8 Best Retro Star Wars Games That Are Still Worth Playing Today
The Star Wars franchise has given its fans so many incredible video games over the years, from recent hits like Jedi: Fallen Order to all-time classics such as Knights Of The Old Republic, Battlefront, and more. However, while the 2000s are perhaps seen as the golden era of Star Wars video games, many came before the turn of the millennium that are still worth playing today.
Back when the original trilogy was still ongoing, the Star Wars franchise was releasing video games, and through the '80s and '90s, there were many great games that are now seen as retro and are worth playing for fans today.
8 Star Wars Episode 1: Racer (1999)
While The Phantom Menace is far from the most popular Star Wars film out there, the famous Boonta Eve Classic podracing sequence on Tatooine is beloved by a lot of fans and spawned a video game the same year of the film's release.
The racing game not only has the race and racers from Tatooine but podraces from various other beloved Star Wars planets. It was initially released on consoles like the N64, but it has since become far more accessible, getting an HD rerelease on the PS4 and XBOX One. The game is just a fun, nostalgic time for players who watched The Phantom Menace and wanted to experience what it was like to be behind the wheel of a podracer. The game also holds a Guinness World Record for the best-selling sci-fi racer game ever.
7 Star Wars (1983)
One of the first-ever Star Wars games got released in 1983, named simply Star Wars after the iconic original movie of the saga. It is an arcade first-person shooter game that sees the player take control of Luke Skywalker during the iconic trench run portion of the Battle of Yavin.
Unfortunately, the game is pretty hard to get access to. It was never a console video game, only ever being a classic arcade game. However, the entire arcade game can be unlocked as a minigame for fans who have Rogue Squadron III on the GameCube. For those few fans who somehow do get access to the game, it is a time capsule back to the early '80s and a great insight into how many young fans of the time got to have fun with the franchise outside of the films.
6 Super Star Wars (1992)
There are three Super Star Wars games, one for each of the original trilogy films, and all of them are worth playing for fans who want to be transported back to the nineties and have some mindless Star Wars fun.
The first of the three, based on the 1977 classic, got released on the SUPER NES, so it is accessible for those hardcore gamers with the console. However, the 2D game also got a digital rerelease on the PS4, meaning that most people can jump into the game and play through the plot of A New Hope. The subsequent sequels, released in 1993 and 1994, respectively, did not get digital releases but are both still playable on the SUPER NES, and jumping into the iconic stories of the films in video game form will always be great fun for fans.
5 Shadows Of The Empire (1996)
One of the most iconic Legends characters to be born out of a video game is Dash Rendar. He is the central protagonist of one of the most well-known retro Star Wars games, Shadows Of The Empire, a third-person shooter with some vehicle combat sequences released on the N64 console.
The game is split into four chapters which kick-off at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back and has beloved characters throughout, such as Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Boba Fett, and the Legends villain Prince Xisor who never made it into the main saga. The game is worth taking a look at for the opening sequence alone, and it is a good look at a couple of Legends' most loved characters.
4 Star Wars: TIE Fighter (1994)
Heralded by many as one of the best Star Wars games ever and one of the very best flight simulators, TIE Fighter is the superior sequel to X-Wing, and while both are worth playing, TIE Fighter has more to love.
Released on the Macintosh and Microsoft Windows, TIE Fighter takes place after the Battle of Hoth and is so much fun, especially for those Star Wars fans who have always had an affinity for ships and a desire to jump into the cockpit of the iconic Imperial vessel. The game is readily available digitally for players on GOG.com, along with the other games in the X-Wing series.
3 Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995)
Perhaps Star Wars' most iconic first-person shooter outside of the Battlefront games is Dark Forces, known not only for being an enjoyable game but for introducing fans to the legendary character Kyle Katarn.
Released in the mid-'90s on the MS-DOS and Macintosh, the game is fantastic Star Wars entertainment. The story sees Katarn on various mercenary missions for the rebellion, taking the game to multiple iconic locations such as Coruscant and Star Destroyers. The game has puzzles and environmental interactions, so it is not solely reliant on shooting. The game is now available on Steam and is very much worth playing, especially since it kicks off the brilliant Jedi Knight series of games.
2 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (1997)
If fans were to play Dark Forces, there is no doubt the sequel to the game is also worth playing, with Dark Forces II continuing the Jedi Knight series and continuing the story of Kyle Katarn, taking him in a whole new direction.
Released on Microsoft Windows but now available on Steam, Dark Forces II sees Kyle Katarn start down the path of becoming a Jedi. The game is another shooter, with the option of a first or third-person view, but also involves lightsabers and the Force, an addition that makes this version all the more fun. Even though Katarn is unfortunately no longer canon, playing out his story is a must for Star Wars fans who are gamers.
1 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (1998)
Believed by many to be one of the greatest Star Wars video games ever and the best flight-simulator the franchise has ever produced, Rogue Squadron is extremely beloved and is a must for fans who have yet to experience it.
Released for Microsoft Windows and the N64, Rogue Squadron takes place between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, with a slew of missions taken by the iconic Rogue Squadron led by Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles. The game is the benchmark for Star Wars flight simulators and seemingly the inspiration for Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron that fans are excited for, making playing the game all the more of a necessity.