Vintage Toys: Star Wars Electronic Battle Command Game

We've seen my Rocket Firing Boba Fett action figure, which was the first toy from my 10 Star Wars Toys I am looking to add to my Star Wars toy collection to be checked off my list, and here's a look at an item of 80's electronic excellence...The Star Wars Electronic Battle Command Game.

I received this electronic marvel for Christmas back in 1980. I did get my Atari 2600 for Christmas, but I am pretty sure it was the following year, but this was my first thrust of what would later become a video game addiction.

The game supported up to 4 players and featured a light up LED grid screen. The game was essentially an electronic version of Battleship.

How the game was described in the Star Wars catalog insert:

An Exciting New Intergalactic Combat Game for Kids and Adults! No matter what your level of Play - Basic, intermediate or Advanced - BATTLE COMMAND offers of captivating combat thrills. Start the game and the light for FORCE units is on. You can move and fire your X-WINGS and TIE FIGHETRS...just like the the dog fight scenes  in "Star Wars." The electronic game has a "teach" mode for each level of play. And you can compete with the machine or with as many as three opponents. Ages 10 and up.

Features listed on the packaging:

• Display panel which shows you your location in Hyperspace along with planets and enemies.
• Scanners permit you to locate your enemies or Magna, the FORCE giving star.
• Select three level of play: Basic, Intermediate or Advanced. All come with a teaching mode for game play clarification.
• Red alert which signifies your enemy is close at hand.
• Combat signal tells you that the fight is on.
• Your FORCE units are registered automatically each turn.
• You can play against the game or as many as 3 opponents at one time.
• You can choose to take evasive maneuvers from your enemy, go to battle stations or screen up for invisibility.
• You can fire at your opponent to reduce his FORCE units.

This game was a friend favorite and I would let friends borrower it for extended periods of time. Even after we all started getting Atari's the game still found its way around my circle of friends. However, eventually it gave up the ghost. It stopped working, the battery cover was lost, and the decal with game title was torn off. Santa, I mean my parents, sure got their moneys worth.

I kept the lifeless shell. Mainly for display purposes and eventually sold it as part of a toy lot during a Batcave Toy Room purge. I then turned around and picked this good as new specimen complete with box and all the trimming, instruction booklet, score pad, inserts, and warranty. Anyone want to play me?

Here's a look at the original commercial:




See the vintage Electric Star Wars Battle Command Game in action.

About the author: John Sholtz is an avid toy collector and the interim editor of the Batcave Toy Room due to the abrupt death of Bruce Wayne. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter at, Facebook, Google+ and Linkedin.