Star Wars was a multimedia phenomenon from before the first movie was released in 1977. The novel adaptation of the film we now call Episode IV: A New Hope was released in November 12, 1976, as Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker. The first action figures arrived on shelves in early 1978, creating the most famous and noticeable branch of Star Wars’ incredible merchandising machine.
Then, in 1982, the first Star Wars video game arrived. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was an adaptation of the 1980 movie of the same name and took players to the ice planet of Hoth on the Atari 2600 and Intellivision consoles. Intriguingly, the game was impossible to beat – just as in the film, the Empire’s AT-ATs reach their destination. Not winning is a feeling Star Wars fans had to get used to with the many video games that followed, even if that wasn’t an intended part of the gameplay.
While Star Wars lends itself to the format — immersing themselves in the galaxy is what every fan wants — the franchise video games have rarely hit the highs of the movie franchise. There are notable highlights, including the expansive role-playing game Knights of the Old Republic and the classic 1990s flight simulators X-Wing and TIE Fighter. Still, Star Wars video games are a consistently successful and popular part of the franchise. The best-selling Star Wars game of all time, 2007’s tremendously fun LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, shifted an impressive 15.57 million units worldwide.
With many games to choose from, you have an uphill task to play them all, especially as many were released on now obsolete consoles. We’ve collected together a definitive list of every Star Wars game ever released and how to play them in chronological order, as well as a list of more recent games that are not only readily available but considered canon by Disney and Lucasfilm. We’ll start with the franchise’s core — the video games based on the Star Wars movies.
Star Wars games by film
The films are the lynchpin of the Star Wars story, so it’s no surprise there are plenty of games adapting and complementing the first two trilogies. That stopped with the sequel trilogy as Star Wars video games took a more independent approach (a videogame rebellion). Here’s how to play through the adaptations of the Star Wars movies in release order.
Episode IV: A New Hope
- Star Wars (Arcade, multi-platform, 1983–88)
- Star Wars (Famicom, 1987)
- Star Wars: Attack on the Death Star (multi-platform, 1991)
- Star Wars (multi-platform, 1991–93)
- Super Star Wars (multi-platform, 1992)
- Star Wars Arcade (arcade, multi-platform, 1993)
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (multi-platform, 1982)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (multi-platform, 1985/88)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (NES then multi-platform, 1992)
- Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (SNES then multi-platform, 1993)
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle (multi-platform, 1983/84)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (arcade, multi-platform, 1984/88)
- Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (SNES then multi-platform, 1994)
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (multi-platform, 1999)
- Star Wars Episode I: Racer (multi-platform, 1999)
- Star Wars: Racer Arcade (arcade, 2000)
- Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles (multi-platform, 2000)
- Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo (multi-platform, 2000)
- Star Wars Episode I: Obi-Wan’s Adventures (Game Boy Color, 2000) – Game Boy Color
- Star Wars: Starfighter (multi-platform, 2001)
- Star Wars: Starfighter Special Edition (XBox, 2001) Star Wars: Starfighter (arcade, 2003)
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan (XBox, 2001)
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (multi-platform, 2002)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (multi-platform, 2002)
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (Game Boy Advance, 2002)
- Star Wars: The New Droid Army (Game Boy Advance, 2002)
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Surprisingly, the video game releases slowed significantly with the final movie of the prequel trilogy. Only Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was released on multiple platforms in 2005.
The canon timeline of all Star Wars Games
In April 2014, Disney wiped the slate clean across the franchise. Most non-film Star Wars content released before then was swept up and placed under the non-canonical ‘Legends’ banner. That meant a lot of video games. The chronology of the Star Wars universe revolves around the decisive Battle of Yavin — the destruction of the first Death Star was seen in Episode IV: A New Hope. Unless you’re a dedicated citizen of the Empire, events prior, including the prequel trilogy, are given a year BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin, and all events after that date, such as the sequel trilogy, are ABY.
