The 12 Best Star Wars Video Games Of All Time, Ranked
Following the launch of Star Wars: Zero Company, Polygon has ranked the 12 greatest Star Wars video games of all time. The list spans decades of gaming history, highlighting titles that defined space combat, lightsaber duels, and moral ambiguity in the galaxy far, far away.
The release of Electronic Arts' Star Wars: Zero Company on August 27, 2026, has sparked renewed appreciation for the long history of Star Wars interactive media. Since the franchise first entered the gaming space with The Empire Strikes Back on the Atari 2600 in 1982, the series has evolved alongside the medium itself. While modern releases offer unprecedented fidelity, many older titles remain highly regarded despite the hardware limitations of their respective eras.
Among the top-ranked titles is Star Wars: Squadrons, released in 2020, which secured the twelfth spot. The game is celebrated for narrowing its focus specifically to first-person space combat, placing players directly inside the cockpits of iconic starfighters. While its online multiplayer community has dwindled since its debut, the game remains a standout single-player and virtual reality experience. Following closely at number eleven is Respawn Entertainment's 2019 release, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which introduced the survivor Cal Kestis and earned praise for its detailed lightsaber combat and expansive environments, despite suffering from launch-day performance issues.
Further up the list, the 2002 release Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter took the tenth spot by introducing devastating Force powers to aerial dogfights and offering a robust split-screen cooperative campaign. At number nine, BioWare's 2011 MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic is recognized for its longevity. Despite early struggles that prompted a transition to a free-to-play model, the game has continued to receive content updates for over a decade. Meanwhile, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga from 2022 claimed the eighth spot, praised as the definitive brick-based adaptation for modernizing classic levels and introducing expansive hub worlds.
The ranking also honors classic console and PC experiences. Factor 5's 1998 hit Star Wars: Rogue Squadron ranks seventh, remembered for pushing the Nintendo 64's hardware limits with the console's expansion pak to deliver intense planetary battles. Respawn Entertainment's 2023 sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, earned the sixth spot by expanding on its predecessor's combat and exploration mechanics, overcoming its initial technical hurdles through post-launch updates. At number five, the original 2005 Star Wars: Battlefront 2 remains a fan favorite for its chaotic, large-scale multiplayer warfare and sandbox vehicle gameplay.
The fourth spot belongs to the 2004 role-playing game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 - The Sith Lords. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the game is highly regarded for its complex narrative themes, moral ambiguity, and the memorable character of Kreia. Although publisher deadlines forced a rushed and incomplete release, dedicated modders eventually restored much of the cut content using assets left in the game's code. This dedication from the community has helped preserve the title's legacy as one of the most intellectually ambitious Star Wars stories ever told.
Securing the third spot on the list is the 1997 classic Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2. The game revolutionized the franchise's presence in the first-person shooter genre by integrating Force powers, such as lightning and super speed, alongside traditional blaster combat. It also introduced a morality system that allowed players to choose between the Light and Dark sides, leading to distinct endings and boss fights. While its low-polygon character models and challenging platforming sequences show their age, its pioneering design choices set a high standard for all future Jedi-focused games.
Source: Polygon — original reporting
Updated