You'd have an easier time beating Han Solo's Kessel Run record than describing Star Wars: Jedi Challenges —Lenovo's and Disney's lightsaber-swinging augmented reality experience—in a way that does it proper justice.

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An Elegant Weapon

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A Galaxy of Opportunities

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To truly feel one with the AR-fueled Force, you must don the included headset (in which your smartphone is nestled), clutch the lightsaber's hilt—which ratchets the realism with haptic feedback—and clash virtual blades with the likes of Kylo Ren and Darth Maul. Suffice it to say though, it delivers the sort of experience that would have melted my 10-year-old mind back in the day.The incredible sense of immersion is due not only to the cool tech, which also uses a tracking beacon and compatible smartphone running the game's app, but the many Star Wars-flavored details supporting it; from obvious inclusions, like the familiar score and sound effects, to subtler touches like the sparks that erupt when you drag the virtual blade across the floor.And while the foes are holographic, they're not monochrome or robotic. Maul's tattooed mug, Vader's chest plate, and the Seventh Sister's glowing eyes are all accounted for. Stormtroopers and Battle droids, which you'll carve through before getting to the big bads, sport similarly slick details; the former fall in piles of sparking metal under your slashing lightsaber, while the latter shout, “I've got a Jedi in my cross-hairs!” before being bested by blaster fire deflected off your blade.Speaking of bouncing bullets back at the Empire's finest, Jedi Challenges does a fantastic job showing Padawans the ropes. A trainer, dubbed the Archivist, schools users in attacking, blocking, evading, and even using Force powers as they're unlocked (simultaneously downing four Stormtroopers with a Force Push never gets old!). Remaining aware of your surroundings is also a breeze, as the headset's transparent, tinted lens lets you keep an eye on the real-world even as you singe Kylo Ren's robe on Tokodana.When not introducing the business end of your blade to the Dark Side, you'll use the lightsaber controller—beautifully crafted to represent the one wielded by Anakin, Luke, and Rey—to play a real-time strategy game that turns living room floors into battlefields and Holochess, the board game played between R2-D2 and Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon. The strategy-focused battles, which have players choosing units—turrets, cannons, soldiers, and hero characters—before placing them on the map, is surprisingly compelling. Unlocking new ranks, like a tiny Obi-Wan Kenobi who'll scurry past your feet, striking down anything in his path, while you survey the battlefield, is a ton a fun, as is destroying larger threats with star-ships.Each of the three game modes are played on five planets—Naboo, Garel, Lothal, Hoth, and the aforementioned Takodana—that unlock as players progress. On top of the games being themed to the different planets and eras in the sci-fi saga, they feature various tiers that increase in difficulty as they're tackled. Turning Battle droids into twisted metal on Naboo, for example, proves far easier than vanquishing Vader and his minions on Hoth.The trio of experiences and their various difficulty modes provide a solid weekend's worth of content. Toss in replay value—because it's hard to put down Jedi Challenges' awesome lightsaber replica once you've wielded it—and this creative clash of technology and fan-service is a solid investment for Star Wars' most faithful following.As amazing as it is to see that AR blade rise before your eyes when the physical lightsaber's activated though, casual fans may be craving a bit more content before inviting virtual Vader into their homes. Thankfully, Disney's already confirmed Jedi Challenges isn't a one-and-done experience, but rather an evolving platform. In fact, new planets, hosting fresh challenges, are on the docket for future updates, including the first, coming early next year, based on The Last Jedi

Matt Cabral has done movie and game coverage for more publications than you can imagine. Catch him on Twitter at @gamegoat