The Star Wars franchise extends far beyond the realm of cinema and the Skywalker Saga, and the wide variety of Star Wars video games includes some exceptional titles. Although recent years have seen a bit of a lull in Star Wars game releases thanks to a period of exclusivity under EA, they've still contributed to the large sum of games that have accumulated across the decades. Some of the most iconic stories, characters, and memories for fans have come from the best Star Wars video games.
While there are a whole host of duds, the amount of good to great games far outweighs them. Some are so good that they transcend Star Wars and are held among the best titles of their eras, making an indelible impact on players then and now. From 90s classics to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and exciting games coming in the future, determining a ranking of the best Star Wars games helps showcase which titles from a galaxy far, far away stand out to this day.
20 Star Wars Pinball
Star Wars Pinball is in actuality a series of virtual pinball machines released by Zen Studios starting in 2013, all of which carry themes related to the Star Wars franchise. More expansions were released in 2013, and every year after that until 2018. This may not be the flashiest option for a Star Wars video game, but with plenty of creative incorporations of the Star Wars theme, it's not a bad pick by any means.
19 Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces 2
This sequel to 1995's Star Wars: Dark Forces premiered two years later, following in the original's mold of a first-person shooter set in the Star Wars universe while setting up the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. Like many works of the expanded universe, it follows events after Return of the Jedi.
The game focuses on the perspective of iconic Star Wars game protagonist Kyle Katarn, a mercenary and former Jedi hired by the New Republic. Dark Forces 2 also hopped on the then-popular trend of full-motion video, with cut scenes recorded with live actors. In a time before the prequels, this was the closest players could get to a new Star Wars movie. Although it hasn't aged as smoothly as later titles in the series, it's still a blast to play and easier to casually play than dealing with the puzzle-like corridors of the first Dark Forces.
18 Star Wars: TIE Fighter
Star Wars: TIE Fighter released in 1994 as a part of a series of flight simulator games released in the franchise. This shows a different side of the universe from the on-the-ground elements of most Star Wars games, where bounty hunting and Force use are the main draws.
What stands out about TIE Fighter also is that players take command of an Imperial fighter pilot, as opposed to a member of the Rebel Alliance like previous games in the X-Wing series, of which TIE Fighter is a part. That spin, plus at-the-time impressive gameplay and graphics, makes this an easy highlight among the Star Wars game released in the 20th century.
17 Star Wars: Empire At War
Empire At War is a bit more complex and harder to grasp than a pick-up-and-play LEGO game, but audiences who enjoy real-time strategy games can happily sink their teeth into this excellent Star Wars take on the genre. Set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, Empire At War focuses on the struggle between the rebels and the Empire, allowing players to take charge of armies and change the course of the war. It has good graphics and sound for the time and is genuinely a lot of fun for those who want to lead one side of the Galactic Civil War. As one of the best Star Wars games to never make it to consoles, checking this out is a no-brainer for PC players.
16 Star Wars: Squadrons
Star Wars: Squadrons is one of the better games to emerge from EA's tenure over the video game license. For fans of classic games like Rogue Squadron, this finally provided a full-fledged piloting experience that took full advantage of modern graphical capabilities to render stunning space vistas.
This isn't the most expansive of recent Star Wars titles, with a reasonably short campaign runtime and largely straightforward gameplay. Star Wars: Squadrons really shines in multiplayer, though, where mastery of its space flight mechanics leads to very competitive dogfights.
15 Star Wars: Starfighter
Star Wars: Squadrons marked the long-awaited return of flight simulation to Star Wars video games, with many great games of the past focusing solely on flight and vehicles rather than ground assault and the Force. Starfighter is one of those - a cool, relatively small-scale spin-off to The Phantom Menace in which players are placed in the pilot's seat (of multiple starfighters throughout) in an attempt to stop the invasion threat on Naboo. It is a simple and wildly entertaining Star Wars video game.
