12. Super Return of the Jedi (SNES)
Wrapping up the Super Star Wars trilogy on Super NES, you get to finish the battle against the Dark Side (well, until Palpatine somehow congeals back into existence and the New Order arrives on the scene to take everything backwards again). The difficulty of this entry is a little easier than the others, and with five playable characters (including Leia and Wicket), and the opportunity to give Jabba, Vader and Palpatine a sound thrashing, it'd be rude not to finish the fight.
11. LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Wii)
Also on 3DS and DS, LEGO Star Wars III features some ingeniously designed battles, action sequences, puzzle and platforming bits in the vein of the other LEGO games. They've always been targeted at younger players, but their humour and personality is enough to keep other gamers entertained for the (admittedly short) duration if you enjoy gaming in a galaxy far, far away. The basic gameplay is, well, basic, but the opportunity to take control of virtually any character you could hope for makes up for the lack of variety somewhat, and if you're a compulsive collector of bricks, coins and trinkets, the LEGO games should be right up your alley.
10. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Wii U)
Also on 3DS, this brought that the new(est) trilogy into the LEGO world on a generation of consoles which enabled a graphical fidelity that hadn't been seen before. For the first time you'd see scuffs and light bouncing off the plastic bricks and it was quite an upgrade if you'd previously only experienced the charming LEGO Star Wars games on DS or Wii. It's a solid, slapstick romp through the beats of the movie and captures the spirit of adventure well, especially for younger gamers.
9. Super Empire Strikes Back (SNES)
Extending the on-foot action sequences of the source material into a colourful 16-bit side-on adventure, Super Empire Strikes Back peppers the platforming with some vehicular sections, too. You get the opportunity to play as Luke, Han and Chewie, ride a tauntaun, pilot a snow speeder and an X-Wing (with some classic Mode 7 gameplay), fly into an asteroid field with the Millennium Falcon and duel Darth Vader. A tad unforgiving, but arguably the best of the 16-bit 'Super' series.
8. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (DS)
Also available on GBA, Ubisoft's Revenge of the Sith on DS was a real surprise. It's a 2D belt-scroller with a unique cartoon style, fluid animation and responsive controls. The DS version also has some exclusive space-based sections which work surprisingly well, and that dogfighting mode is available in multiplayer, too. The game pits Jedi against Jedi (although it doesn't have you slaughtering younglings), and hits all the major beats from the movie with panache. The whole thing is really rather good.
7. Star Wars Pinball (Switch)
Zen Studios have been plugging away at digital Star Wars pinball tables for several years. The Wii U version was excellent, although we described the 3DS iteration as "a downgrade in almost every way". On Switch, Star Wars Pinball features 19 tables spanning the entire series, plus support for vertical play and some Switch-exclusive features. If you're a pinball wizard, this is a fine way to soak up all the iconography of the saga without indulging in lacklustre lightsaber combat or other mechanical disappointments.
6. Star Wars: Republic Commando (Switch eShop)
Star Wars: Republic Commando has aged surprisingly well and proves to be a ton of fun to revisit in this admittedly rather basic Switch port. The squad system here is still supremely satisfying to get to grips with, the HUD elements are slick, and there's plenty of atmospheric fun to be had as you blast your way through the three campaign stories on offer. Yes, there's no doubt the level design is archaic, there's no great variety in enemies, the visuals have had only the most basic of touch-ups and it's a real shame the multiplayer has been completely excised. Overall, though, this is still a welcome return for one of the very best Star Wars video game offerings.
5. Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo (N64)
Battle For Naboo was essentially Rogue Squadron 1.5 with prequel trilogy ships. With a base that solid from developer Factor 5, it was hard to go wrong and along with Episode I: Racer, this gave The Phantom Menace two great tie-in games on Nintendo platforms, while other consoles had to endure some unspeakable droideka dross.
4. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (N64)
Factor 5's first foray into the cockpit of a Rebel fighter, Rogue Squadron gave N64 owners some real fodder to use in playground arguments about which consoles had the best games. With the Expansion Pak plugged in, this was a real looker for the time, and the console's odd controller suited its arcade-y flight mechanics perfectly. With plenty of audio dialogue and customary Star Wars sound effects, this was a cracking game which still holds up well today.
3. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Wii)
Combining the the original LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game and its sequel, LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy into one package (with DS versions of all of them scaling the games down in a generally admirable fashion), this Danish plastic take on the saga was infused with charm from the beginning. Reimagining key scenes from the six movies in silent slapstick, the LEGO iterations of the characters and the comedic, playful tone of the entire game made it a great co-op experience to blast through with friends or younger relatives. The moveset might be small, but that can't be said for the cast of characters available, and we can honestly say that leaping around with Yoda — who usually hobbles around with a cane — like some crazy lightsaber-wielding frog is some of the most fun lightsaber combat we've ever engaged in. It might lack depth, but it's one of the most accessible games you'll ever play and constantly brought a smile to our face.
2. Star Wars Episode I: Racer (N64)
Star Wars Episode 1: Racer tapped into the same vein of high octane antigrav racing as WipeOut and F-Zero X. While not quite as smooth or accomplished, it utterly captured the energy of the best sequence in The Phantom Menace and threw in a deep upgrade and trading system and a dual-handed two-pad control scheme that really let you relive the thrill of boosting past Sebulba, Ben Quadinaros and the rest. The Game Boy Color got a limited top-down version, but the N64 iteration is one of the best games ever to bear the Star Wars brand. Happily, a Switch port of the game is now available with some HD spit-polish and a lovely smooth frame. Utinni!
1. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GCN)
The N64 original put an arcade-y spin on Star Wars flight games like X-Wing but its sequel took things to a whole other level. A GameCube launch title, Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader blended original space missions with key moments from the classic trilogy and really showcased the capabilities of the new console. The visuals and audio are still impressive — most impressive — today, and the feeling you get from locking S-foils by squeezing the analogue trigger down to a click and blasting into vast space battles against dozens of TIE fighters is the closest we've come to feeling like we're 'in' the movies.
It turns out that finding tiny whining spacecraft against a starfield backdrop is hard (let alone hitting the damn things!) but the tight controls and authentic feel of Factor 5's game make finally nailing that wily TIE worth the effort. Other games have come close, but Rogue Leader is still the benchmark for flight-based Star Wars games on console, and we'd very much like to see it return in some form. Red Five standing by.
Phew! We had a bad feeling about that, but that last dozen or so games gave us new hope for the future of Star Wars games. And we got through without a single mention of Baby Yoda!
Don't agree with this ranking? Have we missed anything? We'll be adding future Star Wars games as they're released, as we did with Jedi Academy and Republic Commando. Let us know your personal favourites below.
Comments (141)
Shadows of the Empire is the only one I've ever played, and is pretty much the only Star Wars related thing I've ever experienced. Unless you want to count Soul Calibur 4 or Spaceballs.
**scrolls straight to Number One, preparing to argue**
..
**does not need to argue.**
Best: Rogue Squadron 2
Not Best: Everything else
Good list.
I would love to see knights of the old republic 1&2 port on the switch and give us the snes star wars games for NOS
I'd like to see each/any of the top 4 return to the Switch in some capacity, especially the top 2.
I agree Rogue Squadron 3 is worth getting just for the Atari Arcades. Would love for them to be released on Switch individually (the Mrs would freak if I got the 1UP Arcade)
This list is bollocks. A lot of those GBA games and Rebel Strike were fun, especially since the Star Wars games were scarce on Nintendo platforms.
I have that Game Boy port of Empire Strikes Back and could never make it through the first level.
IMO, outcast was far better on gamecube, and would rank that version higher. The multiplayer was great.
I love the LEGO Star Wars games with all my heart. The original on GameCube especially before the LEGO series got weird. Put so many hours into it as a kid.
Excellent list!!!
Good that revenge of the sith for ds ranks so high. I loved that game when I was a kid, a suprisingly great beat ‘em up.
We want some ports for nintendo switch! I have the "Star Wars The Empire Strike Back" for the classic game boy! it's something special.
That's a good list, and I agree with the ranking. I've played every single one of these games and seeing them all Jed up like that helps me understand why we haven't seen many new games for Nintendo systems.
We could really use a rejiggered version of X-Wing and TIE Fightet for the Switch, maybe with gently simplified controls and a few "quality of life" tweaks to the gameplay. There are other space shooters on the system, but none with Star Wars in the name.
I actually played 8-bit Empire Strikes Back about a year ago. I actually really liked it visually and mechanically, but I thought the level design let it down. 8-bit Star Wars is a better game on the Master System, in my opinion. The NES game, being the original, runs better, but the difficulty is much more reasonable on the Master System and it ends up being a better experience, and not a bad game. I had the Game Gear adaptation, and that wasn't bad either. I really liked the Super Star Wars games back in their day, but I don't think they hold up well after having revisited them. I know others still like them, and that's fine, but I encountered too many design issues I could not overlook.
