The Best Star Wars Games, Ranked

On May 4 of each year, Star Wars is celebrated in all of its glory, and that extends beyond just the movies and The Clone Wars TV show. While the definition of a mixed bag when all the projects are taken into account, great Star Wars games have never been in short supply, and the franchise has covered nearly every possible genre that makes sense (and a few that don’t). Star Wars has produced awesome action-adventure titles, engaging strategy games, fun racers, and immersive space combat sims. More importantly, the best Star Wars games are just as eternal as the films that put the series on the map, and they must be experienced by any die-hard fans.

There are a lot of Star Wars games out there, and it can be downright overwhelming for any relative newcomers who just want to pick a few titles. Therefore, let’s take a trip through history by recommending arcade classics, PS2 masterpieces, Lego greats, and a couple of modern juggernauts that proved Star Wars still has plenty to offer gaming.

Updated on May 4, 2026 by Mark Sammut: May the 4th be with you! The Star Wars movies and TV shows tend to hog the limelight, but some of the franchise’s best stories of the last two decades are found in video games. Let’s count down the greatest 20 Star Wars games of all time.

20

Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire

The Daring Adventures Of A Dashing Smuggler

Players take the role of a gutsy smuggler in the same vein as Han Solo, named Dash Rendar, in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, during the original trilogy, meeting some of the classic characters along the way. Across four chapters, Rendar gives players a look into additional, world-building non-canon events that went on off-screen during the original films.

The narrative neatly blends in with familiar events from the films, whilst also providing its distinct adventures. Despite the outdated controls and an awkward camera, Shadows Of The Empire is praised for delivering something unique for its time, ranging from thrilling aerial warfare to ground-based shootouts, ensuring players remain engaged across a variety of dangerous action set pieces.

19

Star Wars Episode 1: Racer

Now This Is Pod-Racing And It Is A Hard Sport

Of the games released in tandem with 1999’s The Phantom Menace, it’s safe to say Star Wars Episode 1: Racer proved more seminal than the direct film adaptation. Inspired by the popular Tatooine pod-racing scene from the film, the game provides players with a thrilling, difficult, and fast-paced experience.

Along with the Tatooine racetrack from the film, Racer comes with a diverse array of other planetary settings for players to enjoy speeding through. Its large range of customizable features, attention to detail, and references to the source material all add to what made this a near-flawless racing experience at the time.

18

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Delivers A Silly And Over-The-Top Jedi Power Fantasy

The absurdly overpowered Starkiller makes for one of Star Wars gaming’s most exciting action heroes in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Introduced as the secret apprentice of Darth Vader in the years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, Garen Malek can bring down starships with the Force and crush Rancors with Force lightning.

The storyline follows his gradual path away from the Galactic Empire, as he finds a new purpose in helping form the early days of the Rebel Alliance. With colorful characters, memorable takes on both Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, and two completely different endings to choose from, The Force Unleashed is a fun, often thrilling gaming experience for Star Wars fans.

17

Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds

Age of Empires 2, But Star Wars

Have you ever wanted to mix Age of Empires 2 with Star Wars? Well, you don’t need to, as Galactic Battlegrounds already exists. Built on the same engine as AOE 2: The Age of Kings, this 2001 release kind of feels like a mod, which isn’t a terrible thing when the base game is one of the greatest RTS masterpieces of all time. Similar to AOE 2, Galactic Battlegrounds’ core mechanics are pretty much flawless, as long as we take into account context and when it was released.

Although flying units are part of the equation (and very cool), Galactic Battlegrounds primarily focuses on ground combat, and it allows players to pick from a wide range of factions beyond just the obvious two (Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance). Jedi and Sith act as hero units and relic hunters, and they are implemented well and feel like a natural fit to the gameplay flow. Also, like AOE 2, Galactic Battlegrounds modding scene has been quite active.

