Software piracy in 2016 is so ubiquitous that we expect games to leak ahead of release. Back in the 20th century, though, it was a lot harder for pirates to get hold of video games before they hit retail shelves. As evidenced by this crazy old story about how the classic TIE Fighter got out a week before its release…
X-Wing Alliance, the last proper space sim set in the Star Wars universe, was released in 1999. The 20th century. The chances of us getting another one are approximately 3722 to 1. But that’s OK! We can always dream. And hope that this indie game actually gets made.
Classic Star Wars spaceship shooters X-Wing and TIE Fighter are now available on Steam. Revered as two of the best Star Wars games of all time, they’re joined by X-Wing Alliance and X-Wing vs TIE Fighter in Valve’s voluminous game hangar. Grab a joystick and blast some imperial/rebel/womp rat scum.
By now, you'll have surely seen that sweet Tie Fighter clip done in an anime style. What I don't think is getting enough attention, though, is just how much the short owes to Lucasarts' 1994 video game Tie Fighter.
Here's an entirely plausible scenario: you are a human who enjoys video games, owns a PC and likes Star Wars. You've heard forever that Tie Fighter is something you should play, but a combination of necessary fiddling and the fact you couldn't actually buy it anywhere mean that you've never tried it yourself.
Jeez, it only took decades, but two of the finest space combat games - not to mention best Star Wars games - of all time are about to get a re-release.
Whether it's playing X-Wing or Tie Fighter, Super Star Wars or Jedi Knight, one of the defining experiences of the world's favourite fictional universe - including, you know, watching the movies - is defined by its sound effects.
TIE Fighter was released in 1994, a time in which serving as the instrument of an oppressive, corrupt government against insurgent forces didn't raise the kind of uncomfortable questions such a game would after Sept. 11, 2001.
