In celebration of Star Wars Day, Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is providing members in North America with free access to two classic Star Wars games: Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. The trial period runs from April 30, 2025, to May 6, 2025, allowing subscribers to download and play the full versions of these retro titles at no additional cost. This announcement aligns with the annual Star Wars Day festivities on May 4, capitalizing on the franchise’s cultural significance.
These two titles, remastered by Aspyr, are updated versions of lesser-known classic Star Wars games—one originally released on PlayStation 2 and GameCube, the other on PlayStation, Dreamcast, and GBA (though the GBA version isn’t included here).
Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, originally released in 2000, is a co-op action game where players control Jedi characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, battling through levels inspired by Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, launched in 2002, follows Jango Fett in a third-person action-adventure set before Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, focusing on his bounty-hunting missions. Both games are available through the NSO service, which typically offers access to a library of retro games alongside online multiplayer features.
The free trial is exclusive to NSO members, and Nintendo has promoted similar trials in the past, such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in 2024 and Star Wars Republic Commando in 2023. These initiatives highlight Nintendo’s strategy to engage subscribers with limited-time offers, especially around themed events like Star Wars Day.
While the trial is a boon for fans, it’s worth noting that access requires an active NSO subscription, which starts with a 7-day free trial for new users, followed by a monthly fee of $3.99. Additionally, the NSO + Expansion Pack tier provides access to a broader retro game library, including titles from NES, SNES, N64, and GameCube, though these specific Star Wars games are available under the standard membership.
For those looking to purchase Star Wars: Bounty Hunter or Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, the Nintendo eShop offers several options. Each game is priced at $19.99 individually, or they can be bought as part of the Star Wars Prequel Pack for $64.99, which also includes Episode I: Racer and Republic Commando. The best value currently is the Star Wars: Grand Collection, which includes these four games plus five more: Knights of the Old Republic, Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, The Force Unleashed, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, and Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. This bundle, regularly $139.99, is now on sale for $69.99.
This promotion not only celebrates Star Wars Day but also underscores Nintendo’s ongoing efforts to enhance the value of NSO ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2 launch on June 5, 2025. Fans are encouraged to take advantage of the trial to experience these nostalgic titles before the period ends.
