The Pithy Compendium of Star Wars Games

lorax · Post by **lorax** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:05 pm

With the release of Star Wars:Revenge of the Sith, the last movie in a double trilogy, there has been added interest in all things Star Wars. One way to satisfy this interest is to find a game set within the universe of droids and Jedi. Below is the pithy list of top Star Wars games for the PC. Since Star Wars is not comparable to other movies, but rather a genre of art all its own, methinks newer games may reflect the richness of visuals required by the Star Wars universe.

From the list below, the top games are Jedi Outcast, Academy, and Knights of the Old Republic. No wiser is this saying by Master Yoda: Let the force be your guide!

Action: Dark Forces (gamerankings.com score: 77)
Jedi Knight 2 (with expansion MotS; 90/78)
Jedi Outcast (86)
Jedi Academy (81)
LEGO Star Wars (3rd person; 81)
Republic Commando (squad-based; 79)
Battlefront (BF1942 style; 75)

Simulations: X-Wing Collector’s Edition (91)
Tie Fighter Collector’s Edition (88)
X-Wing vs Tie Fighter (78)
X-Wing Alliance (87)

cRPG: Knights of the Old Republic (94)
Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (87)

Online cRPG: Galaxies (with expansion; 75/76)

RTS: Galactic Battlegrounds (with expansion; 77/73)
Force Commander (57)

Vinda-Lou · Post by **Vinda-Lou** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:38 pm

I voted for Dark Forces Jedi Knight. I can still go back and replay it - dated graphics or not. The only downside to this game was the title. So was Outcast really called Dark Forces III, Jedi Knight II: Outcast? Anyway, this was the best of the bunch.

Still, this poll is defective: Where was Yoda's Desktop Adventures?

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:57 pm

Star Wars Rebellion!

Pickle please.

WPD · Post by **WPD** » Mon May 23, 2005 7:30 pm

The only Star Wars game I've ever played for a long period of time was Rebellion and that was because my older brother really got into to it so I did too.

CeeKay · Post by **CeeKay** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:32 pm

Orpheo · Post by **Orpheo** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:50 pm

YOU ARE EXTREMELY UN-PITHY! THE OPPOSITE OF PITHY ARE YOU! STOP USING THAT WORD, I DO NOT THINK IT MEANS WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS!

warning · Post by **warning** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:58 pm

Suitably Ironic Moniker · Mon May 23, 2005 11:06 pm

warning wrote:

Okay, that's just freaky.

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Tue May 24, 2005 12:00 am

Tie Fighter is one of my all-time favorite games, so it easily gets my voite 8)

Cylus Maxii · Post by **Cylus Maxii** » Tue May 24, 2005 12:13 am

Pod Racer rocked

Napoleon · Post by **Napoleon** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:09 am

There's no competition. X-wing and Tie Fighter were so incredibly awesome. Tie Fighter was the better one though.

JayG · Post by **JayG** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:18 am

Got to be Tie Fighter. I would love a modern day version, but I doubt that's possible with modern day Lucusarts.

RookieCAF · Post by **RookieCAF** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:03 am

The X-Wing and Tie Fighter W9x versions 4TW.

Not to say Outcast and Racer aren't kickass...

DireAussie · Post by **DireAussie** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:26 am

Got to be Tie Fighter. I would love a modern day version, but I doubt that's possible with modern day Lucusarts

Depends if 3rd party publishers/developers are willing to pay George for the licence and whether they're any good.

Tie Fighter would be the best game out of the bunch. I also enjoyed the dark forces/jedi knight series and KOTOR. They all captured the Star Wars feel (interesting how computer games can do this and yet George's episode 1 & 2 cannot).

killbot737 · Post by **killbot737** » Tue May 24, 2005 9:22 am

Yoda Stories forever!

Kev199 · Post by **Kev199** » Tue May 24, 2005 12:13 pm

I loved Yoda Stories for Gameboy Color and I loved Rebellion. I guess I like anything with the Star Wars logo next to it.

Rincewind · Post by **Rincewind** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:06 pm

Orpheo wrote:YOU ARE EXTREMELY UN-PITHY! THE OPPOSITE OF PITHY ARE YOU! STOP USING THAT WORD, I DO NOT THINK IT MEANS WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS!

Word.

killbot737 · Post by **killbot737** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:12 pm

pith
Related: Botany

in botany, core of the stem of most plants. Pith is composed of large, loosely packed food-storage cells. As the stem grows older the pith usually dries out, and in some it disintegrates and the stem becomes hollow. In trees the pith becomes much reduced as the woody tissue (xylem) grows. In East Asia, rice paper is made from the pith of some shrubs. Candlewicks are made of the pith of certain rushes.

