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Star Wars fans love to play video games based on the legendary franchise created by George Lucas to live out those classic tales. There are plenty of great and interesting games set in a galaxy far, far away. For some, it might be tough trying to pick out which games are masterful experiences and which ones are complete bantha fodder. And with so many platforms that have Star Wars games, it might be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what and where you should start playing. But fear not young apprentice, for what you have here is a helpful resource for the best Star Wars games that can be found across the galaxy.
This list covers multiple consoles across five of the major areas where you can play Star Wars games. From the classic Nintendo and PlayStation consoles to the wild Xbox and PC landscapes, you’ll find games that are must-plays for any Star Wars fan looking to explore the very best the franchise has to offer.
Table of contents
The Best Star Wars Games on Nintendo Platforms
Even back in the early days of Nintendo consoles, Star Wars had a significant presence with gamers. The original trilogy of films was given multiple adaptations on the NES, Super Nintendo, and the Game Boy. For better or worse, those games were popular among fans. But it wasn’t until the eras of the Nintendo 64 and GameCube that Nintendo consoles received iconic Star Wars games that would come to define a generation of fans. What made some of the more beloved games stand out where how different their subject matters were compared to many other earlier games based on Star Wars.
- Star Wars Rogue Squadron (N64)
- Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (GameCube)
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (N64)
- Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GameCube)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Switch)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (DS)
- Star Wars Bounty Hunter (GameCube)
- Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (SNES)
- Star Wars: Battle for Naboo (N64)
- Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer (N64)
Some of the toughest challenges and best visuals began with the Super Star Wars series, which featured all three original films in separate games. But the most interesting games dived deep into the lore of Star Wars and centered on game design that was literally out of this world. The Rogue Squadron games were some of the best arcade flight titles around, letting players pilot a starship on missions with the iconic squadron. On the other hand, Shadows of the Empire tells a brand-new story set between two beloved films with characters you’ve never met before. From that point on, Nintendo Star Wars games got better with each new console that featured games like Jedi Outcast, Bounty Hunter, and even LEGO Star Wars.
The Best Star Wars Games on PlayStation Platforms
The 3D era of gaming brought with it a new perspective on how players experienced games, adding a new dimension to the galaxy far, far away. Star Wars games got bigger and more complex. As 3D visuals increased in quality over the years with each new PlayStation console, the Star Wars games looked even greater. This also happened to coincide with the release of the Star Wars prequel films that opened up a whole new side of the franchise to explore in video games. The force was strong with these games and only got stronger with time.
- Star Wars Battlefront II (PS2)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (PS5)
- EA’s Star Wars Battlefront II (PS4)
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PS4)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (PS3)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (PS5)
- Star Wars: Squadrons (PS4)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (PS2)
- Star Wars: Starfighter (PS2)
- Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles (PS1)
When all three prequel films were released, PlayStation owners were able to play a variety of games that covered a lot of new ground. Becoming a Jedi Knight with Jedi Power Battles was fun with a friend in the early days of the prequel saga. But it wasn’t until the release of the Star Wars Battlefront games and the official Revenge of the Sith game that prequel fans entered a golden age. Star Wars Battlefront II on the PlayStation 2 is still viewed as the definitive Battlefront experience for many, even though the remake of the series from Electronic Arts would have better visuals on the PlayStation 4.
The PlayStation 3 and 4 consoles would also provide monumental hits for Star Wars fans. The Force Unleashed lets you tap into the full power of the Force, while also telling a story that sets up many big parts of the original trilogy. And yet the same idea of being a force user would be reexamined with EA’s Jedi Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor, introducing fans to Cal Kestis and taking them on an entirely new and interesting adventure. For many, the library of PlayStation games includes some of the best Star Wars games of all time, regardless of platform.
The Best Star Wars Games on Xbox Platforms
The release of the first Xbox console offered up an entirely new library of games to play. While many fans were playing beloved classics released on the PlayStation 2, Xbox gamers had their own exclusive games that would also become iconic in their own right. Not only did we get Star Wars games that tackled multiple eras of the franchise but also went far back to the days of the Old Republic. This was the point that Star Wars fans got to see the franchise through an entirely new lens. The games that followed spoke volumes to not only the creativity of the era, but the diversity of titles that has yet to be truly replicated again.