16

Star Wars: Battlefront

Multiplayer Shooter That Spawned A Franchise

The original entry in the Star Wars: Battlefront series opened the door to a whole new world of Star Wars gaming. Throwing players right into the thick of a variety of conflicts from both the original and prequel trilogies, the game zeroes in on the soldiers on the ground. The result is a blend between the fantastical thrills of Star Wars and the tactical intensity of more conventional shooter games.

With four major armies to serve in multiplayer mode, Battlefront quickly proved to be a hit with players, spawning a sequel and a reboot series in the years after its release. While the more iconic characters are not the focus, the game’s emphasis on infantry and warfare sets it apart as the rare occasion on which Star Wars fans get to appreciate the true stress of having to serve as a stormtrooper.

15

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Decades Of Star Wars History In One Game

Not only is LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga an excellent piece of Star Wars gaming, but it’s also arguably the pinnacle of LEGO games, at least in terms of ambition. The game lives up to its title, charting the events from The Phantom Menace to The Rise of Skywalker, plus content from various spin-offs. Skywalker Saga also boasts plenty of the light-hearted, trademark humor the LEGO games have become renowned for.

Better still, the game showcases greatly enhanced combat systems and mobility mechanics to enjoy compared to prior releases. Essentially wrapping up everything great about both LEGO and Star Wars in one neat, good-natured, family-friendly bow, this was one adaptation that managed to exceed any expectations.

14

Star Wars: Republic Commando

Delta Squad Paved The Way For The Bad Batch

Before The Bad Batch gave fans a ragtag team of unique clones, Star Wars: Republic Commando did it first. It tells the story of Delta Squad and their exploits during the Clone Wars up to the events of Revenge of the Sith. The concept of the Commandos became so beloved by fans that they would eventually be introduced into canon, even sporting the designs from the game.

Additionally, Star Wars: Republic Commando provides gamers with a unique squad-based first-person shooter, where the player not only has to monitor their own character but the status of the other commandos on the team as well. This includes telling them to focus on defense, sniping, charging, and other tactics needed to complete all levels in the short but sweet campaign.

13

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2017)

From A Disastrous Launch To A Beloved Sequel

Fans were disappointed when EA and DICE rebooted Star Wars: Battlefront in 2015, which led to a sequel that was controversial at launch due to its pay-to-win mechanics. However, the developers listened, removed pay-to-win microtransactions, and continued to update Star Wars: Battlefront 2 for several years with free content to create arguably the most immersive war game set in the Star Wars universe.

The realistic visuals and sounds combined with lore-accurate weapons, locations, and characters resulted in a multiplayer shooter that fans have grown to love. Even the story focusing on Iden Versio and her defection from the Empire to the Rebellion has become a cherished piece of canon that connects the original trilogy and the sequels.

12

Star Wars Outlaws

Crime Does Pay In A Galaxy At War

Rather than the military or the Jedi aspects, Star Wars Outlaws plants fans in the criminal underworld with the franchise’s first proper open-world experience. Kay Vess is a thief who gets wrapped up in a massive heist that goes wrong, turning her into a wanted criminal who must assemble a new team to pull off the next job.

Star Wars Outlaws is Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment’s first outing with Star Wars, and the result is a surprisingly enjoyable open-world game that can be compared to Red Dead Redemption. The player can be as ruthless or merciful as they choose, managing their reputation with various criminal clans. This can lead to replay value, as the right choices during jobs can lead to different outcomes.

11

Star Wars: Empire At War

Classic RTS In The Realm Of Star Wars

This rewarding epic blends real-time strategy thrills with classic Star Wars action and storytelling. Players are thrust into a high-stakes war in Star Wars: Empire at War, with the game taking place in the period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Empire at War allows players to take control of armies on both sides of the conflict in grand-scale, epic conflicts throughout the galaxy.

The explosive tactical game succeeds in immersing players further in the wonders of the Star Wars universe. There’s also considerable replay value thanks to three different game modes to discover: Skirmish, Campaign, and Galactic Conquest. With its epic battles and commitment to the spirit of the source material, Empire at War was a hit with fans and critics alike at the time of its release.