I had no idea there were so many star wars games for DS and Gameboy
Star Wars pinball has really taken me by surprise bought it physical for the switch and it’s great some of the voice work is a bit dodgy but apart from that it’s amazing one of my most played switch games
Quite a few great games, unlike the latest movie. Fans beware, it’s utterly dreadful. I expect a few people will enjoy it but it makes TLJ look like a masterpiece.
I agree with the top 5 except I'd replace Lego SW with Shadows of the Empire.
Jedi Fallen Order is my new favorite Star Wars game (or at least tied with Rogue Leader) but it's not on Nintendo.
I am REALLY looking forward to Jedi Academy coming to Switch and I hope Republic Commando comes to Switch as well. I've heard good things about both.
I had quite a few of those games (the SNES, N64, Cube, Wii and WiiU) in the past. Some of them made me a lot of money when I sold them on.
Hmm 🤔
Wonder if we will see a Switch port of Jedi Fallen Order 🤔
Nah it’s and EA game.
This article revives the hunger I’ve had over the years, for the prequel trilogy to be made in the Super Star Wars style! This is one unfortunate thing about console lifespans, as by the time The Phantom Menace came out, the SNES was long gone, and N64 was in the middle of its lifecycle. The diehard Star Wars/SNES fan in me so wants to see the prequel trilogy in 16-bit Super glory! Imagine Anakin & Qui-Gon vs. Darth Maul, Yoda vs. Dooku, Windu vs. Sidious, Yoda vs. Sidious, and Obi-Wan vs. Vader...SNES style!
Pipe dream that’ll never happen, but I can dream, just like I can of an alternate universe where Lucas never sold to Disney, and made the sequel trilogy himself.
The top 3 were rather obvious. They are without a doubt some of the best Star Wars games ever made.
I would have ranked the Super games a lot higher. I think they are really great games.
Not as much, but would like the Disney trilogy in Super Star Wars form also. Since the Super games didn’t necessarily follow storyline, I need a Kylo Ren boss battle, where Chewie gets to beat him and get some payback for Han’s murder!
It’d be easier than the sometimes brutally hard SNES games, though. No need to enter cheat codes; especially Rey’s levels, where all Force abilities are already learned, plus invincibility. No need for infinite lives, she automatically levitates out of pits (she has an invisible Force Ghost Beat, from Mega Man ).
Not a huge Star Wars fan, but Shadows Of The Empire deserves a lot better than the rude text blurb it has here despite its rough moments (the positives outweigh the negatives in that game). There are plenty of cool moments in that game beyond the first level, such as the surprisingly challenging Junkyard level, the varied Sewer level, and more. It's a top ten game being treated in this list as if it's shovelware; it deserves a lot better than what it's getting here. Additionally, "Star Wars Pinball" belongs nowhere near the top ten, never mind above Shadows Of The Empire.
@nessisonett,
Here we go again an article rating Star Wars games brings out personal opinions about the latest movie, then again not surprised, when you say fans be aware I am sure the masses will enjoy it, only a few more savvy fans like yourself will probably be upset.
Possibly the BEST line ever written here on @NintendoLife: "If Disney is looking for classics to remaster with some spit-polish to the presentation and some framerate fiddling, we'd nominate this winner." PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN DISNEY!!!
23 for Rebel Strike is WAY too low. That's an easy top 10.
Seriously, that game has the entirety of your pick for #1 BUILT IN with added co-op, and you've got it ranked 22 spots lower??
@nessisonett
But the whole problem is Abrahams has to.try and fix the mess of the last movie, which really would of took two films.
But it doesn't seem as bad as some are saying it's only the most vocal fans that hate it and been proving they are review bombing the hel l out of the film, star wars fans are far more toxic than any gamers
But I don't expect it to be great but will be better than last jedi and solo, but at least we have the fantastic mandorain
@darkswabber The 3D dogfight mode on the DS version was amazing.
@johnvboy I’m like 19 dude, not even that much of a fan to be honest, it’s just a really bad movie.
@nessisonett
That could be the problem , know a few people under a certain age that feel the same way about most of star wars movies and that includes the originals
@suikoden Nah, the originals are great fun and the prequels are hilarious to watch with friends, drinks and a massive pinch of salt. Even the force awakens was pretty decent.
@johnvboy Is bringing up opinions on the current run of Star Wars movies not allowed or something?
I need more Star Wars games on my Switch. A Rogue Squadron rerelease would be amazing!
Sadly my favorite Star Wars game,
Jedi Academy, wasn't released on a Nintendo platform.
Maybe a port one day.
@cherryghost41 I have been waiting for a remastered Rogue Squadron trilogy collection for years now. Some day....
