Battlefront II
Whether you’re looking for a quick Star Wars fix or just want to get pumped and ready for the latest and imminent release of Star Wars Battlefront, Star Wars – Battlefront II is a great game to (re-)download off Steam or elsewhere onto your favorite platform and get blasting right away. With Sith-tacular space battles, fun hero class options, and tons of different factions, starfighters, and planets Star Wars – Battlefront II is a surefire way to pass May the 4th with style.
Knights of the Old Republic
A classic for the ages, Knights of the Old Republic is the RPG that brought Star Wars fans and RPG gamers alike into one magnificent experience. Aside from the dated graphics, it’s hard to over-exaggerate how much of an impact this game had on Star Wars games and RPGs alike. With incredible gameplay, an unforgettable story with one of the best plot twists in gaming (if it wasn’t spoiled), and tons of replayability, BioWare’s classic is a May the 4th must-play.
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Wait! Hold your fire, trooper! There’s a reason this game is on this list – and so high up, too! Maybe you’ve heard of 2009’s 23rd best video game ever, according to the Gaming Edition of the Guinness Book of World Records? Or maybe a game that got an aggregate score of 80 on Metacritic? No? Well, in mostly true Lego fashion Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga is fun, it’s sassy, and it’s a great game for all ages. If you’ve got this one on the shelf, blow the dust off it and relive the glory days.
Rogue Squadron
Speaking of blowing the dust, May the 4th is a great day to dig out an N64 (unless it’s already set up, like it should be) and enjoy one of the best starfighter games on the platform – and maybe the rest, too. Rogue Squadron was released on the N64 all the way back in 1998 and it remains one of the best Star Wars games out there. Combining the best elements of the magic of Star Wars with streamlined and exciting fighter gameplay, this should be a staple of any May the 4th homage.
Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
Not a lot of good came out of The Phantom Menace. In the movie, the podracing segment may not have been necessary; however, be glad it existed and created Star Wars Episode 1: Racer. While that N64 is hot and busy, pop this cartridge in for a high-speed spin through multiple planets, tracks, and tons of podracers. Another Guiness World Record holder (2011), it was the best-selling sci-fi racing game at the time – for a good reason. Strap in for a fast, exhilarating ride.
Jedi Academy
Jedi Academy was a strange sequel. Technically following the events of Jedi Outcast, the player controls not Kyle Katarn of Dark Forces fame but Jaden Korr. Creatable to a certain extent by the player, the game featured a mission-based style of storytelling broken up with mandatory story segments. It also forced players to choose how to develop their Force powers – at the exclusion of others. It was a great mix of gameplay mechanics and fun to play, but the real glory was in the lightsaber duels. Grab your double-bladed saber and hit the arena in style this May the 4th.
Star Wars Starfighter
No N64 for Rogue Squadron? No problem. Star Wars Starfighter was a multiplatform release, is available on PC, and is just about as excellent as its predecessor in terms of gameplay and how enjoyable it was. Initially released for the PS2 and later ported to the Xbox and PC, Star Wars Starfighter takes place in the worlds of the newer films. More importantly, it includes the ability to pilot some of the cool and new ships from the pre-Empire era. May the 4th be with your piloting skills.
The Old Republic
Whether this game should have been released as the single-player KoTOR III is moot; at least BioWare made it free to play. And for all the complaints leveled against it, at least it provides very decent quality for that free-ness. With fully-voiced NPC interactions, tons of different classes, and a pretty decent storyline May the 4th would be made a lot better by jumping on board your favorite faction and taking part in one of the better Star Wars MMOs to be released.
Tie Fighter Special Edition
May the 4th 2015 brings to mind the modern Star Wars titles, many of which are quite good. But ye olden days of DOS did their fair share, and Star Wars – Tie Fighter was one of the better ones from those times. It’s definitely aging; the graphics are as pixelated as ever, and the gameplay won’t be up to snuff compared to Rogue Squadron. But getting into the virtual cockpit of the Imperial staple has more than its nostalgic value in its tight gameplay and immersion.
Jedi Outcast
It wouldn’t be fair to exclude this game from the list. Taking Star Wars games into the future, Jedi Outcast was one of the first and best modern games for lightsaber combat and Force usage. Introducing real-time lightsaber battles with tons of moves and combos, Jedi Outcast matched itself with stellar storytelling and addicting gameplay.
Got any other awesome Star Wars games for May the 4th? Let us know!
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