A long time ago, in this exact galaxy, the Atari 2600 took a burgeoning cinematic universe to the nascent video game medium for the very first time. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back's first-act stunner, the snow-laden Battle of Hoth, came home to the whole family — provided that family could afford a luxurious new Atari 2600, with its adjusted-for-inflation price tag of over $850.
For over four decades and counting, George Lucas' bestselling saga of laser swords and walking carpets has spawned dozens more games ranging from shooters to RPGs, action-adventures to LEGO collaborations, a fine pair of MMOs, and more. But there's so much untapped potential. Fans have yearned for fresh takes and stellar sequels alike; furthermore, there are entire genres that publishing partners have ignored too long and to their peril.
Thank goodness for TheGamer. We are the spark that will light the fire that'll burn these games into EA's memory. We'll enthrall Microsoft, enrapture Ubisoft, and likely enrage at least a few of you along the way. Let the past die — here are certifiable hit Star Wars games for the future.
6 Star Wars: GO Home
The world is not as it once was. It can be a dangerous place. It still harbors many wonders, which is why it's OK for us to let our children outside to play — for a reasonable length of time. Some of their favorite activities include Niantic's perennially popular Pokemon GO, an augmented reality mobile game which presents players with the opportunity to virtually "catch" Pokemon they encounter on their smartphone screens whilst out and about away from home.
Pokemon has not shied away from collaborations in the past. There's literally a one-of-a-kind trading card out there for Post Malone. And Star Wars? Is there a product on earth that hasn't seen Darth Vader's helmet on it at one point or another?
When it's time for the kids to come home, Pokemon GO transforms into Star Wars: GO Home. From thereon out, every single critter they would have found has its head replaced with that of angry Luke Skywalker as seen in the movie that united every Star Wars fan in perfect harmony: The Last Jedi. Children can't catch Angry Luke. If they try, he reveals it was never really him in the first place, vanishing before their eyes like the cosmic trickster he is... until they find him again. Or rather, until he finds them.
Just come home already, younglings. It's time for dinner.
5 Star Wars: Sebulba
Star Wars is a redemption story. Boba Fett has his own TV show for it. Palpatine got The Rise of Skywalker, which was bad enough that I kind of wish he had won just to subvert expectations. Most famously of all, Darth Vader tossed Palpatine into the Death Star reactor core, killing him until he suddenly wasn't dead after all.
The franchise has ignored its most memorable villain for too long. In The Phantom Menace, Sebulba was rotten to the core. He was willing to kill a ten-year-old and laugh about it. Yet even so, we saw a glimmer of hope when he kicked Jar Jar Binks into the sand. Ever since that day, Sebulba has been hands down the most popular character in mass media.
Why not capitalize on that? Consider the following. If Sebulba had disguised himself as a youngling during Order 66, he could have slain Anakin for real this time. It wouldn't have been an antagonistic act. It could have saved the galaxy. Give us a chance to bludgeon brainwashed Clone Troopers in the face with what are surely the most powerful feet in the canon. Save the Jedi on every world before the Sith's revenge comes to pass.
Map each face button on your controller to the same move as you kick, kick, kick, and even kick them all dead. Be the hero Star Wars deserves.
4 Star Wars: Lando Calrissian's Love Boat
Everyone was sad when news broke that Solo: A Star Wars Story's poor box office performance put the brakes on any further adventures with Alden Ehrenreich. Literally every person wanted this, even though most of them did not see the film in theaters. But the real star of the flick was, of course, Donald Glover's take on Lando Calrissian.
A video game is the best alternative avenue for more of 2018's magnum opus, and a dating sim is the prime candidate for success. Lando's used a taxation loophole to reacquire his beloved Millennium Falcon — and Han's not happy about it. Together with Chewbacca, Lobot, and even an abruptly reformed Qi'ra, Lando ends his smuggling days and transforms the fastest ship in the galaxy into a place where magical things can happen.
Gameplay consists of three phases. The visual novel segments introduce each of the four eligible bachelors and singular bachelorette after the player character wins an all-credits-paid cruise trip aboard the love boat. Every so often, players must make vital, far-reaching decisions like whether to spend an evening patrolling the Falcon's only corridor with Lobot or helping Chewbacca choose a dress. The third phase is fishing. Even though you're aboard a starship. In space. Because every game needs fishing.
There are over ten unique endings. Five involve marrying a crew member. The rest are fatal.
3 Kinect Star Wars 2: Electric Gunganoo
Everyone knows Kinect Star Wars was a rip-roaring success. Kinect wouldn't be where it is today without it. The game that saved the game industry, took humanity by storm, and made the term 'Galactic Dance-Off' a permanent part of our cultural lexicon never received a proper sequel because we can't have nice things.
If things had been different, we could have seen an epic expansion of what would doubtless be dubbed the Kinect Star Wars Dancematic Universe. Then, and only then, could a dream like Kinect Star Wars 2: Electric Gunganoo come true.
Electric Gunganoo makes no modifications to the core Kinect Star Wars experience. Perfection cannot be perfected upon. Instead, it replaces every character with a Gungan. Lightsaber combat remains as-is, except with Gungans. Padawans are now baby Gungans, because Baby Yoda is successful, so this will be lightning in a bottle all over again. The spotlight song is 'I'm Boss Nass-ty', written and recorded by real-life Gungans.
2 The Legend Of Star Wars: Breath Of The Ewok
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild changed the gaming scene forever. And the preceding sentence wasn't even a lie, which makes it an exceptional statement within the context of this article.
Star Wars is no stranger to trend-chasing. Lucasfilm tried an annual movie approach because of Kevin Feige. More famously, George Lucas was inspired by older films like Seven Samurai, again because of Kevin Feige. What better way to ring in the next generation of Star Wars on PC and home consoles than with Breath of the Ewok, an open-world critical and commercial darling that pilfers Nintendo's engine, assets, and gameplay mechanics but replaces Link with Wicket?
Instead of scattered towns, you'll explore Ewok villages. Instead of shrines, Wicket's wit is tested with trapping exercises and the fine art of stone-throwing. Instead of Ganondorf's Blight cursing Hyrule, it's a Gorax's raids terrifying Endor.
I can tell you remain unconvinced. That's okay. Big publishers like money. Gamers love live service games. With the seasonal Ewok Pass, you can customize the huts in those Ewok villages with one of four shades of paint ranging from Common to Legendary. The top players each quarter will qualify to turn Wicket's scarf yellow. You can even spend real money to purchase instant level-ups, allowing you to abuse the system and nab that yellow scarf with ease.
1 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 4
Just kidding. No one wants that.