Soulcalibur x Star Wars

Soulcalibur x Star Wars is a spin-off title in the Soul series of games. It features many characters from the Star Wars and Soulcalibur universes, and follows the gameplay of its predecessors.

The game was made as a Marvel vs. Capcom-style crossover "inspired" by the inclusion of several Star Wars guest characters in Soulcalibur IV.

List of playable characters and respective weapons
Unlockable characters are bolded.

Soulcalibur characters

 * Amy - Rapier
 * Astaroth - Giant axe
 * Cassandra Alexandra - Short sword and shield
 * Cervantes de Leon - Longsword and pistol sword
 * Hildegard von Krone - Short sword and spear
 * Ivy Valentine - Snake sword
 * Kilik - Double-bladed lightsaber or bo staff
 * Lizardman - Hand ax and small shield
 * Maxi - Nunchaku
 * Heishiro Mitsurugi - Katana or lightsaber
 * Nightmare - Soul Edge II zweihänder
 * Raphael Sorel - Rapier
 * Rock Adams - Giant mace
 * Seong Mi-na - Halberd
 * Setsuka - Iai sword hidden within an umbrella
 * Siegfried Schtauffen - Soul Calibur zweihänder
 * Sophitia Alexandra - Short sword and shield
 * Taki - Dual kodachi ninja swords
 * Talim - Elbow blades
 * Tira - Circular lightsaber or ring blade
 * Voldo - Dual katars
 * Chai Xianghua - Chinese jian sword
 * Yoshimitsu - Katana, wakizashi, and sashimono''
 * Hong Yun-seong - Chinese dao sword
 * Zasalamel - War scythe

Star Wars characters

 * Ahsoka Tano - Lightsaber
 * Anakin Skywalker - Lightsaber
 * The Apprentice - Lightsaber (originally a guest character in Soulcalibur IV)
 * Asajj Ventress - Dual lightsabers joined by a cord/double-bladed lightsaber
 * Boba Fett - Blaster rifle and jetpack
 * Cade Skywalker - Blaster rifle and lightsaber
 * Chewbacca - Bowcaster
 * Count Dooku - Lightsaber
 * Darth Krayt - Dual lightsabers
 * Darth Maul - Double-bladed lightsaber
 * Darth Revan - Lightsaber
 * Darth Vader - Soul Edge lightsaber (originally a guest character in Soulcalibur IV)
 * The Emperor - Lightsaber
 * General Grievous - Quadruple lightsabers
 * Han Solo - Blaster pistol
 * Kyle Katarn - Lightsaber
 * Princess Leia Organa - Vibro axe and blaster pistol
 * Luke Skywalker - Soul Calibur II lightsaber
 * Mace Windu - Lightsaber
 * Mara Jade - Lightsaber and blaster pistol
 * Maris Brood - Tonfa-style lightsabers
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi - Lightsaber
 * PROXY - Mimetic combat processor (mimics other characters' appearances and fighting styles)
 * Qui-Gon Jinn - Lightsaber
 * Yoda - Lightsaber (originally a guest character in Soulcalibur IV)

Guest character

 * Indiana Jones from the Indiana Jones series - Bullwhip and revolver

Gameplay
Soulcalibur x Star Wars is a fighting game where two players each choose a character and have their characters fight each other on a Soulcalibur or Star Wars themed stage. An "HP Gauge" records the amount of health a character has remaining, while a "Soul Gauge" depletes if a character blocks attacks and increases over time or if a character hits the opponent with attacks. If the Soul Gauge is empty, the character is put into a vulnerable state where their protective equipment is destroyed and, if certain conditions are met, the opponent can perform a powerful finishing move (known as a "Critical Finish") on the character.

Certain Star Wars characters that are Force users, such as Darth Vader, also have a "Force Gauge" that is drained as the character uses certain powerful attacks, which are often Force powers from the Star Wars universe. If the gauge is drained, then the character is temporarily stunned. Like the Soul Gauge, this gauge can be filled up over time or by landing attacks on the opponent. This gauge was also present for the Star Wars guest characters in Soulcalibur IV; however, in Soulcalibur x Star Wars, it regenerates at a much faster rate. Due to the fact that the Soulcalibur characters Mitsurugi, Tira and Kilik are discovered to be Force-sensitive during the game's storyline, they use the Force Gauge and Force powers as well.

