Summary
Among the many methods of combat and conflict in theStar Warsuniverse, perhaps one of the most exciting istheship-to-ship battlesthat have permeated all forms of media that the series engages with. When it comes to video games, getting the feeling of the ships right is paramount to creating a greatStar Warsship combat game. Thankfully, many a talented developer has tried their hand at this, and a few have created some truly wonderful experiences.
Whether it’sexploring the prequel moviesand their focus on large-scale political conflicts surrounding clones and trade federations, or the Rebel Alliance vs the Imperial Empire, these games have no shortage of material to draw from. It’s as much of a key part ofStar Warsas lightsabers and blasters, and these games have captured the awe-inspiring spirit and fast-paced fun of outer spaceship combat that the films and TV shows have become known for.
5Star Wars: X-Wing Vs. Tie-Fighter
A Multiplayer-Focused Space Combat Game Offers Combat Between Tie-Fighters And X-Wings
While the 1990s sawStar Warsbegin to embrace the third- and first-person perspectives, with games likeDark ForcesandShadows of the Empireleading the way, theX-Wingseries was making its mark on the expanding flight combat scene. The genre was successful during the 1990s, and it was an absolute no-brainer to bring the iconic ships ofStar Warsinto this ravenously popular market.
WithX-Wing vs. Tie-Fighterin 1997, the series reached a phenomenal peak, and created not just one of the bestStar Warsspace combat games ever, but one of the best in the entire genre full-stop. The ships feel responsive and aremassively fun to control, and the game also features some outrageously engaging multiplayer modes.
Founded as an internal studio inside EA, Motive recently had great success with theDead Spaceremake and is in the middle of production on anIron Mangame, but its first fully-developed project wasStar Wars: Squadrons. This outstanding flight combat game takes place after the events ofReturn of the Jedi, and sees players alternate between playing as the Empire and the New Republic.
Everything aboutSquadronsis an effort to capture the feeling and vibe of the films, as the presentation is intended to fully immerse players behind the cockpit of X-Wings and Tie-Fighters. It feels as though one of the best flight sim games got dipped inStar Warspaint and was sent out into the world, which is made even more thrilling through the use of VR.Squadronsin VR is an absolute treat, asthis terrific flight combat gameintegrates seamlessly with a VR headset and allows players to experience being aStar Warspilot through their own eyes.
3Star Wars: Starfighter
This Classic Sixth-Generation Space Combat Game Ties Into The Prequel Films
In the time betweenThe Phantom Menacein 1999 andAttack of the Clonesin 2002, LucasArts was plenty busy with games based on George Lucas' prequels. One of the best games to come out of this deluge of tie-ins wasStar Wars: Starfighter, which landed on the PS2, Xbox and PC in 2001.
Taking place before and during the events ofThe Phantom Menace,Starfighteris an excellent space combat game that is still an absolute blast to play today. The ship movement feels remarkably smooth, and the on-screen action is fast and frantic. It’s a stone-coldclassic of the era, and is readily available on modern hardware.
2Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
This Sequel Improves On The First Starfighter Game In Every Way
The firstStarfightergame proved to be very successful, so it wasn’t that much of a leap for LucasArts to work on a follow-up. They certainly took everything they learned from that game to heart, as the sequel launched roughly a year later and turned out even better than its predecessor.
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighteris set before and during the Battle of Geonosis. This terrific sequel improves on the first title in every possible way, and features some incredible missions, as well as a slew of fun bonus excursions to tackle once players are through with the main campaign. Ship combat feels much tighter, and it is still one of thegreatest movie tie-in gamesever made.
Developer Factor 5 had cultivated a close relationship with Nintendo in the early-2000s, as the two shared technology and worked in tandem on some remarkable games. However, perhaps no game in their partnership was as impressive asStar Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader, whichwas a GameCube exclusivelaunch title in 2001. It was, and still is, a massive addition to Nintendo’s catalogue, as this absolutely amazing simulation ofStar Warsship combat made the GameCube a must-have console right out of the gate.
Built from a foundation of success on the N64 withRogue Squadron, the sequel offered more vehicles, more missions, and a pitch-perfect sense of ship control. Featuring everything from a stunning recreation of the first Death Star trench run fromA New Hope, to original missions that bridged the gap between the prequel trilogy and the original films,Rogue Leaderis still one of the best GameCube games ever made, and is in dire need of a remaster.