14 Star Wars: Republic Commando
Star Wars: Republic Commando isn't necessarily a game for those looking to lean into the fantastical or whimsical elements of Star Wars, as it shuns Jedi, lightsabers, and even space battles. This opts for a tactical FPS experience instead, getting down and dirty with the operators of the Clone Wars.
For such a different game than the rest of the Star Wars offerings, Republic Commando manages to stick the landing shockingly well. Even players who aren't big Star Wars fans can enjoy the tight mission design and engaging mechanics on offer in this classic.
13 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
As is standard practice with LEGO games, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga offers a very fun and cartoonish gameplay experience. Although puzzles are generally straightforward and combat simplistic, the lack of innovative challenge is hardly a serious deterrent. The sheer entertainment value of swinging LEGO lightsabers with LEGO Star Wars Minifigures can often be more than enough, and on that front, the game thoroughly succeeds. Skywalker Saga offers an open-world experience that can't be found in older LEGO Star Wars titles, although some may prefer the classic level design.
12 Star Wars: The Old Republic
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games are not for everyone, requiring a significant amount of time commitment to see their best possibilities. For those who do enjoy sinking their teeth into this kind of expansive experience, however, The Old Republic is a strong entry into the genre. Developed by BioWare, The Old Republic is an MMORPG game set in the Star Wars universe in a distant past from the main series, where the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire have come to an armistice. It is in this world that players emerge, with the ability to exist anywhere on the spectrum between the dark and light sides of the Force.
With a plethora of stories to be told through the different classes and morality of characters, as well as the massive amounts of DLC content, The Old Republic is a seemingly never-ending source of Star Wars Legends stories and fun. The game is still active over a decade later, even releasing an update in 2022.
11 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Ever since the Disney takeover and EA exclusive contract of distributing Star Wars video games, fans clamored for a single-player adventure to go alongside the Battlefront reboot titles. Jedi: Fallen Order took a while to come, but was worth the wait. The story of the game explores an always fascinating era in the timeline (taking place under the rule of the Galactic Empire but before the original film trilogy) through exceptional characters with a lot of canon connectivity. Its semi-open world gameplay allows players to traverse different Star Wars planets while following Cal Kestis' journey to reconnect with the Force and fight back against the Empire. The combat and progression are fantastic, with elements such as customizable lightsabers being great fun for all.
10 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
The Jedi Knight series is one of the most beloved sets of games in Star Wars, primarily focusing on the iconic Legends character Kyle Katarn, with Jedi Academy being the final entry in that saga. The gameplay in Jedi Academy is fantastic. Some fans may miss Kyle Katarn, as Jaden Korr takes his place in Jedi Academy. Nonetheless, it's still an excellent game that, while not graphically outstanding, holds up relatively well twenty years later. With a great story, fantastic lightsaber combat, and plenty of lightsaber customization, it is a must for any fan who wants to delve into the best classic Star Wars games.
9 Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)
A decade before EA secured exclusive Star Wars games distribution rights and set its sights on rebooting the acclaimed FPS series, Star Wars: Battlefront was one of the most beloved aspects of the franchise's prequel era, coming out right before Episode 3. The two Battlefront games of the mid-2000s golden age of Star Wars games were a huge part of the prequel era children's childhoods. With exceptionally fun gameplay, a bunch of great maps and trooper classes, as well as different game modes to enjoy, Battlefront from 2004 deserves its praise as one of the best Star Wars video games.
8 Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
Star Wars Episode 1: Racer doubles down on a divisive aspect of the Star Wars prequels, turning the podracing showcased in The Phantom Menace into a competitive game. For fans who loved the thrills of Anakin's podracing prowess, this game is sure to delight, but it also has the potential to win over plenty of critics.
Similar to games like F-Zero, Episode 1: Racer puts players in the seat of a blisteringly fast vehicle, heightening the thrills of the racing experience in a way that only a limited amount of games had at the time of its release. Chock-full of memorable environments and nail-biting finishes, Episode I: Racer easily delivers on the strength of its premise.
