There are many Star Wars games that are considered good, but there are some that are downright essential. Star Wars games allow players to live out their fantasies in a galaxy far, far away, and cover various gaming genres. From first-person shooters to strategy to classic RPGs, Star Wars games nearly always deliver a fun experience, but some give a little more.
Over 100 Star Wars games have been released dating back to 1979 and the table-top Star Wars Electronic Battle Command. Since then, the games have primarily tied in with the movies; however, some branched out into the then-named Expanded Universe. Over the years, quality has varied, and some great Star Wars games have been more impactful than others.
There have been some memorable Star Wars games over the years, and it would take too long to talk about all of them. But what qualifies as essential? The Star Wars games here add to the universe’s lore, introduce new gameplay styles, or are just a new approach to the Star Wars universe.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Doesn’t Take Star Wars Too Seriously
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a fun take on Star Wars. The basic plot follows that of the three movie trilogies, with players able to choose to start the game from the beginning of any one. Players play as various iconic characters throughout the Star Wars universe in an amusing action-adventure game.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga mixes all of the Star Wars films and the newer series to create a funny but excellent experience. The humor throughout is silly but a good reminder not to take Star Wars too seriously. Overall, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is mindlessly fun and a great way to introduce younger children to Star Wars.
A Pre-Rebellion Galaxy Stars In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order follows former Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis as the Empire’s Inquisitors hunt him. As the game progresses, rebuilding the Jedi Order and the fate of other surviving Jedi fall into Cal’s hands. Along the way, Cal crosses paths with new characters such as onetime Jedi Knight Cere Junda and Nightsister Merrin, as well as recognizable Star Wars characters like Saw Gerrera and Darth Vader.
Fallen Order is an interesting game not in terms of groundbreaking gameplay but because of what it adds to the lore of the Star Wars universe. The game provides a look at a post-Republic galaxy before any significant Rebel faction has been established. Players see how ordinary people are coping under the Empire’s rule, and Fallen Order doesn’t pull its punches, showing how the Inquisitors have impacted the surviving Jedi.
Fallen Order provides more information and closure regarding the massacre of the Nightsisters of Dathomir seen in the animated Clone Wars series. The story takes Cal to the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk, where players see how the Empire enslaves non-human races. Fallen Order is an essential game for Star Wars lore fans and those wanting to experience an amazing Star Wars story.
Star Wars: Dark Forces Introduces Two Big Features To The Galaxy
In Star Wars: Dark Forces, players control Kyle Katarn, former Imperial officer turned mercenary, as he works undercover as a Rebel agent. Katarn travels throughout the galaxy and visits several familiar planets, such as Nar Shaddaa and Coruscant. In the end, Katarn is commended for his bravery by the Rebel Alliance but also learns of his connection to the Force, which sets up the sequels.
Star Wars: Dark Forces was released in 1995 and unfortunately hasn’t aged well in terms of graphics and gameplay. However, it did introduce two significant things into the Star Wars universe: Kyle Katarn and the Dark Troopers. Both would go on to play important roles within the lore, but to date, only the latter has made it back into canon after the Disney restructuring of the Star Wars canon.
Star Wars: Republic Commando Ignores Jedi In Favor Of Clones
Star Wars: Republic Commando is an FPS where players take control of the leader of Delta Squad, a group of elite commando Clone Troopers. Taking on the role of Boss, players take their team on various missions throughout the Clone Wars. The game stands out as it doesn’t involve playing as a Jedi or someone with Force powers but is simply about being the toughest and most skilled soldier possible.
Republic Commando is a solid FPS with mostly excellent AI for squad members and gritty in a way few Star Wars games have managed since. But one of the most important things the game did was draw inspiration from real soldiers and give each member of Delta Squad a unique personality, whereas before, they had been faceless drones. In doing so, Star Wars: Republic Commando changed forever how clones are depicted in Star Wars.
Star Wars: The Old Republic Is An MMO Rich In Story
Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG set around 4,000 years before the original movie trilogy. Players can choose to side with either the Old Republic or the Sith Empire and pick from eight classes, four for each faction, as they explore the galaxy. Each class has its own questline, some of which are truly excellent, adding depth to the traditional MMO experience.
SWTOR adds tons of lore to the Star Wars universe across many factions. Jedi, Sith, Mandalorian, and numerous planets and cultures get expanded on, bringing the Star Wars galaxy to life in its expansiveness. As this Star Wars game’s story setting is thousands of years before the main bulk of the rest of Star Wars, it allows for really in-depth stories to be told without worrying about treading on any toes.
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast Has Outstandind Lightsaber Combat
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast was the third installment in the Jedi Knight series, which followed on from Dark Forces and was the third game to feature Kyle Katarn. In Jedi Outcast, Katarn starts the game cut off from the Force after almost succumbing to the dark side in the previous game, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, and its expansion, Mysteries of the Sith. The plot is the usual fare of infiltration and rescue missions with a smattering of cameos from familiar Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian.
What makes Jedi Outcast stand out is the gameplay. This game has some of the best lightsaber combat in any Star Wars game, surpassed only by its sequel, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. On top of that, players could use a mixture of dark and light Force powers as Katarn reconnected to the Force. These two things combined allow players of Jedi Outcast to live out their Jedi fantasies.
Knights Of The Old Republic Is A Classic RPG
If a person were only ever to play one Star Wars game, then it should be Knights of the Old Republic. The predecessor to SWTOR, KOTOR, was also set thousands of years before the events of the movies, and this was a deliberate choice by developer BioWare. This choice gave the stuido greater creative freedom and created one of the best RPGs of all time.
Choices mattered, with players able to make either dark or light side choices throughout KOTOR, and those choices impacted the ending. KOTOR also has one of the best plot twists in gaming history, which is still talked about almost 20 years after it was first released. Even players with no previous knowledge of anything Star Wars should play KOTOR at least once (or twice to see both endings).
What makes KOTOR an essential game is the memorable character companions and the amount of lore that players can learn. Most of what is still considered canon about Mandalorian culture comes from this game. At the heart of it, KOTOR is a good old-fashioned story about good versus evil, with the player character discovering their connection to the Force along the way.
Over the years, many games have left their mark on the Star War universe and its timeline, and while everyone has their favorites, the ones above stand out for their contributions to the grand narrative of Star Wars. No doubt Star Wars games will continue to give fans memorable stories, moments, and gameplay experiences. Whether a player wants a traditional action-adventure or a deep lore-rich RPG, these games will scratch that itch.
