10 Star Wars Games That Best Captured the Spirit of the Original Trilogy

It's a Star Wars fan's eternal curse to try and recapture the feeling the original three movies gave them growing up. While the Prequel and Sequel movies would have faint glimmers of hope in trying to reignite that spark, depending on what kind of fan you are, they either failed dramatically or had other redeeming qualities to latch on to.

But what if I told you that it's not the movies you should be looking for to reclaim your love for the franchise, but instead, it's actually the video games? Throughout the years, there have been a number of excellent Star Wars video games that have sought to recapture the aesthetic and charming storytelling of the original trilogy, while taking the universe in a new, exciting direction.

That's why, for today's conversation, we'll be looking at the 10 best Star Wars video games that capture the spirit of the original trilogy, and have kept us invested in the franchise to this day.

10 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

On the Run From the Empire

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a wonderful follow-up to Fallen Order, which expanded our understanding of the early years of the Empire and what a post-Order 66 Jedi would experience. It's a title that's intrinsically connected to the prequel trilogy, which is why its sequel, Jedi: Survivor, is so interesting, as it bridges the gap between those two eras and lands comfortably in the Original Trilogy.

This game sees you play as Cal Kestis once again, who has gone his separate ways with the Mantis crew after the events of Fallen Order. In the years that have followed, Cal has made a name for himself working with controversial Rebel leader Saw Gerrera, and has become a high-value Jedi Target for the Empire. After stumbling onto a plot that could lead to a safe haven for the next generation of Jedi, Cal reunites with the Mantis crew once more to discover the mystery of Tanalorr, while fending off an ancient threat who wants to claim it for themselves.

There are also several callbacks to the Original trilogy throughout the game, which are sure to impress eagle-eyed fans of the series by introducing similar ideas while going in an exciting new direction. Personally, I also find Cal Kestis to be a far more endearing hero than Luke Skywalker, so if you've ever wanted more complexity in your Star Wars protagonist, then you're on your first step to joining the Kestis fan train.

9 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Rediscover Your Love in New Setting

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is BioWare putting its best foot forward to tell a fresh story in an entirely new time period Star Wars fans have never been before. While there are several callbacks to the series that tie our main protagonist's journey to Luke Skywalker's, the game still stands on its own legs.

You play as an unnamed soldier who's woken up on a Republic vessel suddenly under attack by Dark Malak's forces, this game's stand-in for a Darth Vader-like villain. After barely escaping to the planet of Taris, you work with the Republic soldier Carth Onasi to rescue the Jedi Bastilla before the Sith get to her first. Along the way, you recruit the duo Mission and Zaalbaar, who help you navigate the cruel undercity of this world.

I could go on about the shared story beats of KOTOR and A New Hope, but I think you get the gist here. What's impressive is that, as all of these events unfold, you never feel like they're retreading the same old ground. The beats are familiar to help ground you in this new Star Wars setting, but also manage to avoid making it feel patronising or like they've copied the films' homework too well.

When the game finally deviates from the films after the first act, you'll be introduced to some of the best storytelling and worldbuilding Star Wars has to offer, making it a must-play for any fan of the series.

8 Star Wars: Battlefront 2

What Happened to the Empire?

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is now mostly known for its wonderful recreation of The Clone Wars era, letting players roam around several iconic locations from that era. But where I think the game also shines is in its story mode.

You play as Iden Versio, the leader of an elite Empire squad known as Inferno Squad. At the start of the game, you'll fight on the side of the Empire up until the fall of Endor, where your character is exposed to the unnecessary evils Palpatine planned to exact on the universe following his death. This turns you to the Rebellion, which will see you take down remnants of the former Empire and encounter the growing sects of the First Order.

There are plenty of neat easter eggs throughout the campaign for classic Star Wars fans as well, including one mission which has you play as Luke Skywalker, and features some of the best characterization of the iconic hero in any medium.

7 Star Wars: Outlaws

Live Out Your Scoundrel Dreams

I'll admit, Star Wars Outlaws is a bit rough around the edges, but there's no denying that the game has a lot of heart. If there's one thing you can take away after playing the game, it's that the developers went to great lengths to capture that classic "scoundrel" aesthetic from the Original Trilogy, and I think they damn well succeeded.

In this scoundrel-focused title, you play as Kay Vess, a new Han Solo-inspired character, but this time, your trusty sidekick/pet dog isn't Chewbacca, but an actual pet alien dog. After a seemingly run-of-the-mill heist goes wrong, you find yourself with a hefty bounty on your head by the new crime syndicate, the Zerek Besh.

You're eventually saved by the sly Jaylen Vrax and his assassin droid, who only asks that you assemble a crew to take another stab at that vault you failed to crack at the start of the game. If you've ever wanted a video game to capture the vibe of a typical Han Solo journey, you can't get better than this.

