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I hadn’t seen much of the original Star Wars trilogy when I was younger. I knew that the coolest thing in the world was Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and I loved my PlayStation. That was really about as simple as my interests lay. It’s no wonder I thought Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles was a masterpiece. Now, I have gone back and played the original game again in past years and have different opinions, but in terms of remastering old Star Wars games, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is excellent at keeping the flame alive.

In Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, you play through side-scrolling levels set in areas made famous by The Phantom Menace. Characters like Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Qui-Gon Jinn allowed you to live out your Jedi fantasy with plenty of unlockable characters. The new version from Star Wars remaster super-studio, Aspyr, also adds 10 additional characters for the first time, including Jar Jar Binks, Tusken Raiders, and more. While these small additions are nice, they don’t change the game much. Still, they’re appreciated.

As for gameplay, modernized controls offer a new way to play this classic title, which was first released 25 years ago. Overall, it’s mostly just the jump buttons and ranged attacks that switch up their input, but it does make the game feel a bit more like today’s action titles. As you traverse these levels, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles offers less of a challenge and more of a Jedi fantasy where you can run through levels with your favorite Episode I characters. We have better Star Wars and Jedi experiences in 2025, but it was pretty fun at the time. Today, it’s still a decent enough time.

The game also allows players to input cheat codes much akin to gaming in decades past. Things like a radar map, the ability to make your head huge, and even the option to fight your co-op companion in a one-on-one Jedi battle are fun ways to make the game wackier. You can also toggle your lightsaber controls, play versus, and training modes and treat this retro Star Wars title like a nostalgia playground. However, that’s one of its most significant barriers; without nostalgia, you could likely look at this and question why you’d even want to play it.

There are better Star Wars games from the 2000s. Aspyr has done a fantastic job remastering countless Star Wars games, including seven you can purchase in a fun bundle called the Star Wars Heritage Pack. Compared to those games, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is more like an arcade experience, and you might be better off playing games like Force Unleashed or Republic Commando if you’re itching for a more linear story experience.

All in all, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles was fun for me because of the nostalgia factor. I’m not lying, when I booted up the game and had the first level practically memorized 25 years later. I was six again, eager to play with my favorite Episode I friends at its original release. Today, I’m more satiated from Star Wars games like the Jedi series from Respawn. Still, modernizing elements of the game and opening up what you can do while playing it makes this another wonderful Aspyr remaster.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Star Wars: Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles was provided by Aspyr for the purposes of this review.

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Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

19.99

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• A nostalgia trip for all of the prequel lovers
• Nice additions to help players customize how they engage with these classic levels
• A great roster of characters

Cons

• Modern controls really don't make the game feel all that different
• Without nostalgia, you might not enjoy this all that much