The game's manual added a number of names and details not spelled out in the game itself.
Super Star Wars generally follows the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope plot closely, with some changes made to suit a platform action game. Characters have to fight their way from scene to scene. Instead of simply buying the droids from the Jawas, Luke Skywalker meets C-3PO in the desert, then fights his way into and through the Jawa Sandcrawler to rescue R2-D2. The player characters, not Obi-Wan Kenobi, shut down the tractor beam after fighting a number of enemies.
The player is able to initially control Luke Skywalker, then can choose Han Solo or Chewbacca as the game progresses. Other levels have players control Luke's landspeeder and an X-wing fighter.
At one point, the game was to include a garbage compactor level, where the Dianoga would likely be the boss. Early press images included a screenshot from that scene.
- Plasma shield - Temporary invulnerability
- Thermal detonator - Clears screen of enemies
- Health (Small and Large) - Regains health
- Time - Increases time to finish the level
- Bonus - Multiplies the number of points by 2
- Health Sword - Increases size of health bar
- Extra Life - One more life
The game's manual refers to many Cantina aliens by their individual names, but since multiple versions appear fighting in one scene this list assumes there are also other, multiple members of those species present.
- Aqualish (including Ponda Baba)
- Bantha (mini-boss)
- Bounty hunters
- Devaronians (including Labria)
- Duros
- Boulders
- Eyeball Droids
- Factory droids
- Gonk Droids
- Imperial spider droids
- IT-Class Interrogation Droids
- Jawa Pods
- Jawas
- Kubaz (including Garindan)
- LIN Mine Droids
- Maintenance droid (Mos Eisley) (mini-boss)
- Mechanical claws
- Mouse Droids
- Mynocks
- Ground Level Automated Defense Droid Systems (GLADDS)
- Rodians (including Greedo and Breedo)
- Sandworm
- Scorpions
- Shistavanens (including Lak Sivrak)
- Spidertaurs
- Spitapillar
- Sandtrooper or Stormtrooper officers
- Stormtroopers
- Stormtroopers with E-Web blasters
- T0-D interrogation droids
- TIE Fighters
- Turrets
- Tusken Raiders
- Womp rats
- Worrts
The entire Super Star Wars series earned mostly acclaim from both critics and fans. Its graphics were considered cutting-edge for their time, with the driving stages employing Mode 7 graphics, a primitive form of 3D of which the Super Nintendo hardware was capable. Particularly well-received was the game's lush sound, with its accurate representation of the film's famous John Williams soundtrack. On the negative side, the entire series would develop a notoriety for its unforgiving difficulty, which would often frustrate even skilled players.
- Super Star Wars Official Game Secrets
- The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
- "" — Star Wars Insider 40
- "Red Five, I'm Going In" — Star Wars Insider 65
- "Join Us!" — Star Wars Insider 160