Bounty hunters are among the most popular characters in the Star Wars franchise. Deadly, imaginatively designed, and infinitely fun to play as, plenty of video games from the LucasFilm Brand have capitalized on fans' dreams to pick up a blaster and control one of these shady characters.
Of course, the real fascination with bounty hunters likely started with the debut of Boba Fett, an enigma at the time of his introduction. Since then, shows like The Mandalorian have only cemented the legacy of the bounty hunting profession. A wide range of gaming projects have attempted to capture the essence of what it is to be in that particular line of work, and they have certainly cut across many genres and formats.
(All of the following games are part of Disney's Legends timeline asides from EA's modern Battlefront titles.)
Honorable Mention: 1313 (N/A)
It's certainly difficult to ignore the existence of Star Wars: 1313 even if it never fully saw the light of day. Concept art and an early trailer for the project demonstrated that LucasArts was really pushing the boundaries when it came to the development of a true bounty hunter title.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be, with the Disney acquisition and reshuffling within the company two of the main reasons for its cancellation. In the years since, fans have discovered that the game would have been one of its kind, allowing players to adventure into the depths of Coruscant as a hired gun. With its continued popularity, a revival could always be in the cards.
Battlefront (2015)
The original Battlefront which released in 2o04 and was developed by Pandemic Studios. LucasArts didn't allow players to gain access to notable fan favorites such as the Skywalkers or Jango Fett. That shifted with EA's take on the franchise.
Star Wars: Battlefront from 2015 took advantage of the popularity of the characters within the galaxy far, far away and allowed players to control the likes of Boba Fett and Dengar. However, the available roster was certainly limited compared to future titles. Perhaps a third installment might offer the largest collection of warriors yet.
Pandemic Studios and LucasArts tried to move the first-person shooter forward by introducing playable heroes. A surprisingly diverse roster of characters was included in the final build, with Jango Fett and his son Boba both available to unlock.
The 2017 roster for Battlefront 2 pushed 2015's set of characters even further. Favorites like Bossk and Jango and Boba Fett were built into the multiplayer and arcade gameplay options, alongside original characters such as Iden Version, who were part of the main campaign.
The Old Republic (2011)
The Knights Of The Old Republic series of games are perhaps some of the most successful in the franchise's history. These titles brought players into a brand new era of the universe and allowed them to make their own choices within a complex narrative.
The online multiplayer RPG The Old Republic, developed by LucasArts and Bioware, took the concept to a new level by allowing fans to completely create their own character and story arc. Players can form their own crew of bounty hunters working for the new Sith Lords who are plaguing the galaxy, choosing from a variety of styles, allies, ships, weapons, and armors. Potential new games will allow fans to continue in this setting.
The Force Unleashed 2 (2010)
While The Force Unleashed franchise is primarily about Starkiller as an apprentice, it's important to note that in the sequel LucasArts game there are moments where he could be considered a bounty hunter. As a deadly assassin and hired hand, his status as an apprentice continues to decline thanks to the relationship between Vader and Palpatine.
If a third game within the series was ever produced, it may likely be based around Starkiller as a fully-fledged bounty hunter, following a path similar to that of Asajj Ventress. There's no doubt that the protagonist would make some serious credits considering his abilities.
Bounty Hunter (2002)
With regards to video game bounty hunters, there's no more appropriate title than Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, developed by LucasArts. The title saw fans suit up as Jango Fett in this third-person action-adventure unlike anything the brand had developed before.
With players portraying the jetpack-wielding, clone-donating prequel warrior, the story largely takes place before the events of Attack of the Clones, with the Sith looking for the appropriate candidate to build their army from. It's another piece of the puzzle that is both fun to play and integral to the larger narrative.
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Collection (2007)
LEGO is well known for putting its unique spin on famous movie series, but perhaps no brand is more synonymous with these colorful bricks than Star Wars. The intellectual property has found a perfect home with the Danish toy company.
Of course, outside of collectibles, animated films, and plenty of products, LucasArts, LEGO, Amaze Entertainment and Traveller's Tales created the hilarious series of Star Wars titles, brought together in The Complete Saga. Fans can play as hundreds of unique characters, including famous bounty hunters from across the Skywalker Saga.
Empire At War (2006)
The strategy genre works quite well in the galaxy far, far away, and few do it better than Empire at War. With players taking charge of the Rebels and Imperials, fans get to wage war in the universe with all of the franchise's troops and heroes at their command.
Amongst the roster are bounty hunters, who carry out some of the grittiest work needed to secure victory. Developed by Petroglyph Games, the title is still enjoyed on Steam today, allowing fans to play out some of their fantasy battles on the unique Alamo engine.
Dark Forces (1995)
The LucasArts first-person shooter was one of the few video games in which players actually took on the role of an original character. A Force-sensitive hired hand, this bounty hunter would continue to carry out a variety of jobs for the Rebel Alliance, before eventually joining the Jedi Order. As Kyle Katarn, players use his variety of unique abilities and his trusty blaster to fight their way through stormtroopers across enemy lines.
This game has a great premise and one that delivers a unique story that's unfortunately currently considered part of the Legends timeline.
Demolition (2000)
In a world that won't allow podracing, Jabba the Hutt has to create a brand new sport that players can take part in at home. Demolition sees some of the galaxy's most notorious lowlifes do battle in a range of Star Wars vehicles.
Characters like Aurra Sing and Boba Fett bring with them their own speeders, ships, and land crawlers, as these famous fighters look to win the ultimate destructive competition. Luxoflux, Activision, Blizzard and LucasArts' game is vicious, wacky and a great deal of fun.