There's nothing quite like the exhilaration you feel when playing a good Star Wars video game. Depending on the game, you can fight for the Rebel Alliance, take down Stormtroopers, fly the Millennium Falcon, dabble in the dark side, become a full-blown Jedi, and much more. Knights of the Old Republic is an amazing game that allows you to choose whether you follow the light side or the dark side of the Force. We've also listed other top-notch Star Wars games. See if there are any you haven't played yet.
Best Overall: Knights of the Old Republic
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What can I say about KOTOR? This was the game that drew me in so much that I almost forgot to study for and take a final in college. What makes it so alluring? The freedom this game, developed by Bioware, offers was ground-breaking when it came out in 2003 and paved the way for Bioware choice-driven narrative games to come. It allows you to choose how you react to situations and in turn determines if you align yourself to the dark side or the light side of the Force. This means that each time you replay the game you can get different results.
When this game came out, it was the fastest selling game on Xbox. Fortunately, you can still play it today on PC. Combat isn't exactly turn-based in this RPG, but it is round-based. You queue up your attacks and then, when it comes time for them to land, you get to see cool battle animations. This battle style might not be everyone's cup of blue milk, but I enjoy it.
When designing your character, you get to choose your gender, class type, and look from a list of predesigned options. My biggest complaint with this game is that during gameplay, some of the choices you come across are a little too black and white, or seem ridiculous. Additionally, sometimes it seems like you're awarded light side or dark side points for no reason. Still, this is an amazing game that every Star Wars fan should experience.
Best Pre-Movie Game: The Old Republic
This massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) originally came out in 2011 and is still receiving new content, so there's a lot of missions for you to play. The story takes place 3,600 years before the events of the Star Wars films, and has you traveling to various parts of the galaxy. You get to choose whether you align yourself with the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire, which determines the kind of missions you receive. As you can tell from the picture, the graphics aren't up to scratch by modern-day standards, but they aren't bad.
I love all of the customizable character choices including the clothes you wear, the way your character looks, and the class you belong to. Something to note is that this game focuses on plot so combat is relatively easy. That can be good or bad depending on how you prefer you gaming experience. When playing with friends, you'll encounter cut scenes and plot developments that revolve around your specific characters. This awesome element makes it feel like the game was created just for your character. As the game progresses you'll earn morality points that determine exactly where you stand on the dark side/light side spectrum. Don't worry solo gamers: there is plenty of single-player content if you'd prefer to play that way.
Sometimes the game encounters glitches and technical difficulties so you'll need to be aware of that. The biggest downside to this game is that although it is free-to-play at first, once you hit level 50 you'll need to pay in order to get any further. Additionally, some elements of the game require you to pay for the Premium account for access. Still, if you're looking for a game that provides plenty of content and story-driven gaming, this is the Star Wars game for you. Play it on PC.
Best Single-Player Game: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
If you're looking for several games to play, each with a great plot, you can't go wrong with the Jedi Knight series. As a kid, I spent many hours playing these games and always looked forward to the release of another. I've gone back and played them multiple times as an adult and still find them fun, even if the graphics are outdated and the acting is endearingly hokey at times. However, my favorite game from the series is undoubtedly Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.
Have you ever wanted to see Han Solo wield a lightsaber? This is the game for you. This first-person shooter follows Kyle Katarn who is basically the best parts of Luke and Han mixed into one person. This smuggler-turned-Jedi must stop dark forces by mastering his powers, traveling the galaxy, and interacting with familiar faces from the original movie trilogy. You'll have access to blasters, a lightsaber, and force powers as you take on dark side foes and Siths. Remember, the Jedi Knight games were created before Disney took over the franchise and changed Star Wars canon, so you might find some plot elements surprising.
You can still play these games on PC. Since they are relatively old, they're typically cheap to pick up. Play the full series to get the complete Kyle Katarn story, or simply pick up Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.
Best Current-gen Game: Jedi: Fallen Order
As you can tell by the graphics of most of the games on this list, it's taken several years for players to finally get another decent single-player Star Wars game. Luckily, we just got a new great option in Jedi: Fallen Order.
The plot here takes place shortly after the events of Episode III. You follow Cal Kestis, one of the last remaining Jedi who must keep his powers secret during the Jedi purge (the time following just after the creation of Vader).
