Matt Leacock‘s Pandemic has plenty of viral properties of its own, as evidenced both by the continuing sales of this game around the world and by the release of numerous spin-off titles, the most recent of which is Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a design from Alexandar Ortloff and Z-Man Games that’s labeled as part of the “Pandemic System”
Here’s an overview of this 1-5 player game:
Planets under siege populate the game board as players take on the role of legendary Jedi traveling from battle to battle, teaming up and fighting off the Separatist threat. Battle droids attack on sight, and a planet invaded by too many will fall under a blockade, hindering Jedi from liberating it from the enemy or accomplishing missions.
Players must work together to confront the onslaught of droids by moving into their spaces and engaging them in combat, utilizing dice and squad cards to deal damage and push back the threat. In between battles, players move from planet to planet, battling more droids, crushing blockades, completing missions to turn the tide of war, and facing off against iconic villains.
The announcement from Z-Man Games names the seven Jedi that players can become — Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Yoda, Aayla Secura, and Luminara Undula — as well as the villains behind the Separatists: Darth Maul, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, and Count Dooku. Jedi and villains each have their own unique power, and each villain has a unique scenario to give you different challenges.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is due out in October 2022 and carries a US$60 MSRP.
