Star Wars: Rebel Assault is a 1993 rail shooter game developed and published by LucasArts. The game was released for DOS, Macintosh, Sega CD, and 3DO, although in recent years has been bundled with its sequel on modern PCs.
Upon its release, Star Wars: Rebel Assault proved to be extremely polarizing among critics, with some loving it and others hating it. Despite the mixed reception, sales were still massive for the game, selling a total of around 1.5 million unis in total.
Star Wars: Rebel Assault Premise
©Screenshot from Star Wars: Rebel Assault.
The gameplay across Star Wars: Rebel Assault is extremely varied, with a few different level types to play through. Most levels are spaceflight-based, taking place in third-person, overhead, and first-person. Despite the variety of views, movement in all of them is pretty limited, with the on-rails gameplay requiring you to shoot enemies quickly to avoid taking damage. There is one level in the game which takes place on foot. Even still, the gameplay places you on rails, so the differences are mainly visual above all else.
Speaking of visuals – the graphics are generally seen as a high point of Star Wars: Rebel Assault. The game makes use of full-motion video sequences, with new live-action footage recorded using the props and costumes from the original Star Wars trilogy. This helps to give the game a truly authentic Star Wars feel, despite the cheaper elements in the gameplay. There are even several 3D-rendered sequences in the game which bring up the production value massively.
Star Wars: Rebel Assault Main Characters
©Screenshot from Star Wars: Rebel Assault.
Star Wars: Rebel Assault is unique in that it features recognizable beats from the Star Wars movies, although it doesn’t follow the plot to a tee. It takes the characters featured in the original trilogy, and replaces them with new characters to make the story feel fresh.
It’ll take some getting used to for long-time fans of the franchise, but here are the main characters in Star Wars: Rebel Assault:
- Rookie One: Rookie One is the protagonist of the game, with their gender chosen by the player. Replacing Luke Skywalker, Rookie One is a moisture farmer hailing from Tatooine who joins the Rebel Alliance dreaming of a life filled with adventure and action.
- Jake Farrell: Jake Farrell is a commander of the Rebel Alliance who takes the place of Han Solo in Star Wars: Rebel Assault. He helps Rookie One as they attempt to destroy the Death Star.
Star Wars: Rebel Assault Titles in the Series
©Screenshot from Star Wars: Rebel Assault.
Star Wars video games have a rich history in the industry. Although they’re not always well-received by critics, it’s rare they flop commercially due to the sheer size of the franchise.
Games like Star Wars: Rebel Assault are more important than you might assume. While it may be a largely forgotten title today, it was released in the gap between the ending of the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy. It’s these games that helped keep Star Wars alive and active in the public eye, ensuring everyone would be back in 1999 for the release of The Phantom Menace.
The Rebel Assault series itself was short-lived. After the release of the original in 1993, just a single sequel would be released in 1995, continuing the adventures of Rookie One in an alternate version of the Star Wars story.
- Star Wars: Rebel Assault (1993)
- Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire (1995)
Star Wars: Rebel Assault Cheat Codes
©Screenshot from Star Wars: Rebel Assault.
Before doing anything, you must first activate Cheat Mode in Star Wars: Rebel Assault. When the LucasArts logo appears, press “Up + Fire,” “Down + Fire,” “Left + Fire,” and “Right + Fire.” This will trigger a sound to confirm you’ve done it correctly. This is best done with a controller, as it can prove tricky with a mouse and keyboard. Then, you can use the following cheats in Star Wars: Rebel Assault:
| Cheat Code | Cheat Code Effect |
|---|---|
| Press the “1” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Flight Training mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “2” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Asteroid Field Training mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “3” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Planet Kolaador mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “4” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Star Destroyer Attack mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “5” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Tatooine Attack mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “6” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Asteroid Field Chase mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “7” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Imperial Probe Droids mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “8” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Imperial Walkers mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “9” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Stormtroopers mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “a” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Protect Rebel Transport mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “b” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Yavin Training mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “c” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the TIE Attack mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “d” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Death Star Surface mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “e” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Surface Cannon mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “f” key during gameplay. | Instantly go to the Death Star Trench Run mission without the use of a password. |
| Press the “+” key during gameplay. | Reduce the amount of damage that you have taken. |
| Press the “-” key during gameplay. | Increase the amount of damage you have taken (can result in losing lives if used too much). |
As well as the previous cheats, there are also a series of level passwords that you can enter in Star Wars: Rebel Assault. These are entered at the Password screen.
