25 Best Star Wars Games Ranked From Worst to Best

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Penned by Kody Wirth

Kody is our expert Destiny 2 and shooter genre writer. He lives in Oregon.

Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

The future for Star Wars seems brighter than ever before. With the success of The Mandalorian, 10+ new shows on the horizon, and the exploration of the Jedi golden age with the High Republic Initiative, there’s a whole lot to like.

But what about games? EA’s handling of the license has been mixed at best, but it’s rumored that LucasFilm Games will take a similar approach to the IP as Marvel Games — seeking out the best in the industry to make innovative titles. And while we wait to hear more about what’s next for the best Star Wars games, we can at least take solace in knowing there are plenty of great titles already available to play. This is our roundup of Star Wars games ranked.

The 25 Best Star Wars Games Ranked

The Star Wars franchise has produced some of gaming’s best alongside some of its worst. With over 100 games available, it can be difficult to know which are the best Star Wars games of all time. To help you narrow it down, we picked our favorite Star Wars games ranked that are worth playing.

25. Super Star Wars

The best old Star Wars game

• Platforms: SNES
• Developer: LucasArts, Sculpted Software 
• Release Date: November 1, 1992

First on our list of Star Wars games ranked is Super Star Wars!

Super Star Wars is a classic run-and-gun title that takes you through the plot of A New Hope. Like many games from that time, it is incredibly difficult and frustrating to master. But the sprite work and nostalgic Metal Slug-like gameplay are worth taking a crack at. Just don’t expect to get past the Sarlac on your first try (or your twentieth, for that matter). 

24. Star Wars: TIE Fighter

The best classic Star Wars flight simulator

• Platforms: DOS, Macintosh, Microsoft Windows
• Developer: Totally Games
• Release Date: July 1994

Star Wars: TIE Fighter is truly an innovation in space shooters. Not only is it one of the first titles to explore the perspective of the Empire, but it also boasts tight gameplay and innovative flight features. It may have used the same engine as 1993’s X-Wing, but the shading, gravity effects, and immersive dogfighting were ahead of their time.

23. Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes

The best Star Wars mobile game

• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Developer: EA Capital Games
• Release Date: November 24, 2015

One of the many mobile titles to be released after EA acquired the rights to the Star Wars license, Galaxy of Heroes is a diamond in the rough. Set in a cantina way off in the corner of the galaxy, you get to fight various alien species with simulated holograms of your favorite characters. It’s a riveting turn-based battler that’s only limited by the number of microtransactions in it.

22. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

The best Star Wars Wii game

• Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Windows, Wii
• Developer: LucasArts, Aspyr Media, Red Fly Studio
• Release Date: October 26, 2010

The Force Unleashed II is unfortunately remembered as the game that jumped the shark with force powers. But in many ways, it was a more refined version of the original. Sure, the story was a bit insane, but dual-wielding lightsabers, more varied boss encounters, and diverse levels made for a less innovative but equally fun hack-and-slash title — especially when using the Wiimote.

21. Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

The best Star Wars PlayStation game

• Platforms: PlayStation, Dreamcast
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: April 4, 2000

Phantom Menace may have left audiences scratching their heads, but Jedi Power Battles just had them mashing those face buttons. It may look like just a fun beat-em-up that loosely follows the movie’s plot, but the control scheme and level design is much more impressive than that. In many ways, it could be seen as an early attempt at a Dark Souls-like game, just not as gothic and dreary.

20. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

The best Star Wars N64 game

• Platforms: Nintendo 64, PC
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: December 3, 1996

Oh, Dash Rendar, will we ever see you pop up in the modern canon? Plenty of fans, like myself, can only dream. This game serves as a backstory between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Its addicting third-person shooter mechanics and ship levels made for some of the best Star Wars action anyone had seen up to that time. It also served as another solid showcase of the potential for 3D gaming with the Nintendo 64.

19. Star Wars: The Old Republic

The best free Star Wars game

• Platforms: Windows
• Developer: Bioware Austin
• Release Date: December 20, 2011

A Star Wars MMO? Developed by Bioware (pre-Anthem)? What could be better? 

While it’s not a true Knights of the Old Republic sequel, this MMO has proven to be one of the best and most long-standing Star Wars titles out there. With multiple expansions under its belt and now available for free, it’s definitely worth taking for a spin.

18. Star Wars: Dark Forces

The best Star Wars PC game

• Platforms: Windows
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: February 28, 1995

Often seen as a Doom clone, Dark Forces should get a bit more credit. While it is a very 90s first-person shooter, it did introduce features like the ability to jump and untethered aiming to the FPS genre. It also led to the unveiling of fan-favorite Kyle Katarn, along with a slew of new and more powerful battle droids and armored stormtroopers that would make appearances in other Star Wars media years down the line.

17. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The best Star Wars puzzle game

• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, 3DS, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
• Developer: TT Fusion
• Release Date: July 27, 2016

The Lego series is always a wonderful and humorous take on popular franchises. And while others, like Marvel and Harry Potter, have been a mixed bag, the Star Wars titles are always top-notch. Lego Star Wars: Force Awakens may not do anything crazy for the franchise, but the fun and familiar gameplay combined with new story missions set outside the movies, makes it worth checking out.

16. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

The best Star Wars PlayStation 2 game

• Platforms: PlayStation 2, GameCube
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: Sept 1981

Bounty hunters are cool, right? Their armor is super sweet, but they always die so quickly and unceremoniously. LucasArts seemingly wanted to make amends for that by telling Jango Fett’s backstory. It is an early PS2 title, so it doesn’t look great and controls jerkily, but it still serves as a fun action-adventure title. If only Star Wars 1313 hadn’t been canceled…

15. Vader Immortal

The best Star Wars VR game

• Platforms: Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, PlayStation VR
• Developer: Oculus
• Release Date: August 24, 2020

If you’re not able to check out the Star Wars VR attraction from The Void (and who can nowadays?), this is the next best thing. Written by David Goyer, Vader Immortal serves as an innovative, powerful, and frightening exploration into the Dark Lord’s desires. Storytelling aside, it’s possibly the best way to feel like you’re using the Force and wielding a lightsaber, all from the comfort of your own home.

14. Star Wars Battlefront (2015)

The best Star Wars Xbox One game

• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Developer: EA Dice
• Release Date: November 17, 2015

The return of the Battlefront franchise, helmed by one of the top developers in the competitive FPS space, had everyone excited back in 2013. And while the game ended up looking gorgeous, the fun and frantic gameplay of the originals was lacking. Maybe it had to do with Disney’s canon mandate, or maybe this was the first sign that EA would mishandle the franchise — who’s to say. It’s still a fun title that led to an even better version in just a few years.

13. Star Wars Episode I: Racer

The best Star Wars racing game

• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: May 17, 1999

I think we can all agree what the best thing to come out of Phantom Menace was, right? No, not Jar Jar (and yeah, dual-bladed lightsabers are pretty sweet) — I’m talking about pod racing. Racer served as a much-needed entry in the sci-fi racing genre, a niche that had seen its better days. You can even play it now on the Nintendo Switch, which is a great home for an arcade racer like this.

12. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

The best Star Wars arcade flight simulator

• Platforms: Nintendo 64, Windows
• Developer: LucasArts, Factor 5
• Release Date: December 7, 1998

Rogue Squadron served as the final hurrah for the Nintendo 64 and injected new life into the X-Wing pilot sub-genre. Nothing up to this point had felt so fun to control and truly represented an arcade flight simulator so accurately. There’s a reason this series would go on to be a fan favorite, and it all started here.

11. Star Wars: Republic Commando

The best Star Wars tactical shooter

• Platforms: Windows, Xbox
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: February 28, 2005

The multiplayer and length of this game are nothing to get excited about. It’s the story, mechanics, and incredible AI partners that make this one of the best Star Wars games ever made. There’s a reason that Bungie pulled in the director to help with Halo 5’s partner system (although that is unfortunately not near as refined as Republic Commando).

10. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II

The best Star Wars RPG

• Platforms: Windows, Xbox
• Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
• Release Date: December 6, 2004

While not as incredible as the original, KOTOR II serves as a worthy follow-up that explores the nature of the dark side more thoroughly than any other Star Wars game. It still includes the engaging party system, but with possibly more memorable companions and side quests. If only it hadn’t been rushed to finish less than a year after the first. With a bit more time, it could have surpassed the original.

9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The best Star Wars Xbox 360 game

• Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows
• Developer: LucasArts, Aspyr, Krome Studios
• Release Date: September 16, 2008

Force Unleashed felt like the team at LucasArts was finally untethered from any previous conceptions about what a Jedi or Sith should/could do. It’s like if you melded Dragon Ball Z and Star Wars together and turned it into a surprisingly interesting hack-and-slash title. In many ways, this represented the last truly great tile for the LucasArts era.

8. Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)

The best multiplayer Star Wars game

• Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
• Developer: EA Dice
• Release Date: November 17, 2017

This game had a terrible launch, with progression hidden behind microtransactions or a stupid amount of grinding. But the developers stuck with it, adding more characters, modes, maps, meta tweaks, and answering player feedback at every turn. With the addition of the fantastic free story DLC, it’s become the best modern Star Wars multiplayer game.

7. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

The best Star Wars GameCube game

• Platforms: GameCube
• Developer: LucasArts, Factor 5
• Release Date: November 18, 2001

Rogue Leader became the standard for space shooters — it really makes you feel like an X-wing pilot. It looks incredible for the time and somehow captured the scope of what we expect from space battles from the movies. It may not have been as successful as the original, but it holds a cult following to this day.

6. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

The best Lego Star Wars game

• Platforms: Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Wii
• Developer: Traveller’s Tales, TT Fusion
• Release Date: November 6, 2007

None of the other Star Wars games ranked have captured the magic of the entire prequel and original trilogy, quite like Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga. It’s the purest form of a Lego game, and thankfully leaves out some of the more complicated systems that appear in later games. It’s pure, unadulterated Star Wars infused fun.

5. Star Wars: Squadrons

The best Star Wars PlayStation 4 game

• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Developer: Motive Studios
• Release Date: October 2, 2020

Now we’re done to the top five Star Wars games ranked, where every title is a masterpiece in game design and storytelling.

Squadrons is a spiritual successor to the beloved Factor 5 titles, and boy does it deliver. It’s a stand-alone title, with a unique if a little contrived story about rival fighter squads. The first-person only gameplay is invigorating, the dog fights are intense, and the ability to play in VR with the PS4 is truly a great time. Here’s hoping we see one more in this series before EA loses the license.

4. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

The best Star Wars action game

• Platforms: Windows, Xbox, GameCube
• Developer: Raven Software, Vicarious Visions
• Release Date: March 26, 2002

Before they were making Call of Duty, Raven was making killer Star Wars titles. Jedi Outcast was by far the best of them and somehow found a way to eloquently balance lightsaber combat and force powers. While we may never see Kyle Katarn again, it’s always fun to go back and play out the story of what could have happened post Return of the Jedi.

3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

The best Star Wars Xbox game

• Platforms: Windows, Xbox
• Developer: Bioware
• Release Date: July 15, 2003

The history of the Republic in Star Wars canon is something fans have wanted to experience since it was first unveiled. The good folks at Bioware, led by one Casey Hudson, set out to craft a story set in that unknown time period that could potentially blow away the movies. The characters, role-playing elements, and overall mechanics are second to none and have left fans aching for a true follow-up.

2. Star Wars Battlefront II (2005)

The best Star Wars couch co-op game

• Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Windows, Xbox
• Developer: LucasArts
• Release Date: October 31, 2005

Battlefront II was a frantic, vast, and deep experience that encapsulated the concepts of all-out war in the Star Wars universe. You had the opportunity to explore well-known locations, take on unique infantry roles, and even control heroes and villains. Throw in the excellent 501st campaign and the easy split-screen gameplay, and you have yourself a true classic that’s only fifteen years old.

1. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

The best Star Wars game overall

• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia
• Developer: Respawn Entertainment
• Release Date: November 15, 2019

What is the best Star Wars games ranked? That honor lies with Jedi: Fallen Order.

Jedi: Fallen Order is what I hope the future of Star Wars games looks like — a compelling story that explores unique gaps in the Star Wars canon, emphasized with challenging but satisfying gameplay that makes you think through each encounter. Respawn really has a hit on their hands, and I can only imagine what a more refined version of this will play like in the inevitable sequel.

Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away

In many ways, Star Wars has shaped the trajectory of video games just as much as it has cinema. It survived the cheap licensed games period in the ’80s, had a misunderstood artistic renaissance in the 90s and 00s, and has begun to find its footing as a way to tell more Star Wars stories in the last five years. Literally forty years of Star Wars games, and yet there isn’t one breakout title.

But that’s the beauty of Star Wars as a franchise. People want more of it. They want to see the flaws, the struggles, the innovations, and get to be along for the ride. Star Wars fans have seen incredible highs and incredible lows, and are willing to put up with a lot as long as the intent is genuine. Publisher loot box garbage and cheap licensing aside, the people making the games are just as passionate as anyone about getting to make adventures in that universe. That’s what’s truly special about Star Wars and the best Star Wars games.

May the Force be with You

Now you no longer have to use the Force and search your feelings to rank the best Star Wars games. If you know of other padawans and maybe a fuzzy nerf herder or two out there trying to find the right Star Wars game to play, feel free to share this article with them and be sure to subscribe to our email list to stay in the know.

Happy gaming!

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