The Empire Strikes Back: Atari Archive Episode 73

The venerable game company Parker Brothers releases its first video game in July 1982, with a heavyweight license and a pretty unique gameplay hook. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is the first in a long line of licensed Star Wars games, recreating the movie's Battle of Hoth and serving as one of two games that cemented Parker Brothers as a major force in the home video game market through the early 80s.

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Sources include:
The Game Makers, Phil Orbanes, 2004
Playing by Different Rules, Ellen Wojahn, 1988
Rex Bradford, interview with Ethan Johnson
Rich Stearns, interview with Alex Smith
Ranny Barton, interview with Alex Smith
Tom Dusenberry, interview with Alex Smith
Electronic Fun with Computers and Games, January 1983
Videogaming Illustrated April 1983, August 1983
Video Games, October 1983
TV Gamer, Summer 1983
Space Gamer, September 1982
Logical Gamer, August 1983
Weekly Television Digest, Feb. 16 1982, May 17 1982
Merchandising, March 1982
Toy and Hobby World, February 1982
Playthings, February 1982
Fort Worth Star Telegram, Oct. 9 1982
Billboard, July 3 1982
Behind the Scenes: Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back, gamestm.co.uk, May 21 2010
Video Game Update, August 1982
Video, September 1982