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Series X)
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Xbox)
- Star Wars Battlefront 2 (Xbox)
- EA’s Star Wars Battlefront 2 (Xbox One)
- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Xbox)
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Xbox One)
- Star Wars: Republic Commando (Xbox)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (360)
- Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (Xbox)
Xbox consoles have the honor of being the place for what many consider to be one of the best Star Wars games ever made. Knights of the Old Republic had a major impact on not just the franchise, but the entire role-playing game genre. KOTOR injected a new era into Star Wars lore and let players partake in a story that took them across a large part of the galaxy. Between the massive twist in storytelling and its deep role-playing elements, fans would come to see the game as one of the most significant exclusives on the original Xbox.
However, the rest of the Xbox ecosystem had plenty of great Star Wars games that were doing new and exciting things. Republic Commando changed the way the Clone Wars looked and put players in the shoes of an elite group of clone troopers. While on the other end of the Star Wars timeline, both Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy told a story set after Return of the Jedi and had some of the most beloved lightsaber combat in gaming.
The Best Star Wars Games to Play on PC
Star Wars and PC gaming go together like peanut butter and jelly. There have been more games released for computer platforms that were based on Star Wars than any other, but unfortunately, not all of them were major hits. Earlier Star Wars PC games were experimental or limited by the technology of the time, leading to many games that did not age very well. However, as technology for personal computers began to evolve, the quality of Star Wars games drastically improved. Eventually, some games went on to become pillars of their genres, and the foundations of future games developed for other platforms.
- EA’s Star Wars Battlefront 2
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
- Star Wars: Empire at War
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Star Wars X-Wing Alliance
- Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
- Star Wars: The Old Republic
- Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005)
- Star Wars: X-Wing vs TIE Fighter
- Star Wars: Galaxies
The PC allowed for the most experimentation for Star Wars games. Gameplay ideas that wouldn’t be so easy to implement on home consoles could find their audience with PC players, opening up endless possibilities. Players could explore the galaxy in a massively multiplayer online setting with Star Wars Galaxies, a genre that the franchise never explored before then. The RTS genre had a lot of games that tried different things, but Empire at War was the game that brought everything together into one great experience for players. But if you wanted to know what it felt like to pilot a real starfighter for the Rebel Alliance or Empire, the Star Wars X-Wing games had the best simulation-style flight gameplay on the market.
But what made playing Star Wars games on the PC so enticing was the implementation of custom mods. People could take their love of the titles further by adding in or changing elements to the base game, further enhancing the experience and giving endless replayability. Games like EA’s Battlefront 2 and Jedi Academy have lived on far beyond their initial release because of this. Players would add in new and popular characters, change the looks of game models to reflect new iterations or beloved classic versions of them, and even create entirely new games. One of the most popular of these kinds of mods is Star Wars Movie Duels, which uses the engine for Jedi Academy to create a game that lets you play through all of the iconic moments from the Star Wars movies and television shows.
The Best Star Wars Games from Arcades
Much like playing on a PC, Star Wars was also big in arcades. After the release of The Empire Strikes Back, games were released in arcades that were based on the first two films. One of the most iconic games of the era was the Star Wars Arcade Game, which was based on the Death Star attack from Episode IV: A New Hope. The game pushed the boundaries of presentation for arcade games of the time, utilizing vector graphics and voice clips from the film. In the same vein, future Star Wars games built for arcades would do the same in various ways. Whether you were seeing something new or trying out a new way to play, Star Wars in the arcades was exciting.
- Star Wars Arcade Trilogy
- Star Wars Arcade (1993)
- Star Wars: Racer Arcade
- Star Wars Battle Pod
- Star Wars (1983)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
There have only been a handful of arcade games based on Star Wars that were developed since the early 80s. This is a result of the depleting relevance of arcades as time went on. But out of the seven arcade games that were based on Star Wars, the best ones are those with a great presentation and addictive gameplay that was fun. The Star Wars Arcade Trilogy took many of the best aspects of previous arcade titles and put together a great package that spanned the original trilogy. But during the prequel era, Star Wars Racer was a new and unique way to try out podracing that had just been introduced with the release of The Phantom Menace. While there wasn’t a lot to pick from, the arcade games that were present still offered fun times to anyone who wanted to drop in a few quarters.
