I would eat a Star Wars what-if? Campaign like Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s

Last year I watched my colleague George Foster froth with excitement over Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero (you can read his review here). His passion was so infectious that I read the entire original Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z manga. And then he told me that the Sparking Zero campaign allows you to change the outcome of crucial moments in history. As a long-time fan of all things alternative history, I couldn’t care less. But what if I did? Dun dun du…

It got me thinking beyond the iconic Shonen to other legacy franchises and how interesting it would be to explore their rich history and reimagine their outcomes. Naturally, I ended up with Star Wars, whose constant battles between good and evil have a lot in common with Goku’s journey

One of my most important childhood memories is playing through the old companion game, Revenge of the Sith, which I still consider to be the best Star Wars game of all time. There is a hidden, alternate ending in which Anakin Skywalker defeats Obi-Wan Kenobi on the shores of Mustafar’s lava ocean. Such an ending raises a whole host of mysterious questions: What would Darth Vader look like without the restraints of his suit? Could Anakin have saved Padme? What would have happened to Luke and Leia?

Never once did I think that Anakin would turn on Sheev Palpatine and kill him, thereby usurping the Empire. It’s a huge twist, but I was so excited by the new possibilities that I even wrote fan fiction in my little diary at the time. Thank God I hadn’t discovered Wattpad yet.

Marvel explored the possibilities of What If? in the Disney+ series of the same name (with mediocre results) attempts to tie the answers into a larger multiverse plot. The simplicity of moving a few pieces, stepping on a butterfly, and changing the future is why this idea can work so well. It is intended to be an anthology driven by imagination, bringing to life the questions we all had as children, rather than offering a traditional narrative itself.

Television and comics can be brilliant media to explore such a question, but as Sparking Zero proves, giving us the opportunity to directly influence the outcome in a video game brings teenage conversations with friends to life. What if Anakin hadn’t killed Count Dooku? What if Qui-Gon Jinn survived the Phantom Menace? What if Luke Skywalker defeated his father and accepted Palpatine’s offer?

Like Dragon Ball, much of Star Wars is driven by duels, pitting larger-than-life characters against saber in beautifully intimate, focused battles. There’s plenty of room for a game focused on these iconic battles. Revenge of the Sith even had a mode dedicated to them, and it was great!

Did I mention it was the best Star Wars game of all time?

A game that focuses solely on duels, perfecting combat and combining the meticulous movements of each character would open the door for us to change the outcome of any story, allowing us to ask these questions and ultimately see the answers. Star Wars is approaching its 50th Disney anniversary. What better way to look back on its rich history?