7 LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga brings back everything fans loved about the first two LEGO Star Wars games. It is a fun, easy, and relaxing LEGO Star Wars experience that delves into the first two trilogies of the franchise. The game is simply a combination of both other LEGO Star Wars games of the time with some added extras, making this a reasonably definitive complete package. With unlockables and secrets galore, the game manages to have a surprising amount of depth that only adds to the experience, giving players hours and hours of fun.
6 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Following up on Cal Kestis' story that Jedi: Fallen Order started, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor carries over what worked about its predecessor and improves on many aspects. A messy launch rife with performance issues tainted the opening impressions of the game for many fans playing on PC, but the content itself rises above this context.
Exploration in Jedi: Survivor is more fun than in its predecessor, with bigger planets that still maintain and even improve upon a honed sense of level design. A fast travel system also helps push players to tread off the beaten path without fear of having to engage in serious backtracking. With a wider array of perks and customization alongside expanded lightsaber combat, this represents an ideal for a great Star Wars game sequel.
5 Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2
When the aforementioned Star Wars: Squadrons was initially announced, what truly got fans excited about it was to play a modern-day version of the beloved Rogue Squadron games. Although flight sims aren't exactly the most popular genre, the Rogue Squadron games delivered on the exciting premise of putting players into the spectacular space battles synonymous with Star Wars. Spread across all three original trilogy films, Rogue Leader follows Rogue Squadron members, including Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, during the Galactic Civil War. Between the graphics, sound design, story, and gameplay, it is undoubtedly Star Wars' greatest ever flight game.
4 Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005)
As much as fans adore the original Battlefront, its 2005 sequel surpasses it in just about every way imaginable. For what Battlefront is and is supposed to be, it was the perfect sequel. Capitalizing on the DVD release of Revenge of the Sith that year, Battlefront 2 gave players the story of both the Republic and Empire through the eyes of a veteran stormtrooper relating his story.
With the addition of playable heroes and villains, including Jedi and Sith, along with different game modes, Battlefront 2 is a wildly entertaining FPS that every fan can enjoy. The love for this original may have added to the disappointment felt toward the 2017 version, although that game has its own strong points as well.
3 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
The second entry in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, The Sith Lords was actually developed by Obsidian Entertainment under the direction of BioWare, as opposed to BioWare directly. Still, what came out of this development is a strong Star Wars game that largely rises above some technical issues that plagued its not-quite-complete launch.
Taking place a few years after the original, The Sith Lords features a new narrative and protagonist while maintaining connections to the story of Revan from the first game. KOTOR 2 follows the main character, a Jedi exile, as they reconnect with the Force and either help or hinder the restoration of the Republic and the downfall of the Sith.
2 Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
Jumping back to the Jedi Knight series, Jedi Outcast came just before Academy and is the penultimate game of the series. Putting players in control of Kyle Katarn once again in a post-Return of the Jedi galaxy, Jedi Outcast's exceptional lightsaber combat is memorable to this day.
Jedi Outcast sees Katarn as a mercenary following the severing of his Force connection after the temptation of the dark side almost took over. The game is full of characters both beloved (like an incredibly powerful Luke Skywalker) and new and is a fantastic, relatively unique character piece. Katarn further cemented his legacy in this game as one of Star Wars Legends' best characters.
1 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (2003)
When the conversation about the best Star Wars game arises, one game always has a good chance dominating that argument. Knights Of The Old Republic changed everything for Star Wars games, delivering an expansive and excellent story unlike anything that had come before.
Allowing players to choose from three different character classes (and three subsequent Jedi sub-classes), Knights of the Old Republic has the Jedi main character traveling across the galaxy 4,000 years before the original Star Wars to defeat a new Sith threat. The game features a collection of great characters, fantastic customization, difficult choices leading to multiple Knights of the Old Republic endings, and phenomenal exploration.
The main story of finding Star Maps is terrifically done, with a slew of side missions being a huge amount of fun and adding a lot of depth to the Galaxy that a lot of other games do not provide. With a Nintendo Switch remaster and an announced remake hopefully on the way, the status of Knights of the Old Republic as the best Star Wars video game is definitely secured.