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The 10 Best Star Wars Games (Ranked)

Published

1 year ago

June 12, 2023

Shawna Schofield

What are the best Star Wars games?

Star Wars is a universally beloved series spanning movies, books, TV shows, and video games.

While the first Star Wars game was released in arcades way back in 1983, since then, numerous other hits have been released.

However, not all entries in the Star Wars gaming franchise have been successful, and today, we’re looking at the games that fans have loved the most!

The 10 Best Star Wars Games

There are a lot of games set in the Star Wars universe, and to find the best, we looked at the gameplay, reviews, and sales data of each entry.

This has allowed us to find the games that have had the biggest impact on fans and that remain the most worth playing.

So, get your lightsabers ready because here’s our list of the 10 best Star Wars games:

10. Star Wars Dark Forces

Kicking off our list is Star Wars Dark Forces, a first-person shooter developed by LucasArts in 1995.

This game starts shortly before the events of the first Star Wars film, though a majority if gameplay takes place a year after.

In Dark Forces, players take control of a mercenary working for the Rebel Alliance, who stumbles upon the Dark Trooper Project.

This project is being developed by the Galactic Empire to create new and more devastating Storm Troopers and battle droids.

Made using the Jedi game engine, which was specially designed for this game, the use of this engine allows for many features that previous games often lacked.

New features seen in this game include levels with multiple floors and the ability to look up and down.

While these are features we take for granted while playing the best PS5 RPG games, when this game was released, these were new and exciting advancements!

The success of this game launched the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series and allowed it to earn a sequel, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, in 1997!

9. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment as a sequel to Knights of the Old Republic, this game was released for the Xbox in 2004.

Like the previous game, KOTOR 2 is set 4,000 years before the events of The Phantom Menace and five years after the events of its predecessor.

This game follows The Exile, a Jedi Knight who was exiled from the Jedi Order, though by the start of this game, the Order has all but been wiped out.

Despite being exiled, it falls to the player character to seek out the remaining Jedi and bring the Order back from the brink to fight the growing Sith forces.

While this game wasn’t as popular as the first Knights of the Old Republic, its story, writing, and characters were highly praised upon release.

That said, it was criticized for being too similar to the first KOTOR in gameplay and graphics, though this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

KOTOR 2 remains one of the best Star Wars games and one that everyone should play at least once!

8. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Released in 2019, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is set five years after the events of Revenge of the Sith.

It follows the story of Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padawan who becomes target number one for the Galactic Empire.

This causes them to pursue him throughout the galaxy as he tries desperately to complete his training and rebuild the decimated Jedi Order.

Adopting a Metroidvania-style level design, there are areas throughout that can only be accessed once players have unlocked new abilities and skills.

In combat, players can use Cal’s lightsaber and force powers to take out enemies, most of which include stormtroopers and bounty hunters.

One of the best third-person PS5 games, Jedi Fallen Order sold over 10 million copies by 2020 and earned a sequel which we’ll cover further down.

Not only is this game absolutely gorgeous, the gameplay is fluid and intuitive, really making players feel like a Jedi.

While it started out with some console technical issues, these have nearly all been fixed, making the game easily one of the best ever made.

7. Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader

Developed by Factor 5 and LucasArts, Rouge Leader was released in 2001 as one of the best GameCube games of all time, receiving critical acclaim.

This game spans all three of the original trilogy movies, and players can control either Wedge Antilles or Luke Skywalker.

Throughout the game, players will have to help the Rebel Alliance by fighting the Galactic Empire across numerous planets.

Similar to its predecessor, this game is very fast-paced, and each of its ten levels includes different mission objectives players will have to complete.

How players perform is also measured throughout the game, and after each mission, a medal will be awarded based on performance.

Rouge Leader also includes a lot of unlockable content, including five bonus levels, two of which allow players to take control of the Millennium Falcon.

Upon release, this game was praised as a visual masterpiece and became the second-best-selling GameCube game at the console’s launch.

While Factor 5 didn’t have time to add multiplayer modes during development, even as a solo game, Rouge Leader stands out as a must-play for Star Wars fans.

6. Star Wars Battlefront 2

A sequel to the 2015 reboot of the series, Star Wars Battlefront 2 was released in 2017 for the Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Featuring both single and multiplayer modes, this game has more content than its predecessor, with a campaign set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

This game follows the story of Iden Versio, a commander of an Imperial strike force that defects to the New Republic.

Battlefront 2 can be played in either first or third-person, and there are tons of ground and space battles to take part in.

In both single and multiplayer, there are three eras to choose from, and each faction has its own lineup of soldiers.

Like the previous Battlefront, battles take place in many iconic locations, including Kamino, Naboo, Mos Eisley, and Hoth.

