Unleash your inner Sith with Lenovo's Kylo Ren lightsaber controller

Can you feel the darkness bubbling up inside of you? Then this could well be the augmented reality (AR) experience you need, as you step into Sith Lord, Kylo Ren's boots and grab his lightsaber.

This is the third major update of Lenovo's Star Wars: Jedi Challenges AR experience, but instead of fighting to save the galaxy, and things have taken a darker turn in the Dark Side expansion.

In the new update you play Kylo Ren, and you'll face up against the likes of Rey and Yoda in epic lightsaber battles.

And of course, no lightsaber battle is compete without the right equipment, and we've got our hands on Lenovo's new controller, shaped like Ren's saber - complete with realistic red and blue wires, and an illuminated red tip to let everyone know you're a bad guy.

Lenovo's Kylo Ren lightsaber hands on gallery

No one will stand in your way

Sadly the controller isn't carved from metal, it's very much a plastic construction, with a couple of buttons on the underside and a flap covering a USB port towards the base of the handle - this is a lightsaber you'll need to charge.

The markings and wear affect on the device look good, but it's doesn't feel overly premium in the hand. The real wiring is a nice touch, but we fear it may be a weak point and could break off over time.

The Dark Side expansion will be free to those who already own the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges headset - which itself has now dropped in price to €179 (from the €249 launch price) - and will roll out from November.

As for the Limited Edition Kylo Ren lightsaber, it will cost $99 when it launches in the US this November. There's currently no word on whether Lenovo will make it available in other markets just yet, but we'll update this article once we know more.

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John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.