New to Soulcalibur x Star Wars are Star Wars characters who primarily use projectile weapons, such as Han Solo. (The Soulcalibur character Cervantes uses a pistol sword as well as a longsword, although his attacks are mostly geared towards close-range sword fighting.) Such characters can perform special long-range projectile attacks on the opponent, giving them an advantage in combat. However, many firearms attacks can easily be blocked by guarding or deflected using a "Guard Impact" move, due to the fact that they do not hit immediately. This allows enemy characters to come closer, which causes a disadvantage for the firearms character; almost all firearms characters have sub-par close range attacks that are mostly designed to knock the opponent further away or give a big enough disadvantage to move into long range again. Notable exceptions are Boba Fett and, to a lesser extent, Mara Jade, who can fight relatively well at close range due to their various weapons; this has caused many members of the tournament community to label Fett as "broken" and "overpowered".

Emperor Palpatine (labeled in the game as "The Emperor") is the game's boss character, playing a similar role to Algol, Abyss, and Inferno from previous Soulcalibur games. All characters fight Palpatine as either the final boss or second-last boss in their story mode, and as the final boss of Arcade Mode.

Story
The story takes place after the events of Soulcalibur IV, although it is non-canon in both Soulcalibur and Star Wars canon.

During a destined battle between Siegfried, wielder of the spirit sword Soul Calibur, and Nightmare, embodiment of the cursed sword Soul Edge, both warriors were killed as Siegfried sealed both swords away, making them apparently disappear forever as the warriors' corpses were scattered, and almost destroying the Tower of Remembrance where the epic duel took place. Siegfried's heroic act has brought peace to his planet, and he has become a legendary figure looked upon by many. However, rumors abound among the great warriors of the age that the swords have actually not disappeared, and will reappear in some form or other.

In fact, Soul Edge and Soul Calibur both reappeared in a different place and time, in a faraway galaxy. Many of the galaxy's inhabitants started noticing bizarre disturbances caused by the two swords, until finally the disturbances became strong enough to effectively open portals to the Soulcalibur universe in various locations. At this point, even from great distances away, the galaxy's greatest warriors begin noticing the disturbances caused by the swords.

Using the Force, Luke Skywalker senses a strong evil force (Soul Edge), but also senses an equally potent good force (Soul Calibur). Luke is drawn to Soul Calibur and finds it in an Utapau sinkhole. Soul Calibur beckons him to travel to the Soulcalibur universe through a nearby, newly-opened portal, and take it to the dead body of Siegfried, its former wielder. Luke takes Soul Calibur to Siegfried, who is once again revived by the spirit sword, but they initially do not trust each other, and the two fight. However, after Luke and Siegfried find out about each other's goals and ambitions, Siegfried realizes that Luke means no harm, and is shocked to be alive, as he realizes that if Soul Calibur has returned, then Soul Edge must have returned as well. Siegfried warns Luke of the evils of Soul Edge and the horrible deeds that the cursed sword and its wielders, including its new body Nightmare have done. Luke therefore teams up with Siegfried to destroy the cursed sword, aided by comrades including Hildegard von Krone, princess of the Wolfkrone Kingdom. Soul Calibur then senses that Luke's soul is pure, especially considering that he returned it to its original owner rather than keep it and use its powers for himself; as a token of gratitude, it creates a copy of itself, Soul Calibur II, that turns into a lightsaber crystal that turns Luke's own lightsaber into an incarnation of the spirit sword.

