When it comes to Star Wars games, there are any number of genres and game types that could be used; the two Star Wars games in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace are perfect examples; Star Wars Cantina is a strategy game based in a dining room (aka, Cantina), and Star Wars Battle For Hoth is a tower defense game in which the player reproduces the Rebel defense of the base on Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back.
To see how Star Wars Battle For Hoth plays and how it stands up as an extension of the Star Wars story, read on.
Game-play
As with any tower defense game, the object is to deploy your units (or towers) in such a manner so that you can destroy any enemy units before they reach their target. There are several strategies that come into play, including forcing the opponent to follow a specific path through your units, inflicting as much damage as possible. Star Wars Battle For Hoth includes a plethora of units taken from the movies that offer different strengths and weaknesses, forcing you to pick and choose the best defense against the foes you will face on a particular level.
Many of the enemy units you face in Battle For Hoth will actually shoot back at your units, bringing some of the defensive units in the game into use. Shields can provide cover for your units, protecting them from enemy fire; but the shields themselves must be powered by generators, making the strategy of designing your defense fairly complex.
Interface
Star Wars Battle For Hoth lends itself well to a touch-screen interface, using swipes, taps, and pinches to navigate the game. Units are deployed by dragging items from the menu to the playing area, allowing for quick placement. Individual units can be tapped, which will allow you to upgrade the unit or sell it back to recover some cost.
Conclusion
Star Wars Battle For Hoth successfully blends the Star Wars universe with a tower defense style game. As you progress through the levels of the game, the game not only gets more difficult, you also progress through the story. Video clips between each level taken from the movie help immerse you into the story, as do the 70’s era video transitions between the different screens.
If you are a Star Wars fan or a just into gaming, give Star Wars Battle For Hoth a try (open’s Zune). The full version costs $4.99 from the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace.