@nessisonett
Think biggest problem with new trilogy is Disney had no plan, really should of had a coherent trilogy wrote before they started the first , abrams did force awakens without having the rest of the story wrote out then Johnson just completely went his own way with last jedi and screwed everything up and left abrams to trying fix all the problems he caused and that probably a impossible task
@KitsuneNight
It was announced months ago when they announced outcast.
Academy is out early next year
@nessisonett,
Sorry for the tone mate, totally uncalled for, I saw the new movie this morning and enjoyed it, liked the Force Awakens too, not to sure about the Last Jedi, there were good parts but too many issues for my liking.
@Superzone13,
People can do what they want fella, but the thread is about video games related to Star Wars, there are many forums where you can discuss movies.
@suikoden
Did they ?
Cool.
Finally some good news today.
@suikoden Agreed. Giving the trilogy to three different directors that had three different visions was an awful idea. The trilogy is a disaster as a result.
@johnvboy I know, but with a new movie coming out literally this week, the current trilogy is obviously bound to come up in conversation on anything related to Star Wars.
Personally I would rank the N64 Rogue Squadron above the Gamecube versions. It felt more balanced and enjoyable to me.
@KitsuneNight
Outcast is already out
@suikoden
Got that one day one.
Just didn't know they were gonna port Jedi Academy too.
They are really overrating the Super Star Wars games on this list, I imagine nostalgia might have a lot to do with that. As someone who never played those games growing up I thought they were quite awful to play today, and very far from being standout Star Wars games.
@KitsuneNight
I hope they port both knights of the old republic games.
@suikoden
Now that would be amazing.
@KitsuneNight it
If they did and they sold well maybe we could actually see the mythical third and final game as it was always suppose to be a trilogy
@suikoden
Hmm, doubt that wil happen.
And even if it does happen, unless Obsidian is involved, who is to say kotor 3 would be any good ?
Wait a minute! KOTOR was never released on any Nintendo system? These are the best SW games by far. This has got to change!
Waiting for Jedi Fallen Order to install now
@NightBeast
PC Macintosh and Xbox so far.
I didn't know Rebel Strike was disliked I really enjoy the game. The 2002 Clone Wars is great I play it at least once a year. As a fan of the Prequel era of Star Wars I really like the vehicles and ships from that era. So playing a Republic gunship is pretty cool IMO. The Republic tank is pretty cool too
The LEGO games Complete Saga, The Clone Wars and The Force Awakens are great games too. I like the updates they did for the space missions in TFA very Rogue Squadron like. I hope those sort of missions appear in The Skywalker Saga.
I would swap Super Return of the Jedi and Empire's places but otherwise not a bad list. It's unfortunate Jedi Outcast is the only representative from the Dark Forces saga to hit a Nintendo console, as it's by far the worst.
I love Episode 1 Podracer
Someone else who realizes what utter crap Episode II is! Thank you! TPM at least has Darth Maul.
I think Bounty Hunter and Force Unleashed are a little too far down the list. Great games, regardless.
Worst countdown we have had here. Basically everything is rubbish Apart from a handful and that isn’t true at all.
Compared to Zelda etc yeah they don’t match up but loads of fun to be had throughout this list.
Rogue Squadron trilogy coming next year mark my words....
KOTOR on switch... yes please
Bounty hunter is fantastic as are both force unleashed games
This list really annoyed me. How can Rogue Squadron 3 score so low. If I could only get one and was offered the choice of 2 or 3 it would have to be 3 every time. It has the entire second game (which was the top choice) and has co-op added to the formula to elevate it above 2 in my book. A few poor on foot levels in the base game and it gets relegated to the rubbish.
Sorry for the rant. I know it's just a bit of fun and everyone has a different perspective but as I said it kinda hit a nerve for me.
Bounty Hunter is way too low on that list, as is Star Wars Shadows of the Empire. The latter had much more going for it than just the Hoth battle. Encountering an AT-ST on foot for the first time was terrifying but felt awesome once you took it down. Jetpacking through the canyon level was thrilling and scary. Confronting the killer IG-88 droid in the junk yard was nail-bitingly challenging. So many fond memories of that game.
I just wanted to see where Namco's Star Wars ranks on the list.
Disappointment to see it only gets a brief mention for another game rather than its own entry.
Sigh, it fittingly gets the George Lucas treatment.
Really want the ep1 racer on switch
Jedi Academy, Jedi Outcast, Lego Star Wars, The Original Battlefront 1 and 2 (even though Battlefront were not on Nintendo consoles) are my favorite games to play and i really recommend them for Star Wars fans.
