Over the thousands of years that followed, power technology and indeed the construction of lightsaber hilts continued to evolve, eventually encompassing shotos, shorter hilts used in the off-hand, as well as double-bladed, curved-hilt, and dual-phase designs. There are many unique hilts, such as the lightsaber hilt of Gungi, a Jedi Initiate.

.It’s time for younglings of all ages to take their first steps into a larger world.Last week, unveiled Star Wars Lightsaber Academy, an innovative app-and-lightsaber-toy combo that will teach aspiring Jedi how to wield the most elegant of weapons. Here’s how it will work: download the official Lightsaber Academy App, choose from one of five of the best masters in the galaxy (Jedi or Sith, depending on which side of the Force you lean toward), and begin your journey to becoming a lightsaber expert. The app syncs via Bluetooth to Hasbro’s new line of lightsabers thanks to Smart-Hilt technology, which tracks the lightsabers’ movements to evaluate skill, scores, and progression. The experience includes character voices, sound effects, and each Star Wars Lightsaber Academy lightsaber includes a kyber crystal at its core. There’s even a two-player component for when two friends decide to go the Obi-Wan/Anakin route and battle it out.

Star Wars Lightsaber Academy ($49.99) arrives on, October 4, and it sounds like a wonderful evolution of what lightsaber toys can be. StarWars.com caught up with Hasbro’s Michael Ballog, senior director, global brand strategy and marketing, Star Wars, for some master-like wisdom on the making of the innovative toy. Here are his greatest insights.On developing technology to create a more immersive way to play:“Consumer insights create the foundation for our brands and products, and we will continue to invest in the areas we know consumers will be excited about and develop technology that enhances their play experience. In this instance, all the great technology that we have built into Lightsaber Academy translates into an experience that feels magical for kids. The Smart-Hilt technology is tracking their movements and communicating via Bluetooth to the app — but a kid isn’t focusing on this technology per say. They are focusing on the fact that their lightsaber ‘knows’ when they make a move, can give them feedback, and react as a they train with Jedi or Sith masters and then battle with friends.

This allows them to put themselves into the Star Wars story with their very own personalized lightsaber experience!”On crafting Jedi and Sith combat techniques:“For the lightsaber moves, they need to be true to Star Wars while also being fun, attainable, and with the right level of challenge for a kid as they progress through training and battling. We work closely with the team at Lucasfilm and Disney to ensure that each Star Wars item created meets the high expectations of the passionate community and franchise standards.”On the upcoming release of Star Wars Lightsaber Academy:“We’re beyond excited about this new offering and have had a blast creating (and playing with) it! We think fans will be just as thrilled, and we’re looking forward to following along on their Lightsaber Academy journeys once it hits shelves in fall 2019.”Hasbro will also release additional series of Star Wars Lightsaber Academy lightsabers, including Extendable ($7.99) and Electronic ($19.99) editions that include a scannable code to access training and character content in the Lightsaber Academy app.

Check them out below!See below for images of all Hasbro’s Toy Fair reveals, including The Black Series, Retro Collection, and much more!Star Wars Hyperreal 8″ Darth VaderStar Wars Retro CollectionStar Wars The Black Series Star Wars Celebration Exclusives.

In Replaying the Classics, StarWars.com revisits Star Wars games of yesteryear, examining why we loved them then and why they stand the test of time.

Let’s say you’re a fan who’s new to video games. Maybe you’ve played the recent Battlefront titles, you’re aware of the rich, decades-long history of Star Wars games, but you don’t know where to start. Star WarsJedi Knight: Jedi Academy might just be the perfect entry point into the classics.

Released in 2003 for the Xbox and PC, Jedi Academy is Raven Software’s follow-up to the highly acclaimed Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, making it the fourth and final installment in the Jedi Knight quadrilogy that began with LucasArts’ beloved 1995 shooter Dark Forces. However, Jedi Academy is a fairly self-contained, standalone experience; you can easily enjoy it without having played the others. It also bridges the gap between retro gameplay and more modern blockbuster sensibilities. The game was built using id Software’s Quake III engine (programmed by Doom co-creator and Oculus chief technologist John Carmack), so it’s firmly rooted in the first-person shooters of the past — but it’s got plenty of lightsaber action, too.

In this Legends-era story, players take on the role of a Jedi initiate named Jaden Korr. What makes Jaden an interesting protagonist is that the character is whoever you want them to be, ultimately — male or female, Twi’lek, Zabrak, human, Kel Dor, Rodian. You can choose their appearance, the style and color of their outfit. Even the design of Korr’s lightsaber hilt is up to you. There are nine hilts to choose from, along with five blade colors: purple, yellow, blue, orange, and green.

When the game starts, Jaden Korr is en route to Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Korr’s a noteworthy apprentice for having successfully constructed a lightsaber prior to any formal teachings. As the trainee shuttle arrives, it falls under attack, along with the rest of Skywalker’s academy. On the ground, Korr glimpses members of a Sith cult known as the Disciples of Ragnos, and is knocked unconscious by a mysterious flash of light. When the new student awakens, they’re greeted by Skywalker and Kyle Katarn, the reluctant Jedi hero of the previous Jedi Knight games. (In Legends, it was Katarn who first delivered the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance.)

Jaden Korr — in a sense, the player — becomes Katarn’s apprentice as the search for this dangerous Cult of Ragnos begins. Here, following a brief training session on Yavin, the game opens up into an episodic, nonlinear series of missions across the galaxy. Venturing to planets like Tatooine, Bakura, Blenjeel, and Corellia, you’ll fight alongside familiar faces (like Chewbacca!) in your quest to thwart the Sith cultists and achieve mastery of the Jedi arts.

If you want to get your hands on a custom lightsaber and Jedi avatar that suit your personality and play style, and take on rancor beasts and followers of the ancient Sith, Jedi Academy is the old-school game for you. With its foundation of Quake-style FPS gameplay, you’ll find yourself toggling back and forth between your saber and an arsenal of recognizable weaponry like the Wookiee bowcaster, E-11 Blaster Rifle, and thermal detonator. If you’ve never delved into the world of classic Star Wars games, there’s no better time to start — and the Jedi Knight series is a crucial piece of that history.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is available on Xbox One, Steam, GOG.com, and the Humble Store.

Sunny europe catalogue download. Alex Kane is a journalist based in west-central Illinois. He has written for Polygon, the website of Rolling Stone, Syfy Wire, Variety, and other publications. Follow him on Twitter at @alexjkane.