Atari Games released the 1985 video game in 1985 as a conversion kit for their existing arcade cabinet. Home ports for the Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and Amiga arrived later in 1988 under Domark.
This release marked Atari's third Star Wars arcade game and the second to utilize vector graphics technology. The previous entry Return of the Jedi used raster graphics in 1984 before this shift back to vector displays.
To earn a Jedi letter, the player must eradicate a specified number of probots or walkers within the time limit. Collecting all four Jedi letters instantly erases every enemy shot from the screen for a short duration.
Arcade operators rejected the upgrade kit despite the film's popularity and strong sales potential because existing owners did not feel compelled to purchase the new module. Operators running Star Wars machines enjoyed steady incomes and saw no reason to replace their working hardware.
An emulated version of The Empire Strikes Back became unlockable content in Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike in 2005. Players could access this title alongside two other Star Wars arcade games developed by Atari.