Really want the star wars battlefront games are ported to the switch with multiplayer
Rebel Strike needs to be much higher. It takes the highest rated game on your list and adds local multiplayer. Plus the arcade games. Minor quibble -> GBA Lego Star Wars needs a mention.
Shadow of the Empire and Rebel Strike are way way way too low.
GBA Episode 3 lacks dog fights but adds a coop Clone Wars story mode which is worth mentioning.
@JayJ Agree on both counts. About 80% of Rogue Leader is a rehash of Rogue Squadron, and the game is much shorter. The Super games are impressive on a lot of fronts, but pretty painful to play.
Writing down to watch the whole series again... and again and again.
The newer Lego games with QTE's every time you interact with a control panel really slow things down. Currently I am playing Lego Star Wars 2 on the Gamecube and it's great.
I'm just here to say Republic Commando for Switch would be neato.
MISSING: Disney INFINITY Star Wars packs - there is more than a game's worth of content, and a lot of it was fun (better than maybe half of this list?)
Angry birds? What? So high on list? What? No. Anyway, I had the entire Battlefront series between psp and ps2 before the newer loot box versions. Those were my favourites and still pretty fun today, but the Lightsaber Duels wasn't a bad game. Force Unleashed was good on ps3 but never played the Wii one. Jedi Alliance doesn't look bad for a DS title but eh, probably wouldn't play it today. Lego Star Wars was fun when I was young, too but the easy and standard formula gets so boring. Still feels like there has never been a really solid Star Wars title to me. Though, I haven't checked out that new game for ps4 and such.
Angry Birds better than Shadows of the Empire and Bounty Hunter? You can tell these reviewers grew up on mobile games and save points. Shadows of the Empire is one of the best Star Wars games. Why? Because it also filled the void when there was no movies being made, and bridged the gap between ESB and ROTJ. The story was that good and could have been made into it's own movie in a perfect world. Also Bounty Hunter was good once you got past the first few levels. Repetitive yes, but what other game lets you play as a Mandalorian? All LEGO games should be in the top 10. I cannot wait for the new LEGO Star Wars coming out 2020. It could be my GOTY.
@JayJ Nah. They are quite faithful to the movies and deliver the goods. You just have to play them a lot and memorize the levels and bosses to stand a chance in the games.
Great presentation for the time as well.
@NotTelevision Yeah I think the Super Star Wars games were good for their time and quite well presented but they really haven't aged well as far as gaming goes. I think it all comes to down to if you grew up playing them or not, as is the case for a lot of games from the NES and SNES era. If you aren't familiar with them they are just dated and overly hard to play, the kind of games you would need a strategy guide or walk-through video for.
I think a remastered Knights of the Old Republic would be a great release for the switch. Although I’ve never played it, many have it highly regarded, so I’d like to try it out. The gameplay seems like it would be perfect on the switch. No offense to LEGO games, but it’s sad to see so many in the top 10 here. But most on this list are bantha fodder .
Sorry, Attack Of The Clones was by far the best of the original trilogy. It had mystery, suspense and action. NES Star Wars was brilliant. Platforming, shooting, Metvania style exploration, first person flying through asteroids, and the overhead death star run. Shadows was good, and notably was one of the first, if not the first, N64 PAL game that was full screen. Bounty Hunter I'd have enjoyed if it didn't make me motion sick. It's the only game ever to do this to me. Clone Wars I enjoyed, and the split-screen was good. Most of the "Super" series were overrated, especially Star Wars. After the classic NES version with all its variety, SSW was basic run and shoot. Definately ESB was a vast improvement. Episode 1 Racer wasn't that good by being a bit cheap (using obstacles and fog to control difficulty) and benefits now more on nostalgia. Obviously, the Rogue Squadron series was the best, and it's a shame we've haven't seen a Switch compilation, complete with the unreleased Wii game and the two Starfighter games on PS2.
Star wars...meh. If you told me that one day I would be watching an actual good star wars tv show whilst viewing the Star Wars episode 9 movie with apathy I would've slapped you.
First Rogue Squadron is definitely best of the bunch for me. Played it recently and it really does hold up still! Podracer doesn't hold up as well, some of the courses in it are a bit long and bland.
At least we learned today the SNES games released in 2009
Shadows of the Empire is way better than where you placed it.
It shocks me how high Podracer is on this list (granted, Star Wars games in general have a middling track record). I am a huge fan of both Star Wars and racing games, but I bought Podracer for N64 on Day 1, and it was one of the most disappointing game purchases of my life. It is a crap racing game. Forget that it's Star Wars for a moment; play an F-Zero game or even Wipeout first, then play Podracer. See? It's garbage.