Darth Vader travels through the portal as well, drawn to the powers of the two swords, especially Soul Edge. He finds Soul Edge in Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, where Jabba the Hutt has claimed it as a prize, apparently mesmerized by its evil energy. After raiding the palace, Vader takes the blade as his own, turning it into a crystal and fusing it to his lightsaber as Luke did with Soul Calibur II. Although the sword attempts to take over his mind, he ultimately assumes control over it, only gaining Soul Edge's insatiable thirst for souls and desire to destroy Soul Calibur; Vader agrees with the latter, as Soul Calibur's power would be great enough to interfere with the accomplishment of his own personal goals, such as becoming Emperor using Soul Edge. Vader therefore travels to the Soulcalibur universe to find Soul Calibur and destroy it, all the while attempting to satisfy his newfound thirst for souls, aided by allies such as Tira, Nightmare's former servant, along the way.

Once Vader enters the Soulcalibur universe, the independent thoughts and desires of Soul Edge's spirit, which were subdued by Vader, are transferred miles away to Nightmare's corpse. Nightmare then wakes up with feelings of burning rage, extremely angry that Soul Edge - his essence and very reason for existing - was stolen. Due to the fact that he can observe activities through Soul Edge but not yet control the sword itself in Vader's possession, Nightmare becomes furious that Soul Edge now belongs to a being that would have a strong enough will to overcome his own. He then realizes that, if Soul Edge was brought back, then Soul Calibur must have been brought back as well, and this only increases his rage. Nightmare's emotions of fury and hatred become so extreme that they allow him to use some of Vader's own Force energy to create a perfect replica of Soul Edge, "Soul Edge II", that is just as powerful as the original (unlike "Soul Edge Phantom", another Soul Edge replica created in this way). He therefore seeks to destroy Soul Calibur once again, and reclaim his essence, the true Soul Edge and fuse it to its replica to create an unstoppable soul-eating weapon. Along the way, Nightmare finds slaves and eventual sacrifices, such as Starkiller, that usually join him due to some form of rivalry towards other characters or betrayal of other characters.

The energies of the two swords attract many of both galaxies' greatest warriors; some desire Soul Calibur for good, others desire Soul Edge for evil, others still desire both for unlimited power, and some are even drawn to the power without knowing what it really is.

Emperor Palpatine, meanwhile, is drawn to the greatest power of all: the power of of both swords flowing through the Hero King Algol, despite Algol's presence in another dimension. He promptly travels to the Soulcalibur universe and reaches the Tower of Remembrance, apparently held together using Algol's own power - Algol is a formerly human, energy-based being who must remain within the Tower to avoid dying and disappearing forever. Because Algol must expend so much of his power to keep the Tower from crumbling after the explosion, he is severely weakened from his previous godlike state, and is easily killed by Palpatine. Palpatine then takes Algol's power as his own, but finds that he himself "inherited" Algol's need to stay within the confines of the Tower. Using the dark side of the Force, he teleports to the Death Star II to escape the crumbling Tower, opening a portal between the Tower's ruins and the Death Star, but is still confined to his throne room due to the unusual nature of his new powers. Palpatine therefore seeks Soul Edge and Soul Calibur so that he can use their power to become a complete being once again and use Algol's power, as well as that of the two swords, to rule over his galaxy for all eternity - and expand his Empire's rule to the Soulcalibur universe as well.

Merchandise
A Star Wars Miniatures set based on the game was released. The set, Star Wars Miniatures: Legends of Soulcalibur, features characters from both the Soulcalibur and Star Wars universes. The set returns to the older format of 60 minis per set; this was for the purpose of including more Soulcalibur characters, as it has been stated that this will be the only crossover set with the series. A starter set has been released featuring Darth Vader and Mitsurugi, and the booster packs have art depicting Nightmare, Siegfried and Luke.

Hasbro also released a small line of Soulcalibur x Star Wars action figures as part of the regular Star Wars action figure line, similar to the Force Unleashed action figure line. Re-sculpted and re-painted Star Wars characters were included, as well as popular Soulcalibur characters. In keeping with Soulcalibur x Star Wars' status as a weapon-based fighting game, each figure comes with three interchangeable weapons: the 1P and 2P versions of their basic weapon, and their ultimate weapon. So far, only Luke, Vader, Siegfried, Nightmare, Yoda, The Apprentice, Mitsurugi, Hilde, Ivy and Taki have been released.