May 4, 2023 marks the return of the annual “Star Wars Day,” a holiday celebrating the beloved sci-fi/fantasy franchise created by George Lucas that has spawned countless films, television shows, merchandise, theme park rides, and (most importantly) videogames. On this special day, the contributors, writers, and staffers at Prima Games have come together to reminisce about our diverse tastes in Star Wars games, which span multiple generations and numerous genres. So, without further ado, here are our favorite Star Wars videogames of all-time, as Prima Games wishes a happy Star Wars Day to all who celebrate. “May the 4th be with you!”
SHAUN CICHACKI – Star Wars Battlefront II (PSP)
“While Shadows of the Empire on the Nintendo 64 also holds a strong place in my heart, something about the release of Star Wars Battlefront II on the PSP captivated me in a way that no Star Wars game has been able to do since. Yes, while the home console versions of the game may have been superior in almost every way, having the ability to take this on the go was game-changing. While I also spent far too much time playing the home console versions, the PSP version always held my attention the longest. Multiplayer madness on the go during an era where this wasn’t the norm was insane to my young brain, and it has always stood out as one of, if not my favorite, Star Wars experiences.”
NIKOLA “NICK” JOVANOVIC – Shadows of the Empire, Rogue Squadron, & LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
“As a slightly older, I mean more experienced gamer, I remember the olden Nintendo 64 days and my first encounter with Shadows of the Empire. Although I wasn’t that much of a Star Wars fan that game blew me away, Battle of Hoth in full 3D with those walkers and everything – that game was a real deal. The only thing that disappointed me was how the PC port worked on the first 3D graphics cards at the time, in short – it was bad, but when Rogue Squadron arrived, oh my that was a treat, without any on-foot levels, just good flying action with silky smooth frame rate on my 3DFX card! We don’t get Star Wars like that anymore. I recently found something similar to those experiences in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which I claim is currently the most complete Star Wars game ever made – everything is in there, and it even makes the new trilogy bearable!”
MEG BETHANY KOEPP – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
NIKOLA L – Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
“Not much of a Star Wars fan, but friends hooked up me up with Star Wars: Jedi Academy multiplayer back in the day, and since I was a big time Quake 3 player at the time, and the games ran on the same engine (id Tech 3), I couldn’t resist for long, and it was proven to be a good time investment, and a great break from the usual FPS mumbo jumbo. Multiplayer Lightsaber fights felt unreal and revolutionary to me at that time and age.”
PATRICK SOUZA – Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
“When I first came across Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, the game was nothing less than groundbreaking for me. Throughout the years, I followed Starkiller’s journey on various platforms and was amazed as I discovered some of the exclusive features in each of the game’s versions. The PSP version had a shorter story and couldn’t deliver the same graphics as the PS3/Xbox, but we could use various Jedi/Sith from the first two trilogies in special scenarios or even 1v1 duels. Did I mention it also had multiplayer? Yeah, it definitely makes up for that.
It was definitely one of my favorite games in my early teens, and while many people argue that its sequel ruined a perfect game (it kinda did but it was fun nonetheless), I would say that it was nothing compared to Disney removing it from continuity completely. Screw you Mickey Mouse, TFU is still canon in my heart!”
Related: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Review | A Powerful Epic for a More Civilized Age
GRANT TESTA – Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Bounty Hunter, & Star Wars Republic Commando
“I have enjoyed so many great Star Wars games throughout the years, but the three titles in the franchise that resonate with me most are Star Wars Battlefront II (2005), Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, and Star Wars Republic Commando. The second entry in the Battlefront series is the arguably the most impressive Star Wars game ever made, featuring an expansive variety of game modes. With authentic re-creations of battles from the prequels and original trilogy, even 18 years later I still find myself pulling out the old PS2 to play Instant Action or Galactic Conquest, and sometimes even the incredible ‘Rise of the Empire’ campaign.
Next, a few years ago, I experienced Star Wars: Republic Commando for the first time, courtesy of its remaster, and was surprised by this excellent Clone Wars-era tactical FPS, which I highly regret missing out on for so many years! Lastly, despite its flaws, Bounty Hunter is the most unique, nostalgia-inducing Star Wars game I’ve ever played, and includes one of my all-time favorite characters, Jango Fett.“
Related: A Criminally Underrated Mandalorian Game Deserves Recognition on Star Wars Day
DANIEL WENEROWICZ – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor & Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)
“Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) earned a bad reputation at launch, but with time, the game became one of the best representations of large scale war in the galaxy. Gameplay was incredibly fun and the maps took us across all three trilogies. It’s a shame that DICE stopped adding more content.
Meanwhile, Jedi Survivor speaks for itself as the best Star Wars game from Electronic Arts so far. Cal is one of the best protagonists for Star Wars that we’ve seen, the Mantis Crew is fantastic, and the game does lightsaber combat justice.”
Published: May 4, 2023 05:08 pm