The Rogue Squadron games (including the Naboo one) are fantastic, as is Star Wars Pinball.
In what world is the second "Force Unleashed" game better than the first one?! The first Force Unleashed on Wii is a brilliant game that absolutely nails the motion controls to the point (among other things) that it's actually the best version of the game!
Meanwhile, the sequel is a half-baked downgrade in every way save for letting you replay the levels in any order. You're better off playing decent but flawed games like "Bounty Hunter" over that mess!
The list make me realise how many disappointing Star Wars games are out there.
Jedi outcast 2 should be waaay higher on the list...
This list annoyed me back in December and it still does. Rebel strike is comfortably the best game.
lego starwars was my childhood and every second was worth it
Out of the SNES Super Star Wars games, the first was the best. Even though the others were harder, there was some shoddy artwork and level design compared to Super Star Wars.
Lego Star Wars The Complete Saga is probably my favourite Star Wars video game ever - irrespective of it being a Lego game. I have such happy memories of playing that game on Wii.
I remember this list. My favorites are the rogue squadron style of games. I’d love to see these on our switch one day. I know it isn’t on a Nintendo platform but I’ve been thinking of trying fallen order.
Wait. You can play the Empire and Jedi arcade ports on Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike??? I've had this game since launch, how am I just hearing about this now?? haha. Good thing I have my Gamecube & game nearby to hook up. I guess I'll use my quarantine time to replay this game. Good list btw. I haven't played a lot of these games, but the ones I have, I agree with where they fall in the order, the first order. Happy May the 4th!!
Rogue Squadron II was great to play, although being on foot felt a bit frustrating a lot and the gameplay was quite was i expected. Everything else is generally not good unfortunately. Thankfully Battlefront II and Jedi: Fallen Order are a much better iteration than any Star Wars games prior. Racer shows simplicity is best.
All of the Star Wars games on the N64 were great. Besides the SNES versions, I could care less for the rest of them.
Ouch, looks like the Game Boy Advance hosted quite a few franchise lemons. The system deserved better!
@personauser93 How would you rank all the GBA games? I'm getting a nice conditioned Gameboy Micro next week and would love to get the best GBA Star Wars titles.
Sorry, but Battle for Naboo should be nowhere near the top of the list. Angry Birds Star Wars? How is a mobile game that high on the list? Pinball? Someone’s been at the deathsticks again. Shadows of the Empire so low? I find your lack of faith disturbing...😁
1. Rogue Leader - the best without a doubt.
2. Rogue Squadron - especially with the N64 expansion pack and unlocked Naboo fighter.
3. The Force Unleashed - much better than the 360 version (except in the looks department. Throwing stormtroopers into the death star’s beam never gets old.
4. Lego Star Wars II: the original trilogy - now 100% Jar Jar free!
5. Shadows of the Empire - just goes the opening Hoth level, I hadn’t seen anything like that at the time outside of the Xwing/Tie Fighter PC games at the time.
I’ve played the three SNES super Star Wars games. Frustratingly difficult but temp each there own.
It's pretty disappointing how Nintendo consoles have missed out on most of the best SW games. No Fallen Order makes sense on Switch, but why no ports/remasters of Empire at War, Galactic Battlegrounds, or the legendary KotoR games?
@Gamecuber
Episode I Racer needs to be in your top 5 somewhere. 😁
The Force Unleashed games are quite high, and they’re not good (specially the second one, what a blurry mess it is). Also, Episode I Racer IS NOT THAT GOOD. Leave Rogue Squadron II and the first on top, then put the Super Nintendo games, leave The Force Awakens Lego game there (makes great use of separate screens with the Gamepad), put the two Jedi Knight Games, and maybe Rebel Strike, and you have a better list of Star Wars games on the Top Ten.
The Complete Saga was my childhood, glad to see it ranked as #3
Shadows of the Empire is way too low. It's one of my favorites.
I remember when it came out, it was a big deal because of its placement in the timeline and it was a multimedia event. It had a novel, comic book, CD soundtrack, video game, and its own toy line. It was treated like another movie when there weren't any other movies.
RevengeFan I have all those things you mentioned sitting on a shelf at home 😁 I loves the whole Shadows thing, as it was the closest we thought we’d ever get to a new film. The prequels were a rumour (that had been going since the 80s) so the expanded universe novel, comics and video games were the only new stuff we fans had to go with. Shadows was a multimedia project, a ‘film without a film’ and it was near that you had to read the book, the comic book and play the game to get the full story (only the game gives the true ending; the comic and novel imply a different outcome, but completing the game on normal or higher shows the canon (at the time ending).
