Top 20 Best Star Wars Video Games

There haven’t been a lot of “Star Wars” games that dive into the strategy genre, but when the franchise does dip their toes in, it’s really good! “Empire At War” is one of those occasions where the Force was indeed strong. Leading the Rebellion or Imperial Empire, you must invade planets like Tatooine and Kashyyyk in order to gain control. Establish bases and special forces to maintain the advantage and liberate or rule the galaxy. Sure, it isn’t as advanced as other strategy games, but there’s enough fun here to call it a great “Star Wars” game.

Taking place between “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”, the “Shadows of the Empire” franchise focused on a completely different character instead of Luke, Han, or Leia. As Dash Rendar, you help our aforementioned heroes in their quests while deviating into a few adventures of your own. From reliving the Battle of Hoth to dangerous encounters with bounty hunters, there’s plenty of material here that makes this N64 gem feel both nostalgic and original. Just be sure to mind your footing when dealing with the platforming levels - the controls can be a bit cumbersome at times.

The EA version of “Battlefront” has seen the other end of our blasters for quite some time now, and “Battlefront II” arguably got the worst of it. Launching with a pay-to-win system and a lackluster campaign, it ended up being one of 2017’s biggest letdowns. So, why is it here? Well, despite all of this, DICE and EA went forward in supporting the game, and it’s actually way more fun to play than before. More heroes and villains have been added as well as cosmetics and maps. Triple XP Wednesdays have made the grind a bit more bearable, and the additions and reworks of various modes have given the game a healthy amount of replay value.

Serving as the final entry in the “Jedi Knight” series, “Jedi Academy” went all out on giving us a stellar adventure. You are Jaden Korr, a mysterious person who knows how to assemble lightsabers despite having no knowledge in the ways of the Jedi. Along with another Padawan, you are assigned to learn under “Jedi Knight” protagonist Kyle Katarn. Here you’ll learn the powers of the Force and discover your destiny. Much like its predecessors, “Jedi Academy” is a thrill from start to finish with excellent writing, splendid visuals, and a great voice cast. As for previous games? We’ll get to a couple of those in just a bit!

Another rare instance of “Star Wars” messing with the strategy genre, “Galactic Battlegrounds” was one that required more maintenance and multitasking than “Empire At War”. Use resources like carbon, food, and nova crystals to recruit powerful warriors ranging from simple warriors and Jedi to fighter ships and tanks. The amount of management you’ll have to do makes “Galactic Battlegrounds” a challenging experience, but it’s one that has left us wishing for a sequel or, at the very least, some kind of spiritual successor. Needless to say, if you enjoy games like “Civilization” or “Age of Empires”, you definitely need to grab this one!

When you think of developer BioWare and the “Star Wars” brand, you’re most likely thinking of another RPG, but we’re not quite there yet. For now, let’s feast our eyes on “The Old Republic”, a free-to-play “Star Wars” MMO that features a ton of quests for you to discover. With expansions like “Rise of the Hutt Cartel” and “Legacy of the Sith” to various PvP modes to test your strength against other players, “The Old Republic” holds a wide buffet of content for “Star Wars” fans to partake in, having netted over a billion dollars in revenue. Those who have been wanting a seemingly never-ending “Star Wars” adventure have certainly found solace here.

Movie tie-in games rarely came out decent, especially during the days when “Revenge of the Sith” got its video game adaptation. Unlike most movie tie-ins, though, “Revenge of the Sith” was an absolute blast to play! Not only did we get to relive some of the coolest scenes from the movie, we also got to experience a solid combat system that encouraged mixing up attacks to perform awesome combos. By no means was it a step above the likes of “Devil May Cry” or other combat-heavy games, yet what it brought to the table was just as enjoyable.

If you’re looking to dive into the adventures (or misadventures) of Kyle Katarn, this is the game you need to start with. Throughout this gem of a game, you’ll infiltrate Imperial bases to steal intel, sabotage their plans, and help the Rebellion bring down the Empire. There’s no hiding it - “Dark Forces” was very much capitalizing on “DOOM’s” success in the mid-90’s. However, that doesn’t take away some of the improvements it brings such as jumping, swimming, and being able to actually aim - gaming commodities we expect from today’s titles. “Dark Forces” may show its age from time to time, but man, it’s still a thrill to play today!

As we saw with “Battlefront II”, EA and the “Star Wars” IP went through a tumultuous period in the online multiplayer scene. Thankfully, they managed to redeem themselves towards the end with “Star Wars Squadrons”. Taking cues from another game of starfighters and bomb runs, “Squadrons” featured dogfighting gameplay that required more than just flying around and shooting whatever threat comes your way. There’s an element of strategy at play that forces you to divert power to specific parts of your ship in order to gain or regain the advantage. With tight controls and deep combat, “Squadrons” was a surprisingly great game!

One could easily dismiss “The Complete Saga” for being a repackage of the first two “Lego Star Wars” games. We, on the other hand, beg to differ. While it is true that it’s a meatier version of the 2005 “Lego Star Wars” and its sequel, “The Complete Saga” reworks some areas of its levels that conjoin the two and elevates them both. It gave the opportunity for new ideas from the sequel to be integrated in the original. From the extensive search for minikits and Gold Bricks to the entertaining character customization, it’s everything that made the first two games excellent in one big package!

