For all its thrilling lightsaber duels and exotic locales, the best part ofStar Warsfor many fans (myself included) are the space battles. Originally inspired by stories of aerial dogfights in the Second World War, the fast-paced action and iconic ships are an indelible part of Star Wars' legacy.
For decades, video games have tried, with varying degrees of success, to put players in the cockpit of starfighters from across the galaxy’s history. From recreations of the climactic battles in the films to new campaigns found only in games, they let you pilot ships the way you’ve always dreamed of.
9Outrider
Shadows Of The Empire, Galaxy Of Heroes
TheOutrideris a custom YT-2400 freighter, manufactured in the same series of Corellian light cargo ships as the Millennium Falcon. Like its more famous cousin, the Outrider was used for smuggling. Dash Rendar, the daring criminal who owned the vessel, was a fan-favorite part of the Star Wars Legends expanded universe.
Dash even got his own game in Shadows Of The Empire, which was released for Windows and the Nintendo 64 in 1996. Flying the Outrider was one of the best ways to experience Star Wars space combat to date, and is remembered fondly by fans almost thirty years later.
Since the Canon reboot, the Outrider is just another background ship visible inA New Hope, but Dash and the Outrider both appear inGalaxy Of Heroes, acknowledging their place in Star Wars lore.
8Scimitar
Lego Star Wars, Galactic Battlegrounds, Star Wars: Starfighter
TheScimitarwas Darth Maul’s personal ship, gifted to the Sith by Palpatine himself. Canonically, Maul only appears inThe Phantom Menace, but the perennial fan-favorite villain has many adventures in the Scimitar in the service of the Dark Side in the Legends timeline.
The ship made a few appearances in the 2001 releasesStarfighterandGalactic Battlegroundswhile the prequels were still hitting theaters, but other than that, the only way to fly this menacing cruiser is in theLego Star Warsgames.
7Ebon Hawk
Knights Of The Old Republic
2003’sKnights Of The Old Republicis held up as one of the best Star Wars games ever made, which is no surprise considering that it’s an RPG from the masters of the genre,Bioware. The company that brought us the first twoBaldur’s Gategames and would go on to makeDragon AgeandMass Effectmade a big splash among fans with their tale of the legendary Star Forge.
Like Mass Effect’s Normandy, the Ebon Hawk served as your base of operations. It became your home throughout the journey, making it a key part of a deeply memorable game.
6T-47 Airspeeder
Battlefront, Rogue Squadron, And Others
I know, technically the T-47 (best known as theSnowspeeder) isn’t a spacecraft. It’s designed for operating within planetary atmospheres. However, this ship’s clever deployment at the Battle of Hoth is recreated in several games, and there are few greater thrills thantaking down an AT-AT with your tow cable.
The T-47 also has the distinction of beingplayable in the very first Star Wars video game. Players piloted Snowspeeders against endless waves of AT-ATs in the 1982 Atari adaptation ofThe Empire Strikes Back. With that kind of pedigree, it certainly deserves a spot among its spacefaring brethren!
5Imperial Star Destroyer
Empire At War
One of the most recognizable ships in all of Star Wars, the Imperial Star Destroyer is a symbol of the Empire’s military might. The very first shot of A New Hope shows the warship’s massive scale compared to Princess Leia’s ship, theTantive 4.
They’re not just called Imperial Star Destroyers because of their allegiance; there are several different patterns of Star Destroyer, and the famous outline belongs to the Imperial-class vessels.
As capital ships, Star Destroyers don’t exactly fit the dogfighting gameplay of most games. However, larger scale strategy games likeRebellion(1998) andEmpire At War(2006) let you command squadrons of the big bad battleships to put the Rebellion in their place; ideally while humming the Imperial March.
4TIE Bomber
TIE Fighter, Battlefront, Star Wars Squadrons, And Others
The TIE surface assault craft, better known as the TIE Bomber,first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back. Its distinctive design makes it easy to pick out in a crowd, and when you see one coming, you have two options; shoot it down fast, or run.
TIE stands for twin ion engine, the standard propulsion drive for all fightercraft manufactured by Sienar Fleet Systems, the Empire’s primary defense contractor.
Like their equivalents in real-world aerial warfare, TIE Bombers are slower and less maneuverable than other combat craft since they need to carry heavy munitions. Escorted by TIE Fighters and Interceptors, they can lay waste to ground targets and capital ships alike with theirproton torpedoes and concussion missiles.They’re a key part of squadron strategy in games where you get to play as the Empire.
3X-Wing
Nearly Every Star Wars Game
There is perhaps no Star Wars daydream more widely shared than piloting an X-Wing down the Death Star Trench. The T-65B X-Wing Starfighter isas emblematic of Star Wars as it gets, right up there with lightsabers and Darth Vader.
Its ubiquity means that in any game where you can pilot a ship for the Alliance, chances are good you’ll be spending a lot of time locking your s-foils in attack position. Despite being older vessels than the sleek TIE Fighters used by the Empire, X-Wings are much more reliable and durable thanks to their shield systems, which basic TIEs don’t have. X-Wings are alsocapable of traveling via hyperspace, obviating the need to dock in a carrier.
2TIE Advanced
TIE Fighter, Battlefront 2, And Others
Only a handful of prototype TIE-X1 Advanced craft were ever produced, and fewer saw combat. This model is famous for beingflown by Darth Vader at the Battle of Yavin. The protagonist of 1994’sTIE Fighteris also given the opportunity to fly these sleek, fast fighters, as well as the subsequent TIE Defender.
Flying a standard TIE Fighter is kind of like being a Storm Trooper; sure, you’re fighting for the glory of the empire, but you’ll probably end up dying for the cause. The TIE Advanced is another story, thanks to itsadvanced armaments, increased speed, and, yes, a shield generator.
1Millennium Falcon
Battlefront, Squadrons, And Others
The Millennium Falcon is the most important ship in the history of the Galaxy. Not only is she the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs (whatever that means),the Falcon was present at the Battles of Yavin, Hoth, Endor, Starkiller Base, and Exegol. It’s the only vessel that can claim even half that distinction.
“She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid.”
-Han Solo
The Millennium Falcon’sspecial modificationsgrant her enhanced speed, maneuverability, and firepower, adding to the ship’s legendary status. When the Falcon is playable in a video game, you can expect to find yourself in command of one of the most powerful ships on the roster.