I’m not blind to the shortcomings of the game or book, but it was a really interesting time as a fan. In fact I enjoyed it much more than any sequel or prequel since (aside from Rogue One). In truth, most of the best Star Wars games are on other platforms (PC and Xbox are home to the likes of the X-wing series, the best Star Wars games ever imo and Xbox has Knights of the Old Republic, Starfighter and Republic Commando). Now that we are getting an HD redo of Episode 1 Racer I’d love the same for Shadows.
You did good guys. Episode I Racer is #2. I never got a chance to play Rogue Squadron on GCN, heard it was great, so I not mad it's above it.
I'd play Racer over any Mario Kart game. Give me a Racer game with online play and just update the grade upgrade/trading system you guys mentioned. 15/10, would buy day 1.
Extremely disagree with Rebel Strike & Shadows of the Empire being so low and Star Wars Pinball & Angry Birds Star Wars being so high, but other than that good list.
Mace Windu was actualy suposed to wield a blue lightsabe before he asked George Lucas to use a purple one while filming Atack of the Clones. You guys could really use a research before criticizing a simple cover.
Sees Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy so low in the rank
THIS IS OUTRANGEOUS, IT'S UNFAIR
"Fittingly, the weakest movie in the saga got one of the weakest Star Wars games ever. Normally we'd caveat a statement like that with 'arguably', but Episode II really is inescapably pants..."
Exqueeze me?!?? If Ep2 is the worst, then where does that put Phantom Menace!? Or The Clone Wars????? Or the Disney movies???
Wow, everything after the top 5 is such poor taste. And calling Ep II the weakest movie in the saga? I’d agree with weakest movie in the prequels, but them sequels got Ep II beat for weakest movies in the saga.
Those SNES games really should come to SNES online. Hope we continue getting Star Wars games. I'd love Bounty Hunter next.
WTF you guys have the crap Force Unleashed games higher than the incredible Jedi Knight games? What is wrong with you?
Oh, 2019 me above, you're so young & naive.
They really need to do a Star Wars Star Trek Star Ocean Stargate crossover movie book game, that'll be nice. They can call it the Star Quatro Stories.
1. Rogue Squadron II
2. LEGO SW Complete
3. Rogue Squadron 1
4. Episode 1: Racer
5. Pinball
6. Battle for Naboo
7. Republic Commandos
8. Empire Strikes Back NES
9. Return of the Jedi NES
10. Force Unleashed 1
11. Shadows of the Empire
12. Rebel Strike
(Largely a poor representation of games looking at the entries in your article.)
How dare you place Shadows of the Empire so low on this list!! I just recently beat it again and it holds up! There’s a freaking jet pack! You fight Boba Fett! Come on, ya’ll, I’m legit offended!
OK to great Star Wars games on Nintendo systems IMO (in no order):
Star Wars (NES) - Good
Super Star Wars (Super NES) - Great
Super Empire Strikes Back (Super NES) - Great
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (N64) - OK
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GCN) - Great
Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike (GCN) - Great
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (GCN) - Good
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (GCN) - Good
Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force (GBA) - OK
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (GBA) - Good
I had a lot of fun with Episode 3 on DS! I was impressed with how much better than the film it was, and did not expect it to be so high on this list 😮
@locky-mavo Amen to that. I was thinking the exact same thing.
Shadows of the Empire listed as worse than forgettable garbage like Lightsaber Duels and Lethal Alliance? No.
@ChromaticDracula SotE is not a terrible game, but if there are better games, then there are better games. And SotE is no great game and never was. I liked it on my N64, because it was Star Wars and was one of my first games for that machine! And had some cool levels, like the Snow Speeder level on Hoth or the train on the junkyard planet because of the scenery. Or the fight against the AT-ST. And it was Star Wars! But it also had its lows with boring and confusing levels with too few textures or horrible camera control or that train on the junkpyard planet level being to hard to control. I tried the game a few years ago again, but not had enough fun to play to the end again. Despite the Hoth level, that was so cool!
@MetalMan Yes, the 2nd "Force Unleashed" game is mediocre at best, but the 1st game is excellent.
I grew up with the SNES ROTJ and ESB, these games are like a timecapsule, it's nice to look at every now and then, but I don't remember enjoying playing them.
LEGO Star Wars II with the save from I was it for me as the best game. If I can avoid motion controls then I'll do it.
