Star Wars 'Knights of the Old Republic' now available on iPad

If you're a Star Wars fan or a die-hard role-playing gamer who doesn't want to sacrifice an entire beautiful summer day (or, more accurately, several days) to sitting behind a computer screen, Apple and Aspyr Media just made your day.

Ten years after it was first released for the first Xbox and PC, "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" (or, as the fans know it, KOTOR) arrived in a new form for iPad users today.

Developed by BioWare, an Electronic Arts subsidiary known for making excellent role-playing games complete with immersive storylines and dynamic characters, KOTOR is widely recognized not just as one of the best "Star Wars" games ever made, but one of the best RPGs ever made. While any "Star Wars" games will hold a special place in the hearts of George Lucas fans, the game was also directed by Casey Hudson and written by Drew Karpyshyn — both of whom would go on to create BioWare's sweeping science fiction space opera "Mass Effect" four years after KOTOR was first released.

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The popular gaming site IGN got an early look at the iPad version of KOTOR for a review, and they seemed pretty happy with the result. While they noted that some of the game's controls made an awkward transition to the touch screen, the review ultimately concluded that, the iPad’s touch interface is largely an improvement over the original, save for a few reservations."

KOTOR is available on the app store for $9.99, a relatively steep price compared to the vast majority of mobile games on the market. But then again, how many iPad games have been able to truly satisfy the sci-fi nerd and gamer in all of us so far?

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That's what I thought.

Yannick LeJacq is a contributing writer for NBC News who has also covered technology and games for Kill Screen, The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic. You can follow him on Twitter at @YannickLeJacq and reach him by email at: ylejacq@gmail.com.