on Google Preferred Source Google News Link copied to clipboard By Jason Venter Published Sep 2, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT Polygon Lists They're still the ones you don't want to miss
Image: Bit Reactor, Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts Sign in to your Polygon.com account Add Us Add on Google Preferred Source Google News Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Thread 2 Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap On Aug. 27, Electronic Arts released its newest Star Wars game. Star Wars: Zero Company is one of the best reviewed games ever inspired by the series, offering a compelling blend of tactics and fandom that’s nearly impossible to resist. It’s a welcome reminder of the many other terrific Star Wars games we’ve enjoyed over the decades.
Star Wars video games date all the way back to The Empire Strikes Back on the Atari 2600 in 1982. Since then, the franchise itself has largely matured alongside the medium. Many of the earliest games are still worth revisiting now, even the ones that were victims of hardware limitations. If you’re wondering where to turn first once you complete Zero Company , here are the 12 best Star Wars games of all time.
Image: Motive Studios, Lucasfilm/Electronic Arts via Polygon Play it on: PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
People like Star Wars for different reasons, from the hero’s journey, to the beautiful planet environments and the thrilling space battles. A lot of the best Star Wars games tend to narrow their scope rather than focusing on everything at once, and Squadrons definitely prioritized at shootouts in the vast reaches of space. It dropped players in cockpits that might have featured in the original movies and let players feel like they were in the middle of an operation… especially when they had a VR headset equipped. The online component was initially another compelling reason to play, but activity levels have dropped off in the years since launch. Still, it has a lot to offer if you don’t mind a more solitary experience.
Image: Respawn Entertainment Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Respawn Entertainment has had multiple chances to do Star Wars justice, starting with this first entry in the Star Wars Jedi series. It introduces Cal Kestis, a hero living through the dark period following Revenge of the Sith . Not everyone loves the Jedi, even at the best of times. They feel a bit like the galaxy’s superheroes, and yet there’s no denying the thrill of a good lightsaber duel. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order focuses on that aspect in particular, and lets players explore interesting environments other games only allow them to glimpse from afar. It’s pretty and fun, despite performance issues at launch and some tedious backtracking.
Image: Lucasarts Play it on: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox
Following closely after Star Wars: Starfighter , which released one year prior, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter added Force abilities that proved devastating in space battles. The arsenal of weapons expanded, plus a full split-screen cooperative campaign added a new dimension to the experience. Critics at the time weren’t impressed by how much of the experience felt like the previous game, though, and the disjointed storyline couldn’t match what came before it. Even so, it served as a worthy f…