The Wii ver. of The Force Unleashed is something I've been wanting to try for a long time, love to have it in my collection. I guess there's not enough interest for me to go out of my way to buy it.
Man.... Star Wars and Nintendo deserve better than the garbage on this list.
Great list, and despite the fact that jedi outcast is my favorite star wars game, I think it is placed well. I still replay it all the time but it is not meant for controllers, keyboard and mouse only.
Also happy to see people enjoyed the DS Revenge of the sith game as much as I did. Very fun star wars brawler.
@darkswabber I was thinking the exact same thing, was really curious to see where it would place.
Rogue Squadron 2 had to be number one. I'd have put Rogue Squardon at 3 and Battle for Naboo at 3. Then it would be NES Star Wars! This was a classic with so many different game styles. The early cave exploration probably turned most people off before getting to the juicy stuff. I'd have Battle for Naboo next and also be boosting Shadows Of The Empire on N64 and Clone Wars on GC much higher. Ep1 Racer proved a bit limited for me, especially with obstacles in courses. If there's anything I hate with fast racing games, it's obstacles. Probably just in my top 10.
As for Rogue 3, agree, it's the extras that sell. I was so hyped for this game, and once I did the first foot mission, all further interest was zapped from me. Much like with Star Fox Insult on GC.
Bounty Hunter is the only game to ever give me motion sickness. Sad, because I enjoyed it while I had it, and would have kept it if it had a first person mode. I returned it to the store and thankfully they refunded me.
After the variety of NES Star Wars, Super Star Wars was underwhelming. Just run and shoot; no exploration. Super ESB thankfully add variety, while I really enjoyed Super ROTJ.
The Lego games I class more as a diversion, and not true Star Wars games. Obviously the Complete Saga is the best one.
I didn't realise there were so many early games, particularly on GBA. I will certain look at picking at Revenge of the Sith on DS if I don't already have it. That sounds interesting.
Oh dear. Pinball and Angry Birds games ahead of Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast. That's just hilarious
Shadows Of The Empire needs and deserves a remake.
Damn. A few decent ones but zero GREAT Star Wars games. Really is a waste of a great license. The SNES Super Star Wars games particularly were overrated back in the day. They look and sound stunning BUT the gameplay in those games is atrocious ... Terrible Mode 7 levels. Awful side scrolling ones...Walk, get hit, lose energy to unavoidable enemy, kill enemy to replace energy. Repeat. That's before you get to the dreadful platforming stages which are the worst the games had to offer. I actually tried to play through them again on Retroarch with rewind button and still found them impossible.
Here's my personal list of my favourite Star Wars Nintendo games:
-Star Wars(Famicom), where Darth Vader turned into a scorpion was hard but playable.
-Lego Star Wars was a really fun time with a lot of humor that the lego gaames are known for
-Super Stars Wars was really fun but the delayed jumping made some levels infuriating to play.
I hope someday both (Star Wars Famicom & Super Star Wars )will be added to the NSO & SNES and NES library.
@Rhum17
You can learn a lot about a person from their taste in Star Wars movies.
Generally speaking, most people who are “Sequels > Prequels” have garbage taste.
I remember playing Rogue Squadron 2 on a GC display unit in a GAME store around the time of the GC launch. Absolutely blown away by that first level, for me that was everything I wanted in a SW game (that wasn't an X-WIng/TIE Fighter game on PC).
Bringing down AT-ATs with a Snowspeeder can really do one though.
@locky-mavo Funny, I think you can learn a lot about a person by how much over the top extreme hate they have for the ST and how little they can accept that people like it.
@locky-mavo Indeed. The prequels are flawed for sure. However, they still maintain a certain “Star Wars fun” that is absent in the sequels. It’s an ethereal quality that you know when you see it but it’s not easily defined. Ranking ep II below any sequel movie and claiming the Yoda scene is the only good part bewilders me. The arena battle is awesome.
I played the Star Wars Famicom game for the first time a couple of months ago. They game was strange but a ton of fun. SPOILER Darth Vader turns into a shark.
Did not see the game on the list but admittedly I scrolled through the first half of the list pretty quickly.
That is complete disrospect to the complete saga. It is the best Star Wars game made.
As if Shadows Of The Empire is listed so low 😂
That game was class when it came out.
@dartmonkey Why wasn't Namco Star Wars counted as a separate game, from the LucasArts/JVC NES game?
It was a different game, and it was on a Nintendo console.
@KingMike It was mentioned in the other entry but it was excluded as an import-only title, I think.
I may break it out on its own along with all the handheld ports at some point, although it’ll probably still sit next to the NES version.
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