Here we are! On this glorious Star Wars day, here is part 2 of the Top 20 Star Wars games list. If you haven’t read part 1, you can check it out here.
10. Star Wars: Episode I- Racer
Even though I absolutely adore the prequels, I know many Star Wars fans do not, but one part of the prequels no one can fault is how exciting the pod racing scene is in Episode I. Only a few weeks after the release of The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode I- Racer was released, and thanks to the brilliant work of Aspyr, it has been ported to all modern systems and absolutely holds up today as not only a top 10 Star Wars game, but I’d say a top 10 racing game!
Set across numerous planets, each with unique courses, you can choose one of the many characters and pods to race with and try and become the champion of the galaxy! What Episode I- Racer did perfectly in 1999 and still feels just as good now was in recreating the sense of speed the pod racers have. You zoom around the tracks at tremendous speeds, dodging various obstacles that get in your way. All the tracks feature some shortcuts as well, which is what could give you the edge in races that are neck and neck at times. There is also the option to use your boost once you have your pod at full speed, but you need to keep an eye on your engine’s temperature if it overheats, then it’s BOOM time. Throughout the races as well, if you suffer damage, you can repair your pod on the go, much like we saw Anakin doing in Episode I.
9. Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG released by action-RPG kings BioWare and takes place around 3,500 years before the events of the films. Starting life out as a pay-to-play game, The Old Republic went free to play in November 2012 when subscription numbers began to fall. If you opt for the free-to-play, then you get the full game with some obvious restrictions (level capping at lv50 and a limit of only two characters). The Old Republic is an MMORPG that you can easily play by yourself with four character classes for both the Light and Dark Side; that’s eight different campaign modes created by a studio renowned for their epic story-driven RPGs. BioWare has also regularly updated the content with various DLCs
Playing with a group of friends is great fun, and with an active community, The Old Republic is an MMORPG you can definitely sink your teeth into and a subscription worthy of your money. MMORPG veterans will be at ease with the gameplay, but newcomers may find the various key commands a bit daunting. The forums for The Old Republic are some of the friendliest around though, and any questions will be answered respectfully without any rudeness. Once you get your head around the various button commands, this is a very rewarding Star Wars game.
8. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
No game before or since has been able to make you feel what it would be really like to be a Jedi Knight. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast puts you in the shoes, again, of Kyle Katarn, the hero from Dark Forces. For the first couple of levels, Kyle has no Force powers, but he regains them after the second level, and it is then where you can let the Jedi awesomeness commence. You slice your way through hundreds of Stormtroopers, meet some iconic characters, and clash with some formidable adversaries.
Jedi Outcast can be played either 1st or 3rd-person, so yes, that does mean 1ST-PERSON LIGHTSABER DUELS!!!!. The multiplayer was and still is hugely popular. Kyle can use all the vintage Force powers we have come to love, and hacking Imperials down with your lightsaber has never been more fun than in Jedi Outcast.
7. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)
Star Wars: Battlefront II‘s release back in 2017 will go down as one of the most controversial releases in gaming history. EA’s greed corrupted what was a brilliant Star Wars game, and the community banded together and forced EA to rethink its efforts. After many years of updates and additional content, Battlefront II became an absolutely incredible Star Wars game.
The single-player campaign was a welcome addition to the sequel to the multiplayer-only Star Wars: Battlefront (2015), introducing various interesting characters to the Star Wars canon. Multiplayer is where Battlefront II shines, however, with content across all three Star Wars trilogies. Even though EA stopped support for the game in 2020, Battlefront II is still the go-to multiplayer choice for all and is still as popular as ever. Getting into a game is quick, and the action when the fighting starts feels like authentic Star Wars. It is just a huge shame that Battlefront II had such a difficult start to life that it did.
6. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001)
If Jedi Outcast is the quintessential game for the Jedi, then Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader is the go-to game for vehicle battles. Released in 2001 as a launch title for Nintendo’s fantastic little cube console, the GameCube, Rogue Leader puts you in the cockpit as Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles during the iconic battles we see in the movies and some brilliant original missions.
The various Rebel vehicles you pilot in Rogue Leader feel, look and sound exactly like they do on the big screen. The action is fast-paced and can be extremely challenging, and with the ability to instantly switch to a 1st-person cockpit view, you truly feel like a pilot fighting for the Rebel Alliance. It is a game that has aged very well, and the locations Rogue Leader takes you to look incredible. Once the game is completed, you can jump back into any mission you want, and replaying the Hoth and Death Star levels will never get old, even 21 years after the game’s release.
5. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)
Before Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was released, it had been nine long years since we had a Star Wars single-player release. When it was first announced, many in the community were skeptical due to the controversial release of Battlefront II, but EA promised an exciting single-player adventure with no microtransactions or hidden costs, and to be fair to them, they delivered.
Fallen Order takes place five years after the events of Episode III, and you play as Jedi Padawan in hiding Cal Kestis. During his adventure, you’ll explore some brand new planets, but also someone familiar within the Star Wars galaxy. The story itself is…okay, but what really made Fallen Order shine was the combat and exploration. Jedi Outcast at the time was the best game in making you feel like a Jedi, Fallen Order took those mechanics and improved them to truly make you feel like a Jedi. Cal’s movements are slick, and the lightsaber combat never felt better. The biggest surprise when first booting up Fallen Order was it featured some Soulsborne elements, such as resting points and enemies respawning. Fallen Order is a game you can go back to again and again because of just how damn cool it feels to be a Jedi.
4. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (2022)
Spoiler, this is the only Lego Star Wars game on this list. That’s right, there is no OG Lego Star Wars, and before you start arranging that Stormtrooper firing squad, search your feelings as you know this choice is true. The OG Lego Star Wars game was and still is fantastic, and it still holds up 15 years after its release in 2007. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, however, is not just better because it’s newer, it’s better because, well…it’s better.
Set across all nine films in what Disney now refer to as The Skywalker Saga, this is simply not a remake of the earlier Lego games. All the missions feel fresh, and the hub worlds you explore between missions offer some of the most authentic Star Wars locations we’ve ever seen in a video game. The ability to have the galaxy there to roam at your leisure as well is another reason why The Skywalker Saga takes the OG Lego games’ place on this list. TT games did an incredible job in modernising their tried and true gameplay, with improved combat and a new over-the-shoulder camera that brings you closer to the brick-breaking action than ever before.
3. Star Wars: Republic Commando
An absolute classic from the original Xbox, Star Wars: Republic Commando is not just an excellent Star Wars FPS, it’s an excellent FPS in general. Set during The Clone Wars (perhaps my favourite timeline in Star Wars), you play as ‘Boss’, a Clone Trooper in charge of a four-man Clone Commando team. The campaign will take you to various places throughout the Star Wars universe as you undertake various dangerous, certain death missions in the fight against the Separatists. Republic Commando is a squad-based shooter, and you can order your fellow Clones to perform simple tasks, like opening doors, holding positions, etc.
During a shootout, you can also order your brothers into various firing positions, which requires some tactical thinking. It is beyond pointless to order your sniper trooper to cover near the front of the assault, for example. Republic Commando is excellent and a game that is still highly enjoyable today. The prequels have always had a bashing from fans, but games like Republic Commando flourish from the worlds created by them.
2. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)
Star Wars: Battlefront II is an improvement over its predecessor and is superior to its successors. The improvements include a narrative campaign-style mode where an Imperial trooper retells stories from his past battles, which range from his time as a Clone Trooper in the Grand Army of the Republic to his actions as an Imperial Stormtrooper. The campaign mode didn’t win awards, but it is fun to play through, and it’s very interesting to hear a Clone Trooper speak about his actions during Order 66. Battlefront II also features the Galactic Conquest mode, where you can play as either the Republic, Separatists, Rebel Alliance or Galactic Empire as you attempt to control the galaxy.
Battles come in two forms: ground or space-based; the space battles are nowhere near as epic as Rogue Leader, but they are enjoyable and allow you to pilot various vehicles from the movies. The ground-based combat is where Battlefront II excels, allowing you to switch between 1st and 3rd-person perspectives at the push of a button. Another improvement from the original Battlefront also lets you take control of various hero characters from the movies, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, for example. Again, controlling Jedi characters is not as rewarding as it was in Jedi Outcast or Fallen Order, but it is still great fun.
Various ground-based vehicles can also be piloted during the epic battles, which take you across the galaxy to more locations than any other game before it. Battlefront II is the perfect example of a game that can fit anyone’s needs; want to play a quick round before you head out for the night? Then jump straight in with instant action. Or if you’re like me and prefer to spend your nights in the comfort of your own home, then Battlefront II can easily keep you company for the night as you either defend the galaxy from the evil Galactic Empire or try and squash the Separatist movement.
1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
Here we are, our number one best Star Wars game, and it has to be Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. When it was released by BioWare in 2003, it blew everyone away. There had been plenty of amazing stories told through the Expanded Universe, but apart from the famed Thrawn Trilogy of books, we had never witnessed such epic storytelling as this. Set 4,000 years before the events of A New Hope, Knights of the Old Republic shows us a world we had never seen in Star Wars before. Jedi Knights numbered in the thousands, and the Sith were not the elusive mystery we knew them as from the films. Knights of the Old Republic lets you fly around the galaxy visiting various known and new worlds, and in true BioWare fashion, lets you play the game exactly how you want to. Want to be a good, upstanding Jedi? Okay, sure, Knights of the Old Republic will let you. Or do you feel the pull to the Dark Side? If so, BioWare has you covered.
During your epic quest, you will meet some of the most iconic types of characters out of the movies, in the form of perhaps the most kickass Jedi that ever was and an assassin droid that is nothing short of hilarious. The combat is a bit…how can I put this?…clunky by today’s standards. But if you haven’t played this incredible game before, then don’t let this put you off as the combat is bearable, and Knights of the Old Republic features a plot worthy of any of the films. Star Wars is no stranger to plot twists, and boy, does Knights of the Old Republic have one for you! This truly is one of the greatest RPGs ever made, and to this day, exploring the ancient homeworld of the Sith, Korriban, is one of the greatest levels of all time. The Knights of the Old Republic timeline is adored by so many fans (this one included), with thousands of fans begging Disney to create something in this timeline, but if that never happens, at least this incredible game exists.
And there we have it, our top 10 Star Wars games of all time. Have we missed your favourites off our list, or do we have everything in the wrong order? Let us know in the comments below or over on our social media platforms.
But most importantly, May the Force be with you, always.
