Star Wars Games That Are Better Than The Sequels

Disney’s handling of the Star Wars franchise remains one of the hottest topics in the entire entertainment medium, but it’s hard to argue that there hasn’t been a Star Wars movie in the last 20 years to compare to the original films written by George Lucas. Disney-era sequels are especially notable for how divisive they are among fans. Made by different directors and without any cohesive vision, they resulted in a hot mess without clear direction. As a result, many Star Wars fans never really accepted the sequels as canon for themselves, looking at them more as fan fiction rather than an essential part of the Star Wars universe.

For those who dislike everything Disney (well, maybe aside from some rare exceptions like Rogue One and Andor), some games are much more faithful to Lucas’ vision. They either offer a more acceptable continuation of the story after Return of the Jedi or add to the events (and characters) between the original movies, with rather great results. In short, the games below handled the Star Wars universe better than the sequels and are well worth discovering or replaying today. Keep in mind that this list isn’t about the best Star Wars games ever, but rather the ones that offer the most connections to the original trilogy for the fans, from setting and characters to key events and themes.

For this list, I’ll focus on games that either continue the story or revolve closely around the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, excluding anything involving the sequels, such as Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga or Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Also, as usual, one game per series is included.

Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy

Direct Continuation of the Original Star Wars Trilogy

Star Wars: Jedi Knight might need a bit of an introduction today, but back in the early 2000s, it represented some of the most popular and beloved SW titles for playing as a Jedi, offering smooth and spectacular lightsaber combat. The series serves as a direct continuation of the original trilogy, where Luke Skywalker becomes the master of a new Jedi academy, training a new generation of padawans to restore the Jedi Order. It feels even more faithful to the source material than the sequels.

While the first two entries feature playable Kyle Katarn, in Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy, players take the role of a new custom character, with Katarn appearing as their teacher. Jedi Academy offers numerous worlds to explore as players fight Dark Jedi and Imperial remnants to secure the stability of the New Republic. In addition, the game even offers a branching story, allowing players to make a choice at one point between the Light and Dark sides, with unique final missions and endings. The most notable part, of course, is the combat, as even over two decades later, Jedi Academy is easily among the best Star Wars games for lightsaber duels.

Star Wars: Squadrons

The Best Way to Become a Pilot in the Post-Endor Period

If players are more interested in becoming pilots rather than Jedi, Star Wars: Squadrons is among the best modern offerings available, especially given how often the game is offered at massive discounts by EA. Created as a branch from Battlefront 2 and fully revolving around spaceship battles, Squadrons features excellent visuals and sounds while immersing players in the familiar setting with a detailed and authentic take on the universe, with no connections to the sequels whatsoever.

Squadrons features both a single-player campaign and multiplayer dogfighting, alternating between New Republic and Imperial perspectives for experiencing both sides of the conflict — and piloting various iconic starships like the X-Wing and TIE Fighter. The main story is set shortly after the Battle of Endor, making Star Wars: Squadrons one of the only full-canon games set entirely after the original trilogy. Even if the story isn’t the biggest strength of the package, Squadrons is worth it for the excellent and authentic piloting aspect alone.

Star Wars: Empire at War

Command Large-Scale Armies Throughout the Original Trilogy Timeline

Given that no new Star Wars strategy games are on the horizon for now, despite its age, Star Wars: Empire at War remains one of the best offerings for fans of the genre that you can easily get and enjoy today. Empire at War lets players experience truly large-scale space and ground tactical battles all across the galaxy during the Galactic Civil War, tying the game closely to the original trilogy and directly leading up to the events of A New Hope.

In Star Wars: Empire at War, two separate story campaigns are available, letting players command either the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance. In addition to the story, one of the most beloved features is Empire at War’s highly replayable Galactic Conquest mode, which gives players the freedom to continue their story throughout the original trilogy timeline, including the post-Endor period. In this mode, players can manage the entire galaxy, control planets for resources and strategic bonuses, build their fleets and armies, and fight on iconic Star Wars worlds like Tatooine, Hoth, or Endor.

Star Wars Outlaws

Criminal Underworld of the Trilogy Era at Its Finest

The first true open-world Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws, ended up quite divisive among players. It was released amid Ubisoft’s already-troubled era in an apparent rush. However, as the devs have ironed out almost every technical issue and expanded the adventure with new chapters, Star Wars Outlaws might be worth revisiting in its fullest and best package yet. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the game focuses on the criminal underworld rather than typical Jedi-centered adventures. It features familiar events and characters that make sense for its outlaw angle, such as Jabba the Hutt, Lando Calrissian, and Boba Fett.

Of course, Star Wars Outlaws’ biggest selling point isn’t its pretty standard story, but rather the game’s gorgeous worlds like Toshara, Kijimi, Akiva, and Tatooine. These are brought to life with admirable scope and the most stunning details among all Star Wars games to date. Fans who really want to immerse themselves in the galaxy far, far away will struggle to find a better game than Outlaws in that regard.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Missing Story Link Before the Original Trilogy That Feels Essential

For strict fans of the original trilogy, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a borderline case. It essentially serves as a prequel to the trilogy’s events, filling in the gaps after Order 66. Nevertheless, the game offers one of the best takes on this tie-in period yet, so even die-hard fans probably won’t be disappointed. Playing as young padawan Cal Kestis, who is only just starting his fight against the Empire while still discovering his own path toward becoming a true Jedi, players are in for a sprawling cinematic journey across the galaxy, featuring cameos like Tarfful and Darth Vader himself.

What’s best about Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the feeling of a grand Star Wars adventure. This comes thanks to the event-packed campaign and numerous memorable worlds, coupled with great lightsaber combat and strong platforming-based exploration. Everything that captures the feeling of the Star Wars universe in that period is brought to life faithfully and admirably, from starships and distant worlds to enemies, as players face stormtroopers, inquisitors, and menacing bosses to test their skills.