanced Version Of Jedi Power Battles Celebrates 25th Anniversary
New Features Coming To Jedi Power Battles' Re-Release
The re-release ofJedi Power Battleswill include new features, includinga full recreation of the training levels and duel mode once exclusive to the Dreamcast version. Training levels provide unique challenges designed to acclimate players to certain aspects of the game. These are often timed, and encourage players to set high scores, adding replay value to the admittedly brief original campaign. Duel mode is a PvP mini-game designed for two players, in which a pair of characters go head-to-head in a side-scrolling, fighting game-style battle.
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There are also12 new characters available in theJedi Power Battlesre-release, including familiar faces like Pilot Droids, Weequay, Destroyer Droids, Loader Droids, and Tusken Raiders. This signifies that the enhanced version is moving away from the “Jedi” inJedi Power Battles, allowing players to control a wider variety of characters with different abilities. It also adds to the absurdity of it all - imagine defeating Darth Maul as a Loader Droid.
Naturally,the enhanced version will also have improved graphics, suitable for display on modern HD screens, in addition to a faithful recreation of the campaign, bonus levels, and co-op of the originalJedi Power Battles. A revival of the originalJedi Power Battles25 years later instead ofanotherStar Wars JediorOutlawsreleasewasn’t the first thing on anyone’s mind. But it looks to have been done with care and consideration, potentially making it the definitive version of thisStar Warsclassic.
Star Wars Fans Discuss The Nostalgia Behind The Century Old Title
A Surprise, To Be Sure, But A Welcome One
As its lighthearted tone made it ideal for younger audiences,many fans have fond memories of playing throughJedi Power Battleswith their friends or siblings some 25 years ago. One commenter on the X (formerly Twitter) post announcing the re-release remembers a particularly nostalgic experience: playing it on the demo kiosks at a retail store.
I had a similar experience: I would’ve lovedJedi Power Battlesas aStar Wars-obsessed child, but never got to experience it because I didn’t have a PS1.Frankly, I never would’ve known it existedhad it not been announced for re-release. Its absurd tone and couch co-op do, however, remind me of a similarStar Warsgame I logged a ton of hours in:Lego Star Wars.
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I spent many a weekend in my youth playingLego Star Warswith my sister, arguing over who got to play as Luke Skywalker, and whether I really meant for that stray lightsaber swing to hit her character or not.Something likeJedi Power Battles' remaster could inspire us to take up the controller again, and relive those days.
And that’s reallythe point of remakes and remasters like these: to bring old classics to new audiences who never got the chance to appreciate them when they were first released. They’ll almost never replace the original versions, or your memories with them, but they can help others form new memories. While a more widespread game preservation effort would be ideal, in the meantime, things like theStar Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battlesremaster will have to suffice.
