Summary
Though gaming historians are divided on which game was the first to feature one, minigames have been around since at least the 1980s, with old PC sports games likeOlympic Decathlontechnically featuring a compilation of smaller games inside one package. Over the last few decades, minigames have become an increasingly prevalent part of the gaming landscape, often appearing in larger-scaleopen-world RPGs, where they appear alongside traditional side missions and world activities.Star Wars Outlawsfollows this pattern well.
From in-universe arcade games, to betting on Fathier races, to lockpicking rhythm games,Star Wars Outlawsis home to a surprising number of minigames. While some of these minigames are over in just a few seconds, some are a bit more in-depth, and that’s certainly the case with Kessel Sabacc. TheStar Warsgalaxy’s version of Poker, Sabacc is a card game that bears some intriguing similarities with two all-time favorite minigames:The Witcher 3’s Gwent andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Queen’s Blood.
How Star Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabacc Compares to Gwent and Queen’s Blood
Star Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabacc Is Also a Numbers Game
A key similarity betweenStar Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabacc,The Witcher’s Gwent, andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Queen’s Bloodis that all three center around numbers. Gwent sees players try to earn the highest score in each row by placing unit cards with a higher strength value than their opponent’s cards in the same lane. Queen’s Blood functions very similarly, requiring players to win three lanes by having stronger units than their opponent, which is also determined by a number value at the top of the unit’s card.
But whileStar Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabaccdoes revolve around numbers, it’s all about players achieving the lowest score possible. In Kessel Sabacc, players are given two cards, one from a Blood suit, and one from a Sand suit. Each card has a numbered value on it. At the end of a round of Kessel Sabacc, the two cards' values are subtracted from one another. The goal of Kessel Sabacc is for the player to be left with a value as close to 0 as possible.
Star Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabacc Has Some Tricks Up Its Sleeve
Another similarity between Kessel Sabacc, Gwent, and Queen’s Blood is that each game has some key twist that adds a whole new layer of strategy to the experience. InGwent and Queen’s Blood, this strategic twist is that many cards are equipped with special abilities. These special abilities range from Gwent’s Decoy card, which allows a non-unit card to be swapped with any card on the field to return it to the player’s hand, to Queen’s Blood’s Grenadier card, which will lower the strength of any opponent card on affected tiles by 4.
Once again,Star Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabacc has a similar special ability system to Gwent and Queen’s Blood, albeit with some significant differences. InStar Wars Outlaws, players can draw an Impostor or Sylop card. The Impostor card forces the player to roll dice and attribute its value to the card instead, while a Sylop card automatically takes on the value of the player’s other card, giving them a guaranteed score of 0.
Star Wars Outlaws' Kessel Sabacc also adds a layer of strategy by introducing Shift Tokens. At the start of a match, the player can choose three Shift Tokens to take in with them. Each ofStar Wars Outlaws' Shift Tokensgrants a special ability when used at the beginning of the round, such as granting them a free draw or forcing the next player along to pick up on their turn. Sabacc may not be quite as strategic as Gwent or Queen’s Blood in terms of card positioning or meta tactics, but its quality stacks up well.
Star Wars Outlaws
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.DISCOVER A GALAXY OF OPPORTUNITYExplore distinct planets with bustling cities and cantinas before racing across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each planet brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.EXPERIENCE AN ORIGINAL SCOUNDREL STORYLive the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. With Nix by your side, turn any situation to your advantage: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.EMBARK ON HIGH-STAKES MISSIONSTake on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.JUMP INTO THE PILOT SEATPilot your ship, The Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes, finding the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