Something has happened to Cal that has locked away his force abilities. You'll need to remaster them in order to search for other Jedi and take down Imperial Inquisitors along the way. This journey will take you to several familiar locals as well as brand new ones.
Don't expect this game to be a walk through the park. Fallen Order features a challenging lightsaber sparring system. You'll need to think carefully before making a move against your opponent or it could leave you wide open for an attack. So instead of just spamming the buttons, you'll really need to strategize and think through your motions. The plot is a bit disjointed and feels limited based on the confines created by the movies, but this is still a really fun game for Star Wars fans to play. The only other downside is that this game leaves you on a bit of a cliff hanger, and the next game isn't even close to releasing yet. Fallen Order is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Best Online Multiplayer: Battlefront II
I have a lot of feelings about this game, not all good, partially because EA had some questionable practices in place at first. The company got a little smarter with this sequel than with the original. Still, for all its flaws, this is the best online multiplayer Star Wars game out there.
For one thing, the graphics are absolutely gorgeous. When playing on a rainy Endor, the droplets falling on your character and on the screen will amaze you. You also get to explore amazing battle locations and play as fan-favorite characters. The online multiplayer allows you to earn new items, unlock characters, and use new weapons. There are 11 multiplayer modes to keep gameplay fresh and interesting. One of the worst things about this game is that it doesn't offer online split-screen, so you can't play online with a buddy in the same room. Additionally, the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game include split-screen local co-op, but the PC version does not.
EA also included a single-player campaign mode, which hadn't been in the original Star Wars Battlefront. You follow the Commander of the Inferno Squad, Iden Versio, as she begins to doubt the war she's fighting for the Emperor. The plot takes place starting during the events of Return of the Jedi and largely continues to the time before The Force Awakens. While this mode takes a fresh look at Star Wars themes and provides a compelling story, it's over far too soon.
Best Local Multiplayer: LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
The Complete Saga released back in 2007 and was a huge hit at the time. It's a combination of LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game and its sequel LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Story. This is the game to play if you want to have a ridiculously funny time reliving the first six Star Wars movies with a friend or with a kid. Since it's a collection of two games, there are several levels and hours of gameplay.
One of the things that makes this collection of games so interesting is that each character is assigned a character type, so they have different tools and abilities. You might play through a level and realize your character doesn't have the proper tool to reach a certain area. Later, you unlock a new character and you can replay the level to reach that spot. Similarly, there are several secrets hidden throughout the game to keep gaming sessions interesting.
The LEGO characters don't talk, but they do pantomime everything and solve difficulties in ways that only LEGOS can. This adds a level of humor to familiar cut-scenes, while also making them new. The controls are simple since these games were meant for children. But the laid-back gaming makes it a great game to play with the entire family. Since this is an older title, it's harder to get your hands on since it's only available on Wii, PS3, DS, Xbox 360, or PC. Still, it's such a classic Star Wars game that it would be a shame not to include it in this list.
BONUS - Most Anticipated Star Wars Games
One of the best things about Star Wars is that there are always new video games on the horizon. If you've already played through all of the titles listed above and you want something new, then here are the most anticipated upcoming Star Wars games to get excited about.
Most Anticipated Multiplayer Game: Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga
If you want a more playful take on the Star Wars franchise, there's no better way to go about it than by playing a Lego game. This upcoming title allows players to play solo or play with a friend through all nine films. The best part is that unlike previous games, you don't have to play through the story in a linear fashion. You can choose to play through whichever episode you want in whatever order. What's more, there are going to be over 200 characters to choose from to keep gameplay interesting.
It's unclear at present how different the game mechanics will be compared to previous Lego Star Wars games, but you can see that the graphics are getting a major overhaul. It releases sometime in 2020 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
The Force will be with you, always
Hundreds if not thousands of Star Wars video games have been created since the original movie trilogy released, and more are sure to come. This unfortunately means that there are several terrible entries, but it also means that there are plenty of amazing options for you to play. We've been in a bit of drought over the last decade when it comes to decent sing-player Star Wars games, but hopefully that changes soon. In the meantime you can always revisit the best games that have come out so far.
If you're looking for a game that offers a lot of replay value, you can't go wrong with Knights of the Old Republic. You get to determine whether you align yourself with the light side or the dark side of the Force. Your decisions also affect the plot so you can replay the game and experience new cut-scenes and choices.
