Several of the most revered Star Wars games contain space battles. It's not a coincidence since space battles are an integral part of Star Wars. To leave it out of a game could lead to disaster, as evidenced by previous Star Wars video games.
We've seen some hits over the years. Flight mechanics have evolved, yet even retro Star Wars games can be considered the best. The following are the best in their class, and each shares something in common; they contain starfighters. Courageously fighting in the cold vacuum of space is a venture worth taking. These are the 10 best Star Wars games with starfighters.
10 Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
LucasArts' Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter is set before the battle of Geonosis, just before Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter may not have the most advanced flight mechanics, but it still is an exceptional Star Wars game. Getting into a grueling Star Wars dogfight has its positives and negatives. The graphics are not the best, and it may not have the most polish seen in a Star Wars game, but it is worth playing for those into Star Wars starfighters.
9 Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter is the third installment in the X-Wing series. It is an improvement on some of the previous games because of its technological advancements. It requires a joystick, but a joystick enriches the experience of the game so much that you wouldn't want to play it any other way. The game features multiplayer up to eight players with a variety of modes. Piloting your starship in space is an exhilarating adventure in Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter.
8 Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance
This game, as well as others from the same series, is available on the Steam Store. To many, Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance is the best game in the series for having the best gameplay mechanics. It may not have the most depth in its story, yet plenty of people will enjoy it anyways for its space-based combat. The game even features a single-player co-op campaign! This X-Wing game doesn't have high PC requirements, so most people should be able to jump into the action.
7 Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005)
The addition of space battles to the original Star Wars Battlefront series was a smart move by the game's devs. Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005) added several features in addition to space battles. Being able to dock your ship inside Star Destroyers was a neat feature found in Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005). You could even exit vehicles and walk around the ship bay of the Star Destroyers to catch your breath or combat enemies on foot. Gameplay mechanics are not as advanced as current games, but it was exceptional when it released.
6 Star Wars: Empire at War
What sets this game back from others on this list, depending on who you ask, is that the game doesn't have flight mechanics. It is a point-and-click real-time strategy game. For many people, being able to steer a starfighter is a dream come true. For others, however, Star Wars: Empire at War is a phenomenal game that does a remarkable job of implementing real-time strategy. In addition to being able to control starfighter movements like Tie Fighters, players can control Star Destroyers and other parts of your space fleet.
5 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
The flight mechanics of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is surprisingly fun. Completing objectives in this game is a joy. The dialogue keeps you engaged, and navigating through narrow tight spaces can be harrowing. Flying starfighters like X-Wings, TIE Fighters, Y-Wings, and TIE Bombers is a must-do for pleasure seekers.
It's worth noting that Star Wars: Rogue Squadron later released for the PC. It's available on the Steam Store (like many Star Wars games) and can be found under the name "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D."
4 Star Wars Battlefront (2015)
Dogfighting in Star Wars Battlefront (2015) is not as developed as it is in the sequel. However, plenty of people enjoyed Battlefront's starfighter battles when the servers were more active. Nowadays, most players have gravitated towards the acclaimed sequel because of its more extensive starfighter selection and more advanced dogfighting. Graphically, Battlefront's dogfighting looks beautiful. Despite EA having released space battles later than expected, Star Wars Battlefront (2015) is an immensely enjoyable Star Wars starfighter game.
3 Star Wars: TIE Fighter
Star Wars: TIE Fighter is an all-around enjoyable game for having an intriguing story that deals with the Sith. Players play the anti-hero in Star Wars: TIE Fighter. Some consider it to be one of the greatest games of all time because of its masterful space flight mechanics. It could be the best game ever to make use of a joystick accessory. Spaceships are realistically fragile, adding a new dynamic. The missions are well designed, making this one of the top Star Wars games of all time.
2 Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
Released as an exclusive for the Nintendo GameCube, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader is one of the leading Star Wars games with starfighters. As a sequel to the original Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader is mission-based star fighting at its best. The fluid mechanics of the game give it massive replay-value. Strangely, the game didn't release on more platforms, but if you have a Nintendo GameCube, try to find a copy of the game because it's worth the time and effort.
1 Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)
It hasn't been that long since Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) launched on platforms such as PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. People were confounded by the microtransactions that were present at the launch, but since then, Electronic Arts has done a great job of rectifying their mistakes.
Dogfighting in Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) is arguably the best of any Star Wars game. The graphics are gorgeous, and the game is extremely polished. Love or hate the game, most would agree that the space battles in Star Wars Battlefront (2017) are out of this world.