The great nostalgia trip that was Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has my mind wandering back to the great Star Wars games of the past. Setting the ground rules because this was a ROUGH one. No more than one game from a series (i.e. Force Unleashed 1&2) as well as no MMOs like Galaxies and Old republic as they are just too broad and I don’t know them well enough. So, here are MY favourite Star Wars games to date. Buckle in and may the force be with me because CHOICES were made…
10. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
I may as well rip the plaster off with my most controversial pick of the bunch. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter may have aged worse than Palpatine on that window ledge but it still has a special place in my heart. Growing up with the prequels and a brief knowledge of the badassery of Boba, I LOVED Jango Fett. While we all remember how they did him in Attack of the Clones, the prospect of playing as the galaxy’s most famous bounty hunter was mouth-watering for 8 year old me. The game not only lets you explore Coruscant and other planets, it actually has a great story. It gives the iconic Slave One some back story and expands on Jango’s relationship with Sam Wessel, who he then darted right in the neck in … you guessed it, EPISODE TWO. Even the Emperor and Count Dooku show up to hire you to hunt the now headless guy’s former apprentice. As I mentioned it has aged dreadfully, horribly repetitive combat and the bounty system of all things is in shambles. Young me didn’t care about all that though and it makes the list on nostalgia alone. This is the way.
9. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Maybe another biased choice given ROTS is one of my top two Star Wars films but this one holds a little more merit. Given that lightsaber fights were always the coolest thing ever it is a real shock a game like this hasn’t come around again since. Now, while this was the official game for the movie it just adopted a whole different feel to previous movie games. It really shifted from platforming with fights in between to an approach that felt in the spirit of that epic fight on Mustafar. The game went for an almost Mortal Kombat/DBZ:Budokai feel focusing more on the individual saber fights throughout the movie than on the stories as a whole. Not only did this allow us to relive every great fight, from beginning to end, it offered new fights, alternate endings and best of all MULTIPLAYER. Plugging in another controller and reliving that classic Ben Kenobi and Vader fight on the Death Star is still something special. An easy call for the list.
8. Star Wars: Republic Commando
Moving surprisingly away from lightsabers again and in to first person shooters, Republic Commando was another classic Star Wars game. Seeing the process of becoming an elite clone in the Delta squad all the way from childhood before the game even starts really get’s you invested from the off. You play as the teams leader “Boss”, in charge of three other clones: Scorch, Fixer and Sev. Cool Power Rangers style uniforms aside the banter between the delta squad is hilarious, Temuera Morrison voices Boss so it always feels genuine. You are dropped in to the middle of the battle of Geonosis and madness ensues unlike any other Star Wars game. The combat feels real, no sugar coating for the kids, dead clones everywhere, bug blood splattered on your visor, a Samus inspired overlay, it really makes you feel like you are in a war. A recent switch port suggests I wasn’t the only one with fond memories of it, Republic Commando was a classic.
7. Star Wars: Jedi Knight : Jedi Academy
The first instalment in the great Jedi Knight series, Jedi Academy made all your pre-teen dreams come true. You got to create your OWN JEDI to go to Yavin 4 to not only meet Luke but to be trained at the temple by the sequel’s protagonist, the legendary Kyle Katarn himself. You get to chose to walk the path of the light or the dark (choke and lightning moves are way cooler). The story opens with your ship crash landing on Yavin with your new apprentice buddy Rosh who later becomes your nemesis as he joins a cult of dark siders, The Disciples of Ragnos. The gameplay was amazing, letting you use every force power you can think of from saber throw to the super speed that was born and died with the Phantom menace. Cool little apprentice missions that take you across the planets were always fun but the game really shines in the multiplayer. Playing a full scale arena battle full of Jedi with your mates was AMAZING and while I didn’t use online at the time, even when you add bots, the mode was still stupid fun. A favourite of mine among the golden oldies.
6. Star Wars: Force Unleashed
While it didn’t get near the review numbers as some of the games on this list, I have always had a soft spot for Force Unleashed. Coming at a time when we had been STARVED of the films, Force Unleashed delivered an extremely compelling story of the Fall of Vader’s apprentice and the rise of the rebel alliance. Long before Rogue one was even a piece of paper on Disney’s desk this game was a real link between Episodes 3&4. That opening scene on Kashyyyk where Vader just ragdolls half of the Wookie population remains one of my favourite openings in any game. The combat was amazing too, pitting you against cannon fodder for the most part, really making a force wielder feel as powerful as they should. The writing for Starkiller was great and Witwer remains a staple in the Star Wars universe to this day. Amazing cut scenes and set pieces where you PULL DOWN A STAR DESTROYER. I loved this game, sequel definitely didn’t hit the same heights but both were still barrels of fun.
5. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader
After staying with the sabers for a few games, it’s time to step into the cockpit. The Gamecube exclusive Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2 was one of the first Star Wars games to really nail space combat. Throwing us straight into the action that is the post clone wars rebel alliance, playing as young Luke and Wedge Antilles. You go over every great battle from the original trilogy, from popping that proton torpedo down the thermal exhaust port, to covering the escape from Hoth before Death Star the Sequel. The game throws in a few other missions in places like Bespin to help switch it up. You don’t just fly the X wing, you get the keys to the Falcon, some snow speeders on Hoth as well as every other letter of the alaphabet that has a “wing” attached. The game was and remains the gold standard for Star Wars, space battle based titles.
4. Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order
The first real modern entry to the Star Wars catalogue making an appearance this late probably tells a story but Fallen Order is up there with the greats. Following young Cal Kestis, hiding himself and his powers with a scavenging company after the death of his master during Order 66, the story is gripping. Much more nuanced combat far closer to Soulslike games than previous Star Wars games as well as uncharted style platforming made for constantly fun gameplay. You travel from Bogano to Illum (Darth Maul’s gaff was my favourite) with your rag tag crew in search of holocron containing the location of every force sensitive child in the Galaxy. This of course catches the attention of Vader and his inquisitors and it becomes a race against time to get to the artefact before they do . Amazing Story, incredible graphics, fantastic voice and mo-cap acting. There is a reason fans across the Galaxy want to see Cal show up in live action sooner than later.
3. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
The newest entry in the annals of Star Wars games bags a podium finish. Now, a few Lego titles could have made the top ten in their own right but as per the rules I have picked the cream of the crop. The Skywalker Saga is fantastic. Hilariously re-imagining all of the films with trademark Lego humor. The best shooting and fighting mechanics in the series. Satisfying space battles. Great voice acting to accompany the writing. Stunning graphics as the game cracks open every planet the films touch, allowing us to explore them all far more in depth than many games prior. It really is a love letter to Star Wars fans across generations. It was a hard bargain between this and Fallen Order, which I love, but the full package that is this Lego masterpiece gets it the bronze. Full review HERE.
2. Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005)
If the last decision was tough, this felt like being forced to choose a favourite between Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith. Battlefront 2 was THE game back in the day. Growing up as a Star Wars fanatic, my obsession was at an all time high in 2005 after the release of Episode 3. Eleven year old me couldn’t believe what I had just seen. The greatest lightsaber, hell maybe even fight, in cinema history just unfolded right in front of my eyes and it ended with ANAKIN ON FIRE. Spoilers. So as you can imagine when Battlefront 2 dropped a few short months later, young Ryan was hyped. The first one was already great. Plugging in a controller and going to war with or against my mates in battles pulled straight from the films was a whole new approach to the games. Battlefront 2 dwarfed its predecessor. Even more maps across all six episodes from Kamino to Tatooine. Cool space battles across opposing ship carriers. Improvements to the ground troops as things like Jet troopers and super droids were now usable. Even the story was cool, following the journals of the infamous 501st legion during the clone wars. The real sell though was that this time around YOU could play as the heroes from each side from Boba Fett to Mace Windu. Running a train on armies of droids with Yoda once you had enough points was a feeling that is few and far between in games. This of course added an extra layer to playing with your pals. Both of you would save points to spawn in as the Hero or Villain and meet in the middle of your favourite map to create the Star Wars standoff of your dreams. Not just one of my favourite Star Wars games but a favourite full stop.
1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
If you know Star Wars, as this list dwindled down, you likely wondered when this game would appear. Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel are among some of the best games ever released. I preferred the second, making allies become Jedi and your character changing cosmetically when you swayed between good and evil swayed young me, sue me. I have arguably played the 1st twice as much though with it being available ON EVERYTHING. I have played it on PC, mobile and most recently switch and the game continues to hold a lofty position on RPG charts almost twenty years after it’s release. People STILL play it and being of those people, I know exactly why. Not only did it come out in the midst of the prequels, which my generation loved. It came out with a story more in line with what the older guard remembered so fondly from the originals. A dark story of a rogue Jedi, hell bent on awakening an ancient technology to rule the galaxy. No dull senate debates and universally hated Gungans. Nah, we got HK-47, an assassin droid who will not stop talking about his burning desire to KILL EVERYTHING. The game is also RPG gold, I mean hardly a shock when it’s made by hall of famers in the genre like Bioware. The main missions are great but exploring all these worlds, doing side quests to help nudge your character towards the light or the dark, it’s all done to perfection. From solving family disputes on Dantooine to killing a Krayt dragon on Tatooine the game is just soo rich in all things Star Wars. The combat is very point and click but it somehow never gets boring when it involves lightsabers and the force. The story is just *chefs kiss*. You wake up on a Cruiser under heavy fire from the Sith, in your undies with no clue who or where you are. Thankfully you find a sword and some clothes as well as Carth Onasi who directs you to an escape pod to get DF out of there. You both crash land on Taris, save Bastilla (Bad ass Jedi), go to Dantooine, become a jedi, I’m skipping a few steps but you then learn that YOU are THE Darth Revan everyone has been raving about. Depending on your disposition you choose whether you will help or kill your former best bud Malek, it’s all very Star Wars. KOTOR 1 & 2 are some of the best games ever made and the undisputed GOAT of all Star Wars games.
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