The rise of video games has gone hand in hand with the rise of Star Wars as a cultural phenomenon. From the earliest days of the Atari 2600 to the modern supercomputers occupying living rooms across the world, almost every Star Wars movie has had numerous interactive adaptions, both at time of release and retroactively. While picking the best Star Wars movie tie-in game for each is a challenge, the reward is a tour of not only Star Wars history but the legacy of licensed video games.
Of course, Star Wars games include much more than just movie adaptations. There are few genres the series hasn't touched, although the results can vary. Few would argue with the successes of Pandemic Studios' Star Wars: Battlefront titles or BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic, but fewer would defend Han Solo dancing in Kinect Star Wars. The direct film tie-ins are often more straightforward, though some of the best take particular aspects of their respective movies and turn them into full-fledged games.
While some Star Wars films have received more adaptions than others, each has one game that showcases its chapter of the saga in the best light. Going through the movies chronologically, fans can see how developers cemented Star Wars as a video game favorite throughout the years and captured the best bits of each movie for players to enjoy.
Atari's Star Wars Game Immersed Players In A New Hope's X-Wing Combat
One of the very first games based on Star Wars managed to capture the conclusion to A New Hope in a way few games have matched even decades later. Utilizing vector graphics and dogfighting gameplay, Atari's 1983 Star Wars arcade game provided players with an experience that authentically captured the feel of X-wing targeting computer combat. It hit all three of the major space battles from the first film and included a trench run that would only be topped for some time by Disney's Star Tours ride in 1987.
Empire Strikes Back Atari 2600 Formed The Foundation Of Star Wars Games
When it comes to Star Wars video games, the Atari 2600's 1982 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back came first. It transformed the epic battle on Hoth at the start of the film into an arcade shooter reminiscent of Defender. Snowspeeders continue to battle the Empire's AT-AT Walkers until the player runs out of lives, chasing a high score all the while. The Battle of Hoth would go on to be a staple of Star Wars games.
Super Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi Took Players Through The Movie
While all three Star Wars films got the Super Star Wars treatment over the course of the SNES's lifespan, Return of the Jedi's varied locales and unique set pieces benefitted most from the 1994 2D side-scrolling adaption. From taking on Jabba in his throne room to traversing the forest moon of Endor, players switch between a host of playable characters and utilize attacks both from the films and imagined by developers. The trilogy is perhaps most ed for its difficulty; limited lives and tanking through unblockable damage can make these classics frustrating for newcomers, but all three SNES games successfully brought Star Wars into the most quintessential genre of the 2D era.
Episode 1: Racer Smartly Adapted The Phantom Menace's Redeeming Scene
The strength of Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace was not in its story, so it makes sense that its best tie-in is a fantasy racing game based on one of the most widely enjoyed moments of the prequel trilogy. Not only does 1999's Star Wars Episode 1: Racer fully recreate the speed and daring of Anakin's victory in the Boonta Eve Classic, but it's also an expansive look at the sport of podracing. From the entire cast of racers to locations never seen before in any Star Wars adventure, Episode 1: Racer is jam-packed with fan service and thrilling gameplay.
The Clone Wars Continued Attack Of The Clones' Flashy Geonosis Invasion
A 2002 tie-in that continues through the end of Episode 2, Star Wars: The Clone Wars recreates the climactic battle between the Republic clones and the Trade Federation's endless supply of droids. The brief scene in the film includes a host of new vehicles and troops that take center stage in the game, which plays like a spinoff of Rogue Squadron updated for the newer movies. It was released alongside excellent tactical shooter Republic Commando and the original Star Wars: Battlefront 2, creating a pocket of clone-centric Star Wars games that many fans fondly.
The Revenge Of The Sith Game Was A Thorough & Fun Adaptation
Released on the verge of a new console generation, Episode 3's official tie-in game was the most realistic of its kinds, letting players venture through the entire film and even experience an alternate ending where Anakin comes out on top in his legendary duel with Obi-Wan. The console versions of Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith also included a multiplayer fighting game mode that let players battle with recognizable Jedi from the movie, Obi-Wan and Darth Vader as they appeared in A New Hope, and a few obscure side characters. This wasn't mechanically close to a true fighting game and didn't provide the same fluid lightsaber combat as Soul Calibur 4's playable Yoda and Darth Vader, but it was a fun distraction for fans obsessed with what was supposedly the final major Star Wars film.
Disney's Sequel Trilogy Has Seen Fewer Star Wars Video Games
In the time between Revenge of the Sith and The Force Awakens, licensed video games changed significantly. It was once common to see several games covering every aspect of a new film's contributions to the Star Wars canon, but there was now maybe only one game major release per movie, alongside mobile tie-ins and promotional cosmetics for otherwise unrelated games. Publisher EA owned the exclusive rights to console Star Wars games throughout most of this era and chose to focus its efforts on adventures outside the story of Rey, Finn, and Poe. Perhaps a developer will pick up this dropped thread at some point in the future, now that Disney is once again allowing more developers to explore the Star Wars video games.
