Hi all ! Let’s talk and analyze (that I think) the best Star Wars games made to date.Honorable Mentions:Shadows of the Empire – Not really that great of a game, but the cheat that allows you to play as an X-Wing or a TIE fighter on the final level (Skyhook) created hours of dog-fighting fun for me.
Mysteries of the Sith – Due to the great multi player fun I used to have playing most on the LAN with my buddies, the struggle of the cheap kills: Force Lightning versus Carbonite Gun, those are priceless memories.

1. Knights of the Old Republic – And of course I have to support the RPG at the top of the list, since RPGs are the supreme gaming genre. KotoR (both I and II) offered the chance to become a Jedi in the grand scheme of things. And while you’re not Kyle Katarn running along in a first-person shooter with light sabers, you’re managing your skills and developing relationships with your other characters. You have the ability to control your own destiny, to revel in the light or fall into darkness. Your light saber was more than just a killing instrument, it was customizable to your favorite color and could be altered to have different stats based on your choice of parts and crystals. But the stories are what made the game, more in the original as Revan than in the second. Playing through KotoR has left me aching for a third installment, where hopefully the producers will be able to combine a truly riveting story with the game play aspects (item creation, light saber forms, expanded Force powers) with the influence system seen in KotoR II to make a truly dominant Star Wars RPG. Where KotoR II had so much potential, the rushed production left many holes and a void where the game could have been what we’re all waiting for. That’s what KotoR III, if ever produced, has to live up to.

2. Rebellion – Most people probably never even heard of this installment, and I wouldn’t have either if my buddy Adam didn’t turn me onto it. Rebellion was mostly a strategy game where you managed several planetary systems, special characters, fleets and troops, with lots of menus and micromanagement to boot. Playing as either the Alliance or the Empire, your ultimate goal was to capture the other’s leader and capture/destroy their base of operations. But with plenty of playable special agents, from Han Solo to Darth Vader to Lando and many minor characters, you had the ability to hop around the galaxy capturing or assassinating or sabotaging or inciting riots or performing diplomacy to sway neutral systems to your cause. The grand scheme was a huge strategy game that took several hours of time to master and complete and for me is still one of the greatest strategy games out there. Then again, maybe I’m just a sucker for stats and lots of menus and management type things.

3. Rogue Squadron – Probably one of the best N64 titles I own, Rogue Squadron gave me the chance to do what only Shadows of the Empire offered – to fly a star fighter and blow stuff up. Never really enjoying the X-Wing or TIE installments on PC, Rogue Squadron put the ability to fly my favorite Alliance fighters on the console through several missions. And while at times the game was a bit more linear and objective driven than I liked, it was a great opportunity to take the skies and space and get some blasting done.

4. Jedi Outcast – Time to jump into Kyle Katarn again for some soldier/Jedi goodness. Following in the footsteps of its PC predecessors, Kyle is back in action in what turned out to be his best adventure. With the aid of better graphics and polished game play, Jedi Outcast led me through a storyline that was worthwhile, supported by tons of light saber combat. With a multi player that my buddies and a LAN enjoyed thoroughly, it supplied plenty of good times in the Star Wars universe, in my opinion being the best Jedi-action game out there.

5. Lego Star Wars – It’s a simple formula really. Star Wars = awesome and Lego = awesome. So naturally Star Wars + Lego = 2(awesome) But aside from just putting two good things together to make something great, Lego Star Wars takes the lovable films and portrays them in a humorous (sometimes satirical) light, with the power of Lego giving great opportunity to show off your Force powers and destructive ability. It’s a game that’s completely family friendly too, and I’m sure if I had children of gaming age (which hopefully I won’t for another 15-20 years), I’d want to introduce them to the title. Good for a couple hours of fun and definite laughs.