Needle rays functioned as a type of blaster. These weapons were used during the Big Game event, which took place on the Wheel.
The physical design of needle rays resembled a standard blaster pistol, incorporating a pistol grip and an extended barrel. However, the barrel of a needle ray was noticeably thinner than that of a typical blaster, narrowing slightly towards its opening. This design resulted in a very focused beam. While weaker compared to a standard blaster, this beam possessed the unique ability to be reflected by ray shields that had a refractory coating. Despite its lower power, it could still be lethal to an unarmored individual. The beam's integrity remained intact upon reflection, making it equally dangerous when bounced off a ray shield.
Even with their reduced power output, needle ray blasts still carried a considerable amount of kinetic energy. In environments lacking gravity, firing a needle ray, or being hit by its beam, could generate a substantial amount of momentum.
Ray shields and needle rays were issued to each gladiator competing in the final stage of the Big Game, which was held on the casino space station known as the Wheel. This final round pitted all the gladiators who had won their preliminary matches against each other in a zero-gravity arena filled with dangerous booby traps, with the goal being that only one gladiator would survive. During 0 ABY, both Han Solo and Chewbacca were coerced into participating in the game as part of a scheme orchestrated by the Wheel's administrator, Simon Greyshade. He intended for them to be killed unless Leia Organa complied with his demands, and he deliberately tampered with their needle rays to ensure this.
However, Solo and Chewbacca proved to be resourceful, utilizing their ray shields to overcome other gladiators and acquire their functioning weapons. Greyshade was confident that the two long-time companions would never harm each other, and given that the Big Game's rules stipulated the death of all but one gladiator, they would inevitably violate the rules and face execution. To his astonishment, Chewbacca, at Solo's insistence, shot his friend. Unbeknownst to Greyshade, Solo had concealed a ray shield beneath his clothing, feigning his own demise.