- 32 BBY — Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace (mobile, 2014)
- 32-19 BBY — Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings (mobile, 2018)
- 32 BBY – 35 ABY — Star Wars Battlefront II (multi-platform, 2017)
- 14 BBY — Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (multi-platform, 2015)
- c. 5 BBY — Star Wars Rebels: Ghost Raid (online, 2014)
- 5 BBY — Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike (online, 2014)
- c. 5 BBY — Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions (mobile, 2015)
- c. 5 BBY— Star Wars Rebels: Chopper Chase (online, 2016)
- 4 BBY — Star Wars Rebels: Team Tactics (online, 2015)
- 3 BBY — Star Wars Rebels: Strike Missions (online, 2015)
- 2 BBY–1 BBY — Star Wars Rebels: Special Ops (online, 2016)
- c. 2–0 BBY — Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire (VR, 2017)
- c. 0 BBY — Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode I (VR, 2019)
- c. 0 BBY — Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode II (VR, 2019)
- c. 0 BBY — Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode III (VR, 2019)
- 0 BBY — Star Wars: Boots on the Ground (online, 2017)
- 0 BBY — Star Wars: Heroes Path (mobile, 2015)
- 0 BBY–5 ABY — Star Wars Battlefront (multi-platform, 2015)
- 0–4 ABY — Star Wars: Commander (mobile, 2014)
- 3 ABY — Star Wars: Yoda’s Jedi Training (online, 2016)
- c. 0 BBY — Star Wars: Squadrons (multi-platform, 2020)
- c. 4 ABY — Star Wars: Rise to Power (mobile, TBA)
- 4–5 ABY — Star Wars: Uprising (mobile, 2015)
- 5–34 ABY — Star Wars: Hunters (multi-platform, 2022)
- 34 ABY — Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay (VR, 2017)
- 34 ABY — Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge (VR, 2020)
- 34 ABY — Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Last Call (VR, 2021)
Every Star Wars game by release
Star Wars has proved to be an immensely popular video game franchise, with multiple releases almost every year since the early 1980s. The genres are diverse, including platformers, first-person shooters, real-time strategy, role-playing games, and flight simulators. Here’s the complete list of Star Wars video games released so far:
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1982)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Death Star Battle (1983)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1984)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1985)
- Star Wars (1987)
- Droids: Escape from Aaron (1988)
- Star Wars: Attack on the Death Star (1991)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1991)
- Super Star Wars (1992)
- Star Wars: X-Wing + Imperial Pursuit (expansion) + B-Wing (expansion) (1993)
- Star Wars: Rebel Assault (1993)
- Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1993)
- Star Wars Arcade (1993)
- Star Wars Chess (1993)
- Star Wars: X-Wing: Collector’s CD-ROM (1994)
- Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1994)
- Star Wars: TIE Fighter + Defender of the Empire (expansion) + Enemy of the Empire (expansion) (1994)
- The LucasArts Archives Vol. I (1995)
- The LucasArts Macintosh Archives Vol. I (1995)
- Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995)
- Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire (1995)
- The LucasArts Archives Vol. II: Star Wars Collection (1996)
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (1996)
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (1997)
- Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi (1997)
- Monopoly Star Wars (1997)
- Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter + Balance of Power (expansion) (1997)
- The LucasArts Archives Vol. III (1997)
- Star Wars: Yoda Stories (1997)
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith (1998)
- Star Wars: Rebellion (1998)
- Star Wars: DroidWorks (1998)
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (1998)
- Star Wars: X-Wing Collector Series (1998)
- The LucasArts Archives Vol. IV: Star Wars Collection II (1998)
- Star Wars Trilogy Arcade (1998)
- Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance (1999)
- Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Star Wars Episode I: Racer (1999)
- Star Wars Episode I: The Gungan Frontier (1999)
- Star Wars: Yoda’s Challenge Activity Center (1999)
- Star Wars: Pit Droids (1999)
- Star Wars: Anakin’s Speedway (2000)
- Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles (2000)
- Star Wars: Force Commander (2000)
- Star Wars: Early Learning Activity Center (2000)
- Star Wars Math: Jabba’s Game Galaxy (2000)
- Star Wars: Jar Jar’s Journey Adventure Book (2000)
- Star Wars: Demolition (2000)
- Star Wars: Episode I Obi-Wan’s Adventures (2000)
- Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (2000)
- Star Wars: Starfighter (2001)
- Star Wars: Starfighter: Special Edition (2001)
- Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing (2001)
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (2001)
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001)
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan (2001)
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (2002)
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns (2002)
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2002)
