Excitement is mounting here at Sidetracked with the imminent release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The film is set to hit Australian cinemas on 18 December to coincide with the worldwide release.
Set 30 years after the end of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens will bring back some of the characters that made the franchise famous, including Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.
We think there’s no better way to celebrate the latest Star Wars launch after a ten-year hiatus than with a game of Laserforce Mission.
In fact, the original game of laser tag was inspired by the first Star Wars movie back in the 1980s.
To help you channel the force we’ve pulled together some costume ideas, with inspiration drawn from what we’ve seen so far of latest film release.
Luke Skywalker
The young Jedi is now all grown up in The Force Awakens, having fought and won against the Empire and seen his father killed in the process. For your Star Wars party you could come dressed as a young Luke as he was when he battled on the Death Star and zipped around in his X-Wing. Or imagine what a battle-weary Luke will look like now.
Han Solo
The Force Awakens will see Han Solo fly the famous Millenium Falcon during the film as Rey and Finn search for Luke Skywalker. We imagine he’s just as rough-around-the-edges now as he was in Return of the Jedi, wearing the clothes of a scavenger and galaxy journeyman.
Princess Leia
During Return of the Jedi, Leia showed herself to be shrewd fighter and formidable foe against the forces of darkness. In The Force Awakens, Leia is now known as General Organa and is “a little more battle weary, a little more broken hearted” says director and co-writer J.J. Abrams
An older Leia has done away with the flowy dresses of a princess and would now be dressed more like the soldiers she commands. And while she’s lost those tell-tale buns, she’s still a fan of the up-do.
Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren is a new character in The Force Awakens and is the follow-up villain to Darth Vader. He is from the Knights of the Ren order, which emerged after the Battle of Endor in the Return of the Jedi. We’re most excited about his weapon, which sees the traditional lightsaber redesigned to include a cross-guard laser above the handle.
Rey
Rey is a tough scavenger who lives in a junkyard on a desert planet but joins the Resistance fighting against the evil First Order. It’s been suggested she may be one of the main protagonists in the next trilogy of films, and may also be related to one of the elder characters – Leia and Solo perhaps?
The trailer shows her wearing light robes fitting of her desert home, accompanied by a look of steely resolve.
Finn
Finn, is a stormtrooper who becomes stranded on the desert planet of Jakku. During the film he switches alliances to join the rebels (not the first stormtrooper to switch sides). He is also shown in the trailer using the lightsaber that once belonged to Luke Skywalker and Anakin before him.
You could come dressed as a stormtrooper with a conscious, perhaps carrying the green-lightsaber of the rebels.
From 17 December to 20 December anyone who comes to Sidetracked dressed in a Star Wars costume, can buy one Laserforce Mission and get a second one free (some conditions apply).
Whatever you do to celebrate the newest film’s arrival, may the laser force be with you.