May the Fourth be with you! As today is all about Star Wars let’s take a look at some video games you can spend it playing, assuming you have time between your movie or TV show marathon! This list is in no particular order and while some of these games were made a long, long time ago, others are newer hopes. We have limited entries to what staff have actually played so don’t hesitate to provide some suggestions. If you do, we’ll be watching your career with great interest.
The Force Unleashed
Before the Jedi duology was released, The Force Unleashed was one of the most cathartic ways to play as a Jedi and absolutely wreak havoc with force abilities. Whilst leaning on the dark side of the force and a Sith apprentice to Darth Vader, Starkiller is one of the most fun protagonists to play as and you truly feel powerful as you grow in strength through the game. Whilst the game isn’t considered canon anymore, it’s still an experience worth playing through. If you enjoy it you can even check out its less well-received sequel which expands on the abilities and has a bigger karmic choice, but with some questionable writing that makes you understand why Disney would strike it from canon.
Battlefront 2
Whilst the original Battlefront was beloved and brought a whole new way to experience the Star Wars universe, it was restricted in different areas mostly as a product of its release timing. The sequel has an incredibly solid foundation to work off of as well as access to Episode 3 content. This means that the Clone Wars is much more prevalent (it’s the main focus here) and that is one of many points this entry excels at. Playing through large maps as clones vs the Separatist droid armies is incredibly satisfying, and whilst other games at the time tried to capitalise on this (The Clone Wars game itself is notable) none quite hit the highs of the original. Not to mention the incredible multiplayer which even had online support back on the PS2, it’s a joy to revisit whenever I’m feeling nostalgic for old-school Star Wars action.
LEGO Star Wars Complete Saga
Whilst arguably yes, The Skywalker Saga offers a much more complete, referential and massively more content-rich experience than The Complete Saga, the originals just have a certain feel to them that is hard to quantify. For one, I come from the mindset that the older LEGO titles without voice acting have a specific charm to them that adds to the absurd moments these minifigs get themselves into, on top of more concise level design, a more LEGO-feeling world (from backdrops to set pieces) and not being bogged down with repetitive content and space fillers (pun unintended) like the newer release. This isn’t to say The Skywalker Saga is bad, but if I had to pick one, The Complete Saga offers everything I’d want from the LEGO Star Wars experience, but LEGO Star Wars III gets bonus points too for being based on the best TV show in the Saga!
Jedi Fallen Order
I don’t think it’s hyperbolic if I state that Fallen Order, and its sequel, are the best Star Wars video game experiences to date. From the visceral combat feeling bold and empowering as you master parrying and different stances to make the most out of each battle, to the enemy variety and the intelligence of the AI making you second guess certain tactics, the fighting is very complete. Beyond the combat, the planets you explore are rich and full of secrets. Exploration is key and the puzzle-solving in this entry is one of the best I’ve experienced outside of a Zelda game (especially the Jedi temple). The story is also canon and fits neatly between established events during the rebellion. There are lots of nods, easter eggs and references to the Clone Wars and the ongoing conflict that any long-term fan can pick up on. Since this is due to be a trilogy too there’s plenty of time to catch up before we get that final entry, so there’s no better time to jump in.
Episode 1: Racer
Now this IS podracing. No really, you can play as Anakin, Sebulba or any number of your favourite podracing competitors and race through several different biomes on planets from the franchise, including Tatooine of course. This takes a lot of cues from Wipeout and F-Zero but with a unique Star Wars twist, and for being a Nintendo 64/PS1 game, it holds up incredibly well with the races feeling fast and—at times—high-risk. Modifying and upgrading your ship using scraps from the store is the name of the game: the more races you win the more expensive parts you can purchase to make a speedmachine that is unbeatable. If you enjoy simpler racing titles or are simply nostalgic for a simpler time in 3D gaming, Episode 1: Racer is an incredibly fun (albeit short) time that is great with friends too.
Republic Commando
Direct and lead Delta Squad, a group of elite clone troopers, through missions in the Clone Wars as you face off against legions of battle droids and Geonosians to help the Republic win against the galactic threats facing you. Whilst this game has aged and has rather unorthodox controls, you can easily map them to more conventional buttons. You’ll have a blast fighting through the endless hordes of enemies and hiding in terror from super battle droids, the authentic Clone Wars experience! What’s even better is that this is almost always bundled physically with Episode 1: Racer, so that’s two great picks in one package! You can read more about Republic Commando in an article written by Sean, here.
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Licensed games are a dime a dozen on the PS2, but one of the later and actually great ones is Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. Whilst a bit basic by today’s standards, for its time the action set pieces and presentation were well above average for a movie tie-in game and features set pieces that would make modern licensed games envious (especially Dagobah). Whilst it does have shortcomings (the lack of the movie soundtrack being a glaring omission), it still has enough strengths to make it an underrated classic. Our resident YouTube content creator Sean discusses the game in great length here if you’d like to learn more before trying it out for yourself!
Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR for short) is easily my most returned-to Star Wars game of all time. I’ve probably installed it on every computer I’ve owned in the last 15 years, as well as playing it on the Xbox before that. To understand why, all I have to do is mention its pedigree. This Star Wars RPG was made by the same team that worked on Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect and Dragon Age: BioWare. I could just leave it there, but I won’t.
As has always been their way, BioWare created a hugely detailed world, with multiple planets to explore, a colourful cast of companions to befriend and a complex story to pull it all together. The contents of which have become so iconic to fans that it even survived the Disney purge of the extended universe to some extent, with characters from it turning up in the animated show. KOTOR is always brought up when discussions of the best Star Wars games happen, but much more than that, it is also mentioned when discussing the best Star Wars media in general and considering the breadth of the franchise, I think that speaks for itself as to the quality of the experience.
So here are some great Star Wars games to play this, or on any future May 4ths. Your mileage will vary on these titles depending on your personal gaming tastes but if you have any suggestions feel free to comment and help out anyone else looking for Star Wars games to play! Do you have any fond memories of Star Wars games? I’d love to hear about them, and happy Star Wars Day!