- Star Wars: Racer Revenge (2002)
- Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (2002)
- Star Wars: The New Droid Army (2002)
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (2003)
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (2003)
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike (2003)
- Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon (2003)
- Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)
- Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force (2004)
- Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed (2004)
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II —The Sith Lords (2004)
- Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game (2005)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Star Wars Galaxies: Rage of the Wookiees (2005)
- Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience (2005)
- Star Wars: Battle Above Coruscant (2005)
- Star Wars: Republic Commando: Order 66 (2005)
- Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)
- Star Wars Galaxies: Trials of Obi-Wan (2005)
- Star Wars: Battle for the Republic (2005)
- Star Wars: Empire at War (2006)
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (2006)
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption (2006)
- Star Wars: Grievous Getaway (2006)
- Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures (2006)
- Star Wars: The Best of PC compilation (2006)
- Star Wars: Lethal Alliance (2006)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (2007)
- Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (2007)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Mobile (2007)
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Gold Pack (2007)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — Lightsaber Duels (2008)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — Jedi Alliance (2008)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes (2009)
- Star Wars: Trench Run (2009)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition (2009)
- Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (2009)
- Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures (2010)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (2010)
- Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner (2010)
- LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (2011)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (2011)
- Kinect Star Wars (2012)
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Collection (2012)
- Angry Birds Star Wars (2012)
- Battle Orders (2012)
- Star Wars: Force Collection (2013)
- Star Wars Pinball (2013)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic — Rise of the Hutt Cartel (2013)
- Club Penguin Star Wars Takeover (2013)
- Angry Birds Star Wars II (2013)
- LEGO Star Wars The Yoda Chronicles (2013)
- Star Wars: Tiny Death Star (2013)
- LEGO Star Wars: Microfighters (2014)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Galactic Starfighter (2014)
- Star Wars: Assault Team (2014)
- Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace (2014)
- Star Wars Scene Maker (2014)
- Star Wars Rebels: Ghost Raid (2014)
- Star Wars: Commander (2014)
- LEGO Star Wars The New Yoda Chronicles (2014)
- Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike (2014)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Galactic Strongholds (2014)
- Star Wars: Galactic Defense (2014)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan (2014)
- Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings (2014)
- Club Penguin Star Wars Rebels Takeover (2015)
- Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions (2015)
- Star Wars: Uprising (2015)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire (2015)
- Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes (2015)
- Star Wars Battlefront (2015)
- Star Wars: Yoda’s Jedi Training (2016)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2016)
- Star Wars: Trials on Tatooine (2016)
- Star Wars Battlefront: Rogue One: X-wing VR Mission (2016)
- Star Wars Rebels: Chopper Chase (2016)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne (2016)
- Star Wars: Force Arena (2017)
- Star Wars: Puzzle Droids (2017)
- Star Wars: Rivals (2017)
- Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)
- LEGO Star Wars: Microfighters II (2017)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught (2019)
- LEGO Star Wars Battles (2019)
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)
- Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series (2019)
- Star Wars: Squadrons (2020)
- Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge (2020)
- Star Wars: Starfighter Missions (2020)
- Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Last Call (2021)
- LEGO Star Wars: Castaways (2021)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic — Legacy of the Sith (2022)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (2022)
- Star Wars: Hunters (2022)
As you’d imagine, the games don’t stop there. Coming soon to a console near you are plenty more Star Wars video games, including much-anticipated projects from Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, and Skydance.
Related: All Upcoming Star Wars Video Games on The Mary Sue