Hilariously, this game was originally planned to have microtransactions, but this was eventually removed.

When asked about it on Reddit, a representative from EA earned the most downvoted comment in the site’s history, prompting the company to remove all microtransactions!

While this game did suffer from a rough launch, it has received many content additions and free updates in an attempt to fix this.

Today, Star Wars Battlefront 2 has definitely become a game worth playing, even if you prefer its predecessor!

5. Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast

Released in 2002, Jedi Outcast serves as a sequel to the 1997 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II.

The third installment in the Jedi Knight series, the single-player campaign is set two years after the events of the Dark Forces II Mysteries of the Sith expansion.

It sees the return of protagonist Kyle Katarn, a mercenary and former Jedi who has since cut his connection to the force.

As Kyle, players have to return to the ways of the Jedi in order to stop the Imperial Remnant from using the Force to empower their growing army.

This game removes a lot of the hack-and-slash from Dark Forces II and replaces them with shooter elements.

While lightsaber combat is still present, players can also wield blasters and use force powers to engage enemies.

Jedi Outcast also features a multiplayer mode that can be used to compete against other players either online or locally.

Although this is one of the best original Xbox games, in 2019, it was ported to the PS4 and Nintendo Switch, though without multiplayer.

It has also been made backwards compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/X, so you can still play this incredible game today!

4. Star Wars: TIE Fighter

This space flight simulator was released in 1994 as a sequel to the Star Wars: X-Wing series.

Star Wars: TIE Fighter places players in the pilot seat and gives them a chance to experience battles as an Imperial starfighter.

Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, this game begins shortly after the Empire claims victory on HOth.

Along with fighting Rebel scum, TIE Fighter also allows players to fight pirates and traitors to the Imperial cause!

The main storyline is split between thirteen tours, seven of which are in the base game, with three more being added in each of the expansions.

While some tours can be played out of order, most are played linearly within the constraints of the overarching storyline.

Although this game was only ever made available on the PC, it remains an incredible game in the Star Wars franchise.

We’re still holding out hope for an HD remaster, though, because the space battles would be absolutely incredible in 1080p!

3. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

One of the best Lego games of all time, The Skywalker Saga was released in 2022 as the sixth installment in the Lego Star Wars series.

This game is incredible as it adapts all nine entries in the Skywalker Saga film series into one game!

Unlike other Lego games, where players have to advance through the story in a linear fashion, this game allows players to complete the trilogies in any order they want.

Each episode has five story missions, each of which contains 45 levels, along with short pre-levels that advance the story.

Needless to say, this game is huge, and it has 380 playable characters, some of which are exclusive to films outside of the Skywalker Saga.

While its lack of online co-op was criticized, its graphics, humor, and level design were praised by both fans and critics.

Within two weeks of its release, The Skywalker Saga sold 3.2 million copies, and as of June 2022, it has sold over 5 million in total.

Although Lego games aren’t for everyone, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a must-play for Star Wars fans of any age.

The sheer amount of content it has is guaranteed to keep you occupied for hours, while its iconic humor keeps things light and enjoyable!

2. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

The sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Jedi Survivor, was released in April 2023 for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

While it does suffer from some PC performance issues, it has been well-received overall, with some calling it the best Star Wars game in 20 years.

This game takes place five years after Fallen Order, and it follows Cal Kestis, now a Jedi Knight, as he continues to struggle against the Empire.

Survivor retains many of the gameplay mechanics of Fallen Order, though it introduces a few new elements.

Some of the most significant include access to different stances for different types of lightsabers and blasters.

These come with their own unique features and are designed to be used against specific types of enemies.

A force stasis ability has also been available, and it allows players to freeze blaster bolts or enemies in mid-air.

The level design has also been overhauled to be more expansive than Fallen Order, with more NPCs.

Additionally, players have access to more customization options, allowing players to change Cal’s outfit, hair, facial hair, and lightsaber color.

Easily one of the best Star Wars games ever made; we highly recommend giving this one a try if you haven’t yet already!

1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Taking our number one spot is none other than Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, developed by BioWare and released in 2003.

Set 4,000 years before the formation of the Galactic Empire, this game takes place after Darth Malak has unleashed a Sith army against the Galactic Republic.

Players must take up the mantel of Jedi and venture to numerous different planets in an attempt to thwart Malak’s plans.

In this game, players can also choose from three different classes; scout, solider, or scoundrel, and earn points that determine their alignment.

Whether a player falls on the light or darkside will determine the different abilities available to them.

KOTOR received critical acclaim upon release and is even considered one of the best video games ever made, thanks to its characters, story, and gameplay.

While a remake was announced to be in development as of 2021, it is hard to imagine anything eclipsing the OG.

However, only time will tell whether or not any future Star Wars game will manage to surpass this absolutely amazing game.