We’re less than six months from the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the obligatory companion app has arrived. However, here’s a surprise of “I Am Your Father” proportions: this one actually looks pretty good.
The new, free and official Star Wars app for iOS and Android arrives with a veritable galaxy of features.
There’s an official newsfeed, a whopping selection of shareable GIFs, trailers and a countdown timer for The Force Awakens’ theatrical debut. You can also see what happened on this day in Star Wars history.
However, it gets better. You can take selfies with a number of characters including Yoda, Princess Leia and frozen-in-carbon Han Solo.
You can even engage in a little Force training thanks to a mini game, where you must use the phone’s accelerometer to fend off lasers in the style of Luke in Episode IV: A New Hope. There’s a fun augmented-reality mode too.
Read more: 5 Bits of Star Wars tech that are actually happening
So right now here in South Florida, I’m baking like the poor folks on Tatooine. In the UK, meanwhile, it’s probably more Endor-esque. For our readers in the Arctic Circle, well, we’re sorry about the Hoth-like weather you keep getting..
This launch is the first Star Wars app that isn’t actually gaming focused. It’s free, so why not give it a spin today? Check it out in the video below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.