6 Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

One of the First Star Wars Games Ever

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a funny game to me, mainly because instead of taking the logical step and having us play Han Solo, we instead play as Dash Rendar, a new character made for the game, who might as well be called "John Star Wars". Kidding aside, while Dash is absolutely the product of the late 90s "rule of cool", the game is still plenty of fun.

Taking place between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, we follow Dash Rendar after he's hired on behalf of the Rebel Alliance to help thwart the Black Sun leader Prince Xizor's plans. Throughout the game, we'll play as Dash as he drops in to help the main heroes Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, and Luke, aiding them in their ongoing battle with the Empire while rescuing them from Bounty Hunters and criminal syndicates.

It's a pretty neat entry that helps bridge the gap between those two movies and shows us what the characters were up to and how they tried to rescue Han Solo from his carbon-frozen state.

5 Star Wars: Dark Forces

Uncover a Deadly Plot

If you've ever wanted to play a scrappy, boots-on-the-ground Rebel-focused video game, then Star Wars: Dark Forces is your pick. You play as Kyle Katarn, another Rebel-aligned mercenary, who's hired to investigate the "Dark Troopers", a new Imperial super weapon.

Throughout the game, you'll raid Imperial bases, infiltrate Star Destroyer-like strongholds, blow up some stormtroopers, and come face to face with the powerful Dark Troopers, which threaten to bring the Rebellion to its knees. The game goes to great lengths to capture that iconic Original Trilogy aesthetic, with so many design choices feeling right at home in the Star Wars universe.

The game's legacy is pretty well recognized among the Star Wars community. So much so that Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau would lift the main story for The Mandalorian season 2 and change its iconic villain, General Rom Mohc, into Grand Moff Gideon. While it's mostly non-canon now, it's still an important piece of Star Wars history worth exploring for die-hard fans.

4 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

A Love Letter to the Franchise

The LEGO Star Wars series has always been a treat for long-term fans, due to its immense roster of characters to play from and its faithful recreations of entire scenes from the movies. However, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the devs taking their iconic formula to the next level and delivering the ultimate love letter to the franchise.

Not only do you get to play with one of the most stacked rosters in all the games, spanning all nine movies and the Clone Wars series, but the missions are more expansive and encourage further exploration after completing them. The game also has several tongue-in-cheek references in its retelling of events from the films, making for some pretty entertaining fan-service that's sure to land, rather than flop.

3 Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

Become a Jedi in the New Order

To this day, no other game has quite captured the level of complexity and freedom in lightsaber combat like the Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy series. Rather than rely on button mashing, the game teaches you to switch between different stances, manage your spacing and timing to deliver precise and fatal blows to your enemies.

This installment once again follows Kyle Katarn, who is drawn back to the Force after the dark Jedi Desann threatens the galaxy with a new empire of Force users. Across your journey, you'll meet up with Luke Skywalker, fight through Imperial bases and ancient Jedi sites, all to face off against Desann in a final duel on Yavin 4.

Given the setting and the story's direct references to previous games and legacy media, the game here feels less like a detour and more like an extension of the original trilogy, staying true to the spirit of those films.

2 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2 - Rogue Leader

Relive the Trench Run

As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate the space combat scenes in Star Wars so much more, and thanks to Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2, I can sit in the pilot's seat and join some of the most iconic space battles throughout the franchise.

This Nintendo GameCube title has been something of a cult favorite of fans for years due to its tight spaceship combat and cinematic recreations of iconic battles that make you feel like you're taking part in so many iconic battles. For example, we're all familiar with the famous Death Star trench run, and may have even imagined getting to be a pilot and take out TIE Fighters to help clear the way for Luke Skywalker. Well, in this game, you get to do exactly that.

But it's not just the Death Star that's faithfully recreated; you'll get to join the battle on Hoth and even get to use the tow cable to trip invading AT-AT's just like in the movie. If you're a fan of those classic Star Wars films and the space combat in them, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring this title.

1 Star Wars: Empire At War

Control Armies in Iconic Set Pieces

Star Wars: Empire at War is a treat for any Star Wars fan who wants to take command of their favorite faction's army and lead them to victory. For instance, if you're a fan of the Empire and hate how they got bodied by Ewoks of all things, you can run it back and see your imperial army set their forests ablaze if you so desire.

While the game does have two campaign stories for both the Rebellion and the Empire, these are mostly just setup to help players learn the mechanics of these factions before getting to duke it out in its other modes.

So, while the game doesn't have a story to really latch onto, it's the overall vibe and attention to the wider Star Wars universe that make this game feel like a natural extension of the original trilogy. You'll get to command iconic Star Wars units and vehicles like Stormtroopers and AT-AT's, planning strategies that'll see you route the Rebel Alliance better than any Grand Moff could. Playing as a Jedi is cool and all, but getting to orchestrate an entire battle during the series' most iconic settings scratches such a specific itch; it's hard for anything else to match.