Star Wars: Rebel Assault Level Passwords
| Easy Level Password | Password Effect |
|---|---|
| BOSSK | Takes you to the Asteroid Field Training mission on Easy difficulty. |
| ENGRET | Takes you to the Planet Kolaador mission on Easy difficulty. |
| RALRRA | Takes you to the Star Destroyer Attack mission on Easy difficulty. |
| FRIJA | Takes you to the Tatooine Attack mission on Easy difficulty. |
| LARFRA | Takes you to the Asteroid Field Chase mission on Easy difficulty. |
| ANOAT | Takes you to the Imperial Probe Droids mission on Easy difficulty. |
| DERLIN | Takes you to the Imperial Walkers mission on Easy difficulty. |
| MOLTOK | Takes you to the Stormtroopers mission on Easy difficulty. |
| MORAG | Takes you to the Protect Rebel Transport mission on Easy difficulty. |
| TANTISS | Takes you to the Yavin Training mission on Easy difficulty. |
| OSWAFL | Takes you to the TIE Attack mission on Easy difficulty. |
| KLAATU | Takes you to the Death Star Surface mission on Easy difficulty. |
| IRENEZ | Takes you to the Surface Cannon mission on Easy difficulty. |
| LIANNA | Takes you to the Power Relay mission on Easy difficulty. |
| PAKKA | Takes you to the Death Star Trench Run mission on Easy difficulty. |
| NORVAL | Takes you to the Ending mission on Easy difficulty. |
| Normal Level Password | Password Effect |
|---|---|
| BOTHAN | Takes you to the Asteroid Field Training mission on Normal difficulty. |
| HERGLIC | Takes you to the Planet Kolaador mission on Normal difficulty. |
| LEENI | Takes you to the Star Destroyer Attack mission on Normal difficulty. |
| THRAWN | Takes you to the Tatooine Attack mission on Normal difficulty. |
| LWYLL | Takes you to the Asteroid Field Chase mission on Normal difficulty. |
| KAIBURR | Takes you to the Imperial Probe Droids mission on Normal difficulty. |
| MAZZIC | Takes you to the Imperial Walkers mission on Normal difficulty. |
| JULPA | Takes you to the Stormtroopers mission on Normal difficulty. |
| MORRT | Takes you to the Protect Rebel Transport mission on Normal difficulty. |
| MUFTAK | Takes you to the Yavin Training mission on Normal difficulty. |
| RASKAR | Takes you to the TIE Attack mission on Normal difficulty. |
| JHOFF | Takes you to the Death Star Surface mission on Normal difficulty. |
| ITHOR | Takes you to the Surface Cannon mission on Normal difficulty. |
| UMWAK | Takes you to the Power Relay mission on Normal difficulty. |
| ORLOK | Takes you to the Death Star Trench Run mission on Normal difficulty. |
| NKLLON | Takes you to the Ending mission on Normal difficulty. |
| Hard Level Password | Password Effect |
|---|---|
| BORDOK | Takes you to the Asteroid Field Training mission on Hard difficulty. |
| SKYNX | Takes you to the Planet Kolaador mission on Hard difficulty. |
| DEFEL | Takes you to the Star Destroyer Attack mission on Hard difficulty. |
| JEDGAR | Takes you to the Tatooine Attack mission on Hard difficulty. |
| MADINE | Takes you to the Asteroid Field Chase mission on Hard difficulty. |
| FORNAX | Takes you to the Imperial Probe Droids mission on Hard difficulty. |
| TARKIN | Takes you to the Imperial Walkers mission on Hard difficulty. |
| MOTHMA | Takes you to the Stormtroopers mission on Hard difficulty. |
| GLAYYD | Takes you to the Protect Rebel Transport mission on Hard difficulty. |
| OTTEGA | Takes you to the Yavin Training mission on Hard difficulty. |
| RISHII | Takes you to the TIE Attack mission on Hard difficulty. |
| IZRINA | Takes you to the Death Star Surface mission on Hard difficulty. |
| KARRDE | Takes you to the Surface Cannon mission on Hard difficulty. |
| VONZEL | Takes you to the Power Relay mission on Hard difficulty. |
| OSSUS | Takes you to the Death Star Trench Run mission on Hard difficulty. |
| MALANI | Takes you to the Ending mission on Hard difficulty. |
Star Wars: Rebel Assault Cheat Code FAQ
©Screenshot from Star Wars: Rebel Assault.
How Do I Reduce Damage in Star Wars: Rebel Assault?
After you’ve activated Cheat Mode in Star Wars: Rebel Assault, you can easily reduce any damage that you’ve taken in combat. During gameplay, just press the “+” key on your keyboard, which will heal you. Alternatively, you can press the “–” key to increase damage to yourself.
Can I Use Star Wars: Rebel Assault Cheats on Emulators?
Yes. While it isn’t necessary nowadays due to the PC release, you can always play Star Wars: Rebel Assault on a Sega CD emulator if you’d like. There’s no reason why most of the cheat codes mentioned above wouldn’t work in this version of the game, either.
There is only one exception we can think of. The Sega CD version of the game lacks the Imperial Probe Droids mission, so any cheat that sends you straight there will not work in that emulated version.
How Do I Activate Cheat Mode in Star Wars: Rebel Assault?
You can activate Cheat Mode by pressing “Up + Fire,” “Down + Fire,” “Left + Fire,” and “Right + Fire” when the LucasArts logo first appears. This will enable you to use all of the cheats mentioned above.
Does Star Wars: Rebel Assault Have Achievements?
No. The Steam rerelease, which saw Star Wars: Rebel Assault and its sequel come to modern PCs, chose not to add achievements, and its original release falls under the same category. Since the game is a rail shooter, it’s not like there is too much room for creative achievements, anyway.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Screenshot from Star Wars: Rebel Assault..