There’s been a lot of good, and a lot of bad, Star Wars video games. The Star Wars on the NES from 1991 when I was a child, I thought it was the best thing ever. I look at it now and I can see that it really wasn’t. Star Wars is an amazing property that people love, so it’s hard to make a game that will do it justice — although I give a lot of leeway to developers considering what George Lucas did to his own franchise.
So here, in my opinion, are the Top 10 Star Wars video games.
Honorable Mention: Star Wars: Republic Commando
Republic Commando gets an honorable mention because there are a lot of people I know that love this game and swear by it. I myself have never played it, so I don’t feel comfortable including it on the list without doing so.
10 Shadows of the Empire
Shadows of the Empire on the N64 is not without its faults, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Dash Rendar. I fell in love with the character and story. And c’mon, how great was that first level in the Snowspeeder? Amazing! For that level alone is deserves the 10 spot.
9 The Force Unleashed
Another far from perfect game, The Force Unleashed puts you in the role of Darth Vader’s apprentice, really giving you a sense of how the Force can be used in combat. The lightsaber combat is fun, the story is enjoyable, the combat is swift, and the voice acting is superb.
8 LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
The complete saga of Star Wars LEGO games, Episodes 1 through 6, is fun and enjoyable for kids and adults alike. My son is a Star Wars and LEGO nut, and he loves this game. He brings it everywhere he brings his 2DS. The LEGO humor, puzzles and replayability makes it a great Star Wars game for younger gamers.
7 Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
I played the Dark Forces and Jedi Knight games out of order. Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast was the first that I played and I loved it. Kyle Katarn is a cool character, the lightsaber and Force combat was great for its time, and both the single-player and multiplayer were awesome. Some of the mechanics and controls aren’t too great, but Jedi Outcast is one of the best in the series.
6 Star Wars: The Old Republic
The art style is hit or miss depending on your taste, but The Old Republic was a fine MMORPG when it released and continues to be played and enjoyed by many as a free-to-play game a couple of years later. There were a lot of issues with PvP and end-game content well after the launch of the game, but that’s been resolved, as there’s now tons to do. The strongest point of this game is the leveling experience, multiple class stories, decision making that changes quest outcomes, and tons of voice acting.
5 Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy
No Kyle Katarn? No problem. I didn’t play this until it released on Steam, and it’s now become my favorite game in the series. Who doesn’t want to create and customize a Jedi and then get training from Luke Skywalker? There’s great customization — both character and lightsaber — and it might have the best lightsaber combat of any Star Wars game I’ve played. It also has really impressive missions to guide an engaging single-player experience. Oh, and the multiplayer is great, too!
4 Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
This might be my favorite game on the GameCube, and it has the best flight/space battles of any Star Wars game. The visuals were awesome and continue to hold up, the action was great, and it is one of the purest Star Wars games you can find. It’s still the best way to experience Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing Death Star trench run. I still consider this a must-buy.
3 Battlefront 1 & 2
I’m super stoked for Battlefront 3 by Dice because of how much I love Star Wars Battlefront 1 and 2. They’re a combination of Star Wars and Battlefield, really, so they have lots of players running around on foot, vehicles, lots of locations you know and love, and great classes to play as. Battlefront 2 is the better of the two games, but they’re both amazing experiences that even my son is getting into.
2 Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
Pre-CU, this is my favorite MMORPG. There weren’t a ton of Jedi running around. You had to mysteriously be approached to become one, and it was rare. You were in total control of how you wanted your character to pan out. Combat medic? Take pistols and medicine. Want to be an entertainer and dance for people in the cantina to give them buffs? Have at it. Want to declare your allegiance openly as a member of the Rebels or Empire? Do it and openly get attacked by opposing factions or fight over Anchorhead. Or be a spy. Or have no allegiance. Go to any planet and do what you want. The worlds were huge and you could get with other players to start your own cities or shopping plazas to sell your items. Or have your own awesome house in the middle of nowhere. Then the game changed… but I’ll always hold onto my Star Wars Galaxies memories.
1 Knights of the Old Republic
Before Skywalkers were the talk of the galaxy, there were people named Malal and Revan. It’s one of my favorite RPGs of all-time. It has an amazing story, amazing characters, amazing strategy, amazing combat mechanics — you get the idea… it’s amazing. It’s one of the best games of all-time, and is in my own personal top 10 games of all-time. The story is great and fresh and does the Star Wars brand the most justice of any game.