Don’t get us wrong - “Episode I Racer” will always have a special place in our hearts, but time has not been kind to the N64 classic. “Racer Revenge”, on the other hand, has withstood the test of time and simplified gameplay for the better. In addition to returning racers like Dud Bolt and Ben Quadinaros, you have newer racers to try out as well as a small handful of special unlockable characters. Of course, the game has managed to hold up well in visuals and controls, making it the best podracing and “Star Wars” racing experience!

Those wanting to live out missions like the famed Death Star run or the epic battle on Hoth need to look no further. While you cannot go wrong with the original “Rogue Squadron”, its sequel, “Rogue Leader”, simply did it best. In addition to refined controls and a significant improvement in graphical fidelity, “Rogue Leader” also featured some exceptional sound design, making each mission feel just as immersive as the last. Even though there was no inclusion of a multiplayer mode, it was hard getting us to put the game down.

Ever wanted to command your own squad of Clone Troopers and take on the menacing Trade Federation? Well, you probably picked up this classic “Star Wars” title! With Clone Troopers Scorch, Fixer, and Sev by your side, you’ll take part in various missions involving the Battle of Geonosis while encountering a small assortment of familiar faces from the prequel trilogy. Of course, you come here for the intense FPS action, where you’ll blast at baddies while keeping your troopers in top condition. Protect them while they plant explosives or designate them to a sniping position to gain the upper hand in combat. Become the leader you were genetically manufactured to be!

While the world fawns over Boba Fett, we’ve rarely been able to explore the journey of the man who would become the template for the Clone Trooper army. The simply named “Star Wars Bounty Hunter” offers a window into Jango’s life when he was known as one of the galaxy’s most dangerous bounty hunters. Players were given a handful of gadgets and weapons to toy with that offered up new ways to explore levels, fend off enemies, and capture targets. Even with some janky controls and poor camera controls, “Bounty Hunter” was (and still is) an absolute blast to play today!

Like strategy games, the “Star Wars” franchise has played around in the VR landscape on a couple of occasions. Of these few instances, none have matched the same scale and fun as “Vader Immortal”. Upon arriving on Mustafar, you learn that Darth Vader and his troops have been investigating the mines of another civilization, searching for an ancient artifact. Thing is that he’s taken interest in you as it turns out you can wield the power of the Force. You can guarantee we got carried away with living the Jedi fantasy as we engaged in duels and hurled rocks at our foes.

For years, we had been screaming at EA to deliver us a single-player “Star Wars” experience. Though it only took nearly a decade for that to happen, “Jedi: Fallen Order” knocked it out of the park. Taking place after the events of Order 66, Cal Kestis is forced into hiding as the Empire hunts down what few Jedi remain and establishes their rule over the galaxy. Much like how “Dark Forces” took pages from “DOOM”, “Jedi: Fallen Order” provides a unique “Star Wars” adventure that will make “Dark Souls” fans feel right at home with its deep and intense combat mechanics. Thankfully, you don’t have to “git gud” just to even slightly enjoy this one.

It may be the last of the Kyle Katarn games on the list, but it is without a doubt the best. Having abandoned the ways of the Jedi, Kyle has reverted back to his mercenary life until his partner is captured. Now, Kyle must rediscover himself and learn what it means to be one with the Force. Not only does it offer up great action and suspense, but it also explores more of the “Star Wars” lore. What happens when a Jedi tries to abandon the Force? How does one consumed by anger try to fight off the Dark Side? It’s a tale unique to Kyle Katarn, and it’s one of the best in the entire franchise.

Speaking of the Dark Side of the Force, “The Force Unleashed” gave us a thrilling ride! You are Starkiller, the apprentice of Darth Vader and a major player in the Jedi Purge (you know, the events that came after Order 66). Though dark and gritty in appearance, “The Force Unleashed” is without a doubt one of the best narratives in “Star Wars” gaming history. Of course, the main attraction is in the title - unleash your most devastating Force powers to create combos, rack up XP, and rain down destruction on the most pathetic of Stormtroopers and Rebel grunts. Flinging dudes around the room with reckless abandon has never been more fun!

Come on, you didn’t really expect us to touch upon the 2017 “Battlefront II” and NOT the original, did you? The classic “Battlefront II” had so much to love that gave it the legacy we know today. It wasn’t just the fantastic gameplay introduced in the original, but the wide selection of maps and game modes to play, whether it was against the AI or our friends. Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Assault with Heroes and Villains - this was a game that wanted to show you a good time! And just to sweeten the deal, “Battlefront II” came with a unique campaign, Galactic Conquest, in which players traveled the galaxy for various battles to achieve total domination.

As fantastic and marvelous as every other “Star Wars” game on this list, none have reached a level of achievement as epic as “Knights of the Old Republic”. It’s almost hard to describe just how phenomenal this game was and why folks talk about it to this day. It just hits differently than other “Star Wars” games, modern and retro. The character creation, the dialogue trees, the vibrant and expansive worlds, various side missions - it all felt like a “Star Wars” adventure made specifically for you and encouraged you how you wanted it to be told. It was an RPG that invited you and wanted you to play along with it, and it’s why so many people continue to talk about KOTOR to this day.