10 Star Wars Games That STILL Hold Up Today
“Star Wars: Dark Forces” (1995)
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Throughout the 90’s, we saw a range of developers try to copy id Software’s homework after “DOOM” became a runaway success. Some would drown by the market saturation, but “Dark Forces” was lucky to survive by its own merits. Rather than mimic “DOOM” with waves of enemies, “Dark Forces” focused on immersing the player with additional mission objectives and environmental puzzles, making it feel like you really were a part of the Rebel Alliance. On top of that, it was an excellent introduction to Kyle Katarn, a mercenary who would eventually find his way with the Force, and his story resonates with so many older “Star Wars” fans today.
“Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast” (2002)
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“Jedi Outcast” has an arcade-y feel to its gameplay compared to later “Star Wars” games. That’s not necessarily a bad thing - we almost prefer it in some ways. But what really makes “Jedi Outcast” stick out is how it explores the possibility of a Jedi abandoning the Force. After nearly turning to the Dark Side, Kyle Katarn has completely abandoned the Jedi and retreated to a life of simple mercenary work. What unfolds is one of the most unique and enthralling stories in “Star Wars” history, and luckily, you can still grab the game on modern hardware for a modest price.
“Star Wars: Lethal Alliance” (2006)
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“Lethal Alliance” got some middling reviews at launch with critics citing basic gameplay and combat. But honestly, that’s all we could ask of a third-person “Star Wars” shooter such as this. “Lethal Alliance” follows a Twi’lek woman named Rianna Saren who lives the life of a mercenary after freeing herself from enslavement. With the help of a droid named Zeeo, she sets out to track down her psychotic master and exact revenge. Though gritty in its story, the level design, boss fights, and simple gameplay are what have us coming back to this handheld title (best played on PSP, we might add).
“Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” (2005)
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In a time where licensed games were some of the worst on the market, “Star Wars” seemed to always be the IP to escape that stigma. Case in point, “Revenge of the Sith”. Despite being based on the campy origins of Darth Vader, “Revenge of the Sith” offered up a plate of fun from start to finish with its pick-up-&-play combat and vast range of attacks for players to slice up enemies. And if you wanted to play with a friend, an extra mode was included for you two to go head-to-head as different Jedi and Sith. Couple this with a handful of bonus campaigns with different playable characters, and you have a “Star Wars” game that’s too good to pass up.
“Star Wars Episode I: Racer” (1999)
“Racer Revenge” will always have a place in our hearts thanks to its detailed visuals, improved controls, and meaty roster of characters. However, “Episode I: Racer” shines through every time, regardless of how ugly its polygons can get. There’s just something special about shopping for podracing parts and then seeing how significantly improved your podracer is afterwards. It allows for more customization, and the unique controls and mechanics help it stand out from other racing titles. This was, indeed, podracing at its finest.
“Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds” (2001)
Shockingly, we don’t really get “Star Wars” strategy games anymore, at least not as often as we did in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Of the few we did see, “Galactic Battlegrounds” has been on our minds the most. It's your standard RTS fare - build a base, command units across the battlefield, and achieve total domination of the map. But the main selling points here are the several playable campaigns that take place across various points in the “Star Wars” story. From the Empire to the Trade Federation to the Rebel Alliance, you have hours upon hours of game time to look forward to in “Galactic Battlegrounds” as you seek to conquer the galaxy.
“Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” (2003)
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Admittedly, “Knights of the Old Republic” is a bit archaic in its combat due to the clunky general design. Still, that is no reason to shy away from this classic. “Knights of the Old Republic” takes pages from tabletop RPGs to make the adventure your own by providing deep character customization and captivating storytelling. It's a whole other corner of “Star Wars” that manages to stand on its own in every facet, and it does so with flying colors. If you haven’t already, you absolutely need to give this a try.
“Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga” (2007)
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Even though we’ve been spoiled to death with the features brought forth by “Skywalker Saga”, “Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga” is still a blast to play. While it is generally a repackaged compilation of the first two games, it does mix things up by adding in two levels cut from the first “Lego Star Wars” as well as a handful of bonus levels and reworked vehicle segments. And for veteran players, some puzzles have changed to include the new mechanics introduced in “Lego Star Wars II”. Honestly, it is a better package than its predecessors simply by content and scale alone.
“Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” (2008)
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Of all the single-player “Star Wars” games, “The Force Unleashed” was the best of its kind. Here, we add a gritty and explosive game that lets us go nuts with Force abilities as Vader’s long-lost apprentice, Starkiller. Not only did it fully utilize the graphical power of the PS3 and Xbox 360, it also told a brilliantly written story while giving us pure, unadulterated power with the Force. Regardless if you played it on console, PC, or handheld, “The Force Unleashed” delivered. And the multiplayer mode was just as exciting to play with friends!
“Star Wars: Battlefront” series (2004-17)
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Now, we’ve spent the whole list talking about primarily single-player games. Why? Because the one “Star Wars” multiplayer series is the only one we ever need. “Battlefront” has long reigned as the dominant and superior “Star Wars” game series since it debuted in 2004. The first game, “Battlefront II”, the “Squadron” spin-offs for handheld - they all gave exciting battles on familiar terrain while giving “Star Wars” a distinguished formula in the realm of PvP multiplayer games. We only wish EA and DICE did the series proper justice when they tried to resurrect it in 2015 and 2017. At least we can still access the older titles.
