The Best Star Wars Games to Help You Celebrate May the 4th

The 2010s were the decade when Star Wars sold out. After getting snatched up by Disney in the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm, the Star Wars franchise saw a resurgence in activity. New films, TV shows, comic books, and video games were released, and though many fans turned out, made purchases, and subscribed in droves, it wasn't all good.

In fact, some might say most of it was pretty bad. Starting with a middling return in 2015's The Force Awakens and ending with the hackish The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, JJ Abrams did quite a number on the series. And who could forget the utterly meaningless Solo film, or the loot box controversy over EA's Stars Wars Battlefront II video game.

It wasn't all bad, though. Rogue One was a solid entry into the Star Wars universe, even if it didn't need to exist. The Mandalorian on Disney+ has also redefined what Star Wars can be. Perhaps most fitting is the fact that the best film in the Sequel Trilogy, The Last Jedi, was also the most controversial piece of Star Wars content ever made.

Disney promised us a new beginning, but what we got was a hollow money grab. Now that the so-called Skywalker Saga has ended and previous movie rumors have died down, what do we have to look forward to on this May, the 4th—Star Wars Day?

Thankfully, there are still good Star Wars games to enjoy. LucasArts may not be making any new games, but it's at least making sure you can play the best old titles on new consoles. In honor of the good old days of Star Wars—and a hope for something better in the future—here are the best Star Wars video games. Some of these you might even be able to buy and play today.

Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight (PC, 1997)

Before the FPS genre became a streamlined theme park ride, Jedi Knight had creative weapons with secondary fire, enormous levels, and NPCs to interact with. You can even be a Jedi or a Sith if you want. But the best part is modding your character then planting concussion mines on your friends in multiplayer.

Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (PC, 2002)

Developed by Raven Software on the Quake III Arena engine, Jedi Outcast evolved the lightsaber-swinging action of Jedi Knight with different styles: be a speed demon, a balanced fighter, or a slow hulk. Add more Force powers and combo attacks and you have the ultimate stormtrooper-slaying Jedi sim.

TIE Fighter (PC, 1994)

Originally released on 3.5-inch floppies, TIE Fighter makes you feel like you're in complete control of an Imperial vessel. Nearly every key on the keyboard has a purpose: to regulate shields, control engines, and adjust weaponry. Master such complexity and you'll feel like an elite pilot; shoot down enough rebels, and the Emperor himself will welcome you into his inner circle. A true gem.

Super Star Wars Trilogy (Super Nintendo, 1992, 1993, 1994)

These three difficult platformers based on the original movies combine the Super Nintendo's Mode 7 graphics, your favorite characters, locations rendered as charming 2D sprites, and the best recreation of the Death Star trench run at the time. Yeah, the insane difficulty will drive you mad, but the password system helps with that a bit. Maybe use a Game Genie?

Star Wars: Republic Commando (Xbox/PC, 2005)

Calling it: This is the best thing to come out of the prequel trilogy besides Duel of the Fates. You play as a likable squad of Clone Troopers who must shoot through bug-like Geonosians, order comrades to "slice" computers, take cover, and, well, blow up everything in the name of the Republic. And even though they're clones, they exhibit more personality than Qui-gon, Mace Windu, or Padme ever did.

Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (Gamecube, 2001)

A best-of collection of famous space battles in the Star Wars series. Fly through Death Star trenches, harpoon AT-ATs on Hoth and, in one of the original missions, dogfight near a black hole. Tight controls, excellent graphics, and Rogue Squadron originally accomplished on the Nintendo 64.

Shadows of the Empire (Nintendo 64, 1996)

This was a big deal back in the (ancient) Nintendo 64 days. Sure, it all goes downhill after the Battle of Hoth level, but at the time Shadows delivered all the 3D Star Wars action we craved on a console. Fighting bounty hunters Boba Fett and that terrifying droid IG-88 made suffering through those slippery controls worth it.

Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox/PC/Mac, 2003)

Set thousands of years before A New Hope, you get to travel across the galaxy, recreated as a vibrant RPG world by Mass Effect maker Bioware. If you're a Star Wars nut in need of a good story, this is your game; it's the best tale since the original trilogy. Hopefully J.J. Abrams got to play it for inspiration.

Star Wars: Battlefront II (PC, 2005)

The video game equivalent of playing with your action figures and toys, Battlefront II is one of the few multiplayer games that lets you reenact large-scale Star Wars battles with up to 32 players. You can choose a class, capture control points, and commandeer vehicles like AT-STs and those pseudo-X-Wings from the prequels. All eyes are now on its upcoming sequel from EA—will the Force be with it?

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Jason Cohen

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The Technology I Use

My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it's already becoming a little long in the tooth.

My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I'm a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.

Whenever I have a second to myself, I'm probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.

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