If you were a kid when the Wii game out, the motion-based controls immediately inspired thoughts of sword-fighting. Hopes only grew with the release of Wii Sports Resort, which dramatically improved on the waggle and slash swordplay originally seen in Twilight Princess.

However, forward progress towards an intuitive sword combat system stalled and seemed to completely stop around the late 2000s and early 2010s as motion controls moved away from a one-to-one relationship and became combinations more akin to the spellcasting in fantasy games. Kickstarter projects, like Clang, pushed for more authentic motion-based sword gaming, but they repeatedly underperformed in demos or ran out of money as they fell short of deadlines.

Some might argue there were games which properly utilized the Wii’s motion capture potential appropriately, but for everyone who praises Ghostslayer, you’ll find those who complain that it’s too short or intensified too much toward the end without allowing for more complexity in sword swings.

When the Wii dragged itself into oblivion, the average gamer longing for a sword-based motion-based control was left to plant their hopes in other systems which proved themselves uninterested in pursuing that goal, and most never even heard of Star Wars Rogue Leaders: Rogue Squadron.

It promised us everything we could have wanted. Jedi were the perfect sword-motion conduit, and despite the absolute disaster of Star Wars Kinect, people clearly longed for the opportunity to fight the Empire. Considering the game was completed, and some of the movements fall well in line with the trajectory of motion-based swordplay based on other games of the time, there’s no reason why it wasn’t released, especially when it clearly offers everything sword-obsessed gamers like myself had always wanted.

Half of us would’ve been happy to have a duel simulator where we were a padawan in the Jedi Temple, fighting well known characters prior to the Clone Wars in the earlier days of Anakin’s apprenticeship, but Star Wars Rogue Leaders offered the Wii’s motion-based controls in several different ways, showing off the flexibility.

For those doubting due to the graphics, please know – this was officially cancelled in 2008. We could have been exploring the galaxy; instead, we were denied. For this, and everything in the video above, Star Wars Rogue Leaders is and will forever be the Best Game that Never Was in my heart.

Do you have a game that reached completion but was never released that you think deserves the title of the Best Game that Never Was? Share your thoughts and join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.

Featured Image: Nintendo

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