To celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, members of the MonsterVine team decided to reminisce on what Star Wars games bring them to that galaxy far far away.
Will’s Pick: Star Wars The Old Republic
As someone will probably mention, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic set the standard for storytelling in Star Wars video games. So it was to my excitement with the initial announcement of The Old Republic that Bioware would again deliver an unparalleled story driven experience encased in an MMO environment. For the most part, this has largely held up. I truly enjoyed the characters and playing through the Jedi Knight plotline since was as close to a Star Wars film in video game form. The community is also very welcoming and had a great experience tackling the party quests together. With the new expansion, Knights of the Fallen Empire, I’m more than eager to dive back in and you be should too!
Spencer’s First Pick: Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic is something of a legend at this point. Developer Bioware made a risky move when they decided to make a Star Wars game that took place almost 4000 years before the films, but as anyone could testify, it paid off. Boasting a fantastic story and a deceptively active turn-base gameplay system, Knights of the Old Republic enthralled me from the moment my character awoke to their ship being attacked by a Sith fleet. The game is fantastic in that it created a fascinating lore for the Star Wars universe which, though currently in something of a canon-limbo, added a whole other layer of depth to the story of Star Wars. The game also has what I would consider to be one of the most intense and unexpected plot-twists of any video game, which only added to the game’s already engrossing story. Knights of the Old Republic is any Star Wars fan’s dream-come-true, and one of my personal favorite games of all time.
Spencer’s Second Pick: Star Wars Battlefront II
Despite having come out more than a decade ago, Battlefront II shows little sign of age. As a shooter based around the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War, the game succeeds remarkably in nearly every way. The ability to battle on and over the most iconic Star Wars worlds alongside a team of Clones, Droids, Rebels, or Stormtroopers, is a truly magical thing. Few Star Wars games manage to immerse you in the universe as well as Battlefront II, as you truly feel like a soldier that’s fighting for the fate of the galaxy. Being able to play as iconic heroes and villains such as Obi-Wan and Darth Maul, as well as numerous famous species, such as Tusken Raiders and Wampas, just adds to the seemingly endless amount of Star Wars goodness that Battlefront II has to offer. The game is a remarkably fun and respectful tribute to the entire Star Wars saga, which is what makes it tied only with Knights of the Old Republic as my absolute favorite Star Wars game.
Michael’s Pick: Star Wars Republic Commando
Like Battlefront II, Republic Commando ages well. Me and my friends all thoroughly enjoyed this gritty and dangerous take on the Star Wars universe, and we still do to this day. Not only did this title flesh-out the neglected Clone Wars era of Star Wars, but it was also a dark and intense combat experience that is rivaled even today. The SWAT-like Republic Commando that you take control of feels like a strong warrior and leader, and having near-full control of my semi-autonomous team was a thrilling and tactical experience. Throughout my tour of duty through the Clone Wars I felt both emotional and logistical bonds to my teammates, and the few missions I played alone felt like a huge departure from the main experience in that I felt vulnerable and truly alone. The self-contained story that Republic Commando tells within the Star Wars universe was engaging, and hints of the movies (Grievous, Chewbacca, Yoda) were met with nerdy cheers. An attention to detail, adherence to the movie-lore, deep character bonding and excellent gameplay make this not only my favorite Star Wars game, but one of my favorite video games of all time.
Cody’s Pick: Star Wars Episode One Jedi Power Battles
I know you’re probably thinking that the new trilogy doesn’t compare to the originals, and that’s a fair opinion to have. Thankfully, we’re talking about Star Wars video games, so I can safely put Jedi Power Battles on this list without fear of getting ran through by an angry fan’s lightsaber (I hope). Jedi Power Battles was released on Playstation, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance, but I’ve only ever played it on Playstation. I’m all about co op gaming, and Jedi Power Battles is a fun co-op hack and slash/ beat ‘em up with levels that take place across several scenes from Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace, including the opening sequence on the Trade Federation Battleship, Naboo, and the iconic final battle with Darth Maul. Players can choose from five Jedi Masters to play as including Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and two other lesser known characters named Plo Koon and Adi Gallia. Gamers can also unlock more playable characters for completing the game with different Jedi Masters. I remember unlocking Queen Amidala and a pilot who both used a blaster for most of their fighting, but what really kept me coming back was when I unlocked the ability to play as Darth Maul. He’s arguably the coolest character in the history of Star Wars, and most certainly my favorite character in The Phantom Menace, and the new trilogy as a whole. Jedi Power Battles is a fun and challenging game and it’s still reasonably priced, so pick it up on Playstation or Dreamcast if you want to check it out.
Diego’s Pick: Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
This is a game that I feel doesn’t get brought up much when people discuss great Star Wars games. There were only three games I played constantly at my local arcade: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Turtles in Time, the Jurassic Park arcade game, and Star Wars Trilogy Arcade. As a kid who lived and breathed Star wars, that game was a mind blowing experience as it allowed me to sort of live out the moment of flying in an X-Wing to blow up the Death Star as TIE Fighters are swarming around you, or racing through the forests of Endor on a speeder bike. Finishing all the even missions led you to a (sort of clunky) lightsaber fight with Darth Vader himself which was a perfect way to end things. Two other great Star Wars arcade games were Star Wars Trilogy pinball and Star Wars Racer Arcade. One was just a pretty good pinball table that didn’t do anything radically different but was still serviceable while the other captured what’s easily one of the few good moments from the prequel trilogy. I’ve always been a big fan of the concept of podracing so being able to sort of live that out was cool. Here’s hoping Trilogy Arcade and maybe Racer Arcade get made into VR games sometime.
