There have been dozens of Star Wars games over the years, but which ones are the best? Ever since Jedi Arena released in 1983 for the Atari 2600, the popular film franchise has seen new adaptations at a relatively steady pace. In fact, it's not uncommon to see several Star Wars games release in a single year.There's a downside to so many releases, though. Not every single Star Wars title is worth playing, and some are downright terrible. That said, there's some real diamonds to be found among the rough. Celebrate Star Wars day by checking out the absolute best Star Wars games that every fan needs to play.Related: Is Star Wars Finally Adapting Knights Of The Old Republic?
- This Page: Best Star Wars Games #10-#6
- Page 2: Best Star Wars Games #5-#1
10. Star Wars Pinball (2013)
Zen Studios has established themselves as one of the most talented independent developers in gaming, and their video game pinball tables are a complete blast to play. Some of their best tables have been Star Wars-themed, and recent films (such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Force Awakens) have received official tables as well. Available on multiple platforms, the easiest way to play all of the tables is to download Pinball FX3. A warning, however, as the high score grind can be quite addictive. So don't be surprised if hours start passing by at an alarming rate.
9. LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (2006)
All of the LEGO Star Wars games are enjoyable, but getting to see the original trilogy of films hilariously recreated with LEGO bricks is something special. For all of the great space drama that Star Wars has produced over the years, there's definitely something silly underneath. It's good to be able to take a step back and laugh at it all, and that's what the LEGO Star Wars games allow.
The easiest way to play this is by picking up LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, which was a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 remake that also included the prequel trilogy in LEGO form. It's one of the best Star Wars games for children, and the puzzle-platforming fun can be shared with others thanks to its cooperative play.
8. Super Star Wars (1992)
This Super Nintendo classic was recently released on PlayStation 4 and Vita, so it's quite easy to get a hold of. It reimagines the original Star Wars as a run and gun action game, and it's quite enjoyable as a fun shooter with recognizable enemies and locales. There's even some vehicle stages that help break up the pacing. It's important to note that Super Star Wars is very challenging, though. Those that have nostalgia for it will gladly put up with the difficulty but newer gamers might want to just skip over this one unless they don't mind dying repeatedly... really.
7. Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (1997)
Dark Forces was essentially DOOM with a Star Wars skin attached to it, and let's be real: that's pretty awesome. While far from the most original game, Dark Forces II was a much more polished title than its predecessor, and it wound up finding a sizable audience on PC.
A PlayStation version of the first-person shooter was also released, but that port can't be recommended. While the game plays great with a mouse and keyboard, it felt terrible with a controller and suffered from a horrendous frame rate. That version of Dark Forces II can be avoided, but the original PC release is still good fun, even today
6. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)
Things were simpler back in 2005. It was a time before loot box controversies, and players could purchase a game titled Star Wars: Battlefront II without any worries. But, again, those were times in which completed games were the norm and not the exception.
Pandemic Studios' second crack at the Battlefront series was one heck of a sequel. It built upon every aspect of the original and allowed players to take part in bigger space battles than ever before. It also featured a much more robust single-player campaign, so it was a blast whether gamers played either online or alone.
5. Star Wars: The Old Republic (2011)
Star Wars has had some pretty solid MMOs in the past, as Star Wars: Galaxies was a lot of fun, but BioWare Austin really did a great job with The Old Republic. The role-playing game has given players desperate for more Knights of the Old Republic-esque gameplay a great taste of what has been missing, and it has kept growing thanks to the release of six expansion packs.
Considering just how much content the base game had, there's now a staggering amount of quests and storylines to finish it. That might seem daunting to new players, but there's still plenty to enjoy as long as they go at their own pace. It's also free-to-play, so there's no commitment in order to check it out - and it's definitely worth the time.
4. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001)
Factor 5's Rogue Squadron series of titles are fantastic flight combat games. Rogue Squadron II wound up being a launch title for the Nintendo GameCube and was one of the early must-buy titles for the console. Its sequel was, unfortunately, somewhat of a let-down, but all ten levels of Rogue Leader are a blast to play.
While it was only released for GameCube, remember that the Nintendo Wii also supports GameCube disks. That's probably the easiest way to play this classic in a modern setting. It's well worth the hassle, though, as it's the last great Star Wars shooter.
3. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (2002)
While Raven Software now operates primarily as a support studio for the Call of Duty series, some of the developer's best work was in the form of Star Wars titles. Both Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy were hybrid action games that allowed players to wield guns in first and third-person. On top of that, players got to wield a lightsaber for some hack-and-slash action as well, so it provided the best of both worlds. A lot of Star Wars games put players in the role of a Jedi, but none have ever captured that essence quite as well as the Jedi Knight series. That's exactly why it ranks so highly on the list of the best Star Wars games.
2. Star Wars: TIE Fighter (1994)
Who doesn't want to pilot a TIE Fighter? The successor to X-Wing let players join the Imperial starfighter fleet and was a landmark space combat game. While it isn't a graphical standout anymore (few 20+ year-old games are after all), the gameplay has held up shockingly well. The dogfighting is just as intense as it was in the '90s, and it's still a must-play title. TIE Fighter and the X-Wing series were recently re-released on PC, that means no messing around in DOS is required to take a trip down memory lane. So, perhaps it's time to go back and see who's the best TIE Fighter pilot in the galaxy?
1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
There's no Star Wars game better than Knights of the Old Republic. BioWare didn't just set the standard for future Star Wars games all the way back in 2003; they also became the benchmark for future RPG titles as well. The gigantic role-playing game helped cement BioWare as one of the top developers in the industry, and it was the epic Star Wars title that fans were waiting for.
Not only did players get to see the galactic struggle on a grand scale, but they also got to experience some great writing that kept players engaged from start to finish. It's one of the greatest role-playing games ever made, and BioWare would later go on to make Mass Effect and Dragon Age because of it. It's also worth noting that both Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic and its excellent sequel, The Sith Lords, are both backwards compatible on Xbox One. So, it's still easy to play these excellent role-playing games, even on consoles! It's also on PC and mobile, so there's really no excuse not to play it.