Two Sheds · Post by **Two Sheds** » Wed May 25, 2005 10:41 am

Still, this poll is defective: Where was Yoda's Desktop Adventures?

As long as the poll isn't defunct . . .

And my favorite is Jedi Outcast.

Vinda-Lou · Post by **Vinda-Lou** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:25 am

I never have played Tie Fighter, but I dabbled a bit in X-Wing. Why is Tie Fighter the better game? Because of the different perspective, or better game mechanics? I think I might have this buried somewhere, so I'm curious why it is so great.

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:44 am

It was basically the same as X-wing, but upgraded a bit with better graphics and a few more options. If you liked one, you'd like the other. For me at least, the different perspective didn't make me like it any more or less.

SuperHiro · Post by **SuperHiro** » Wed May 25, 2005 1:51 pm

I voted for Outcast because it was a great tonic to the prequel garbage at the time. But the mp sucked.

lorax · Post by **lorax** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:39 pm

Tie Fighter wins.

Ponder this: what does this mean for the future of Star Wars gaming? Since the most popular game in the Star Wars universe is now defunct. On sale nowhere.

Not even on the manufacturer’s web site. Look to Knights of the Old Republic or Jedi Outcast to satisfy your gaming needs.

LET THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed May 25, 2005 6:21 pm

lorax wrote:Tie Fighter wins.

Ponder this: what does this mean for the future of Star Wars gaming?

Nothing? (Actually, it did have a meaning, but that meaning is now defunct. )

Since the most popular game in the Star Wars universe is now defunct. On sale nowhere.

Welcome to nowhere

Better order quick, though. Those two hundred and fifty two copies might be gone any day now.

Sterling · Post by **Sterling** » Fri May 27, 2005 10:59 am

Vinda-Lou wrote:I never have played Tie Fighter, but I dabbled a bit in X-Wing. Why is Tie Fighter the better game? Because of the different perspective, or better game mechanics? I think I might have this buried somewhere, so I'm curious why it is so great.

It also had some optional missions and mission objectives, making the campaign a bit more dynamic. You could actually work for the emperor directly as an internal spy.

Peacedog · Post by **Peacedog** » Fri May 27, 2005 11:02 am

Tie-Fighter added some important interface options, so I am told (never got to play X-Wing). Like the match speed of enemy key. Of course, Descent Freespace took that to the next level, and did a damn fine job of it.

Tie Fighter rocked. The extra objectives really add alot to the game, and it allowed you to cheat in 2 ways - infinite ammo (for ordinace) and invincibility. I beat the game a number of times without cheating, but on my first playtrhough I got stuck on several missions (ditto on the expansion packs). I always put alot into a mission I couldn't beat, but after a certain number of attempts I'd get frustrated. One or the other allowed me to keep moving forward, which I loved (anmd the ordinacne cheat isn't as uber as it sounds, depending on the scenario). I didn't use them often, but I relished them being present. *hint to future game designers*

docvego · Post by **docvego** » Fri May 27, 2005 11:05 am

TIE fighter had Thrawn.

Greggy_D · Post by **Greggy_D** » Fri May 27, 2005 1:07 pm

Tie Fighter had the most amazing DYNAMIC midi music ever. Something that just can't be accomplished with wav or mp3 in-game music.

Thunderspark · Post by **Thunderspark** » Fri May 27, 2005 2:00 pm

Both games were great, but I guess I'm one of the few who liked Xwing more. Perhaps a lot of it is because it was the first simulated experience of being in an xwing and being able to fly some of those missions seen in the movies. One aspect I really liked was being able to assign pilots of your own(that you train up) as your wingmen. This was unfortunately removed in later versions of the game. The one thing about xwing was that it was extremely difficult. I had to use the guide to finally beat it. It was necessary to know where all the ships were coming in and who needed to be protected, etc. Tie fighter helped with this by implementing a very nice mission objective screen(detailing which objectives(with ships identified) needed to be done and which you have done and haven't done yet).

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Fri May 27, 2005 2:31 pm

X-Wing still warms my heart as I spent many hours flying missions for the Rebellion. The campaign was great and seemed like it would go on forever. I remember my crappy PC for the time could barely handle the final trench run but some how I made it through and blew up the death star!! What a great feeling.

One aspect I really liked was being able to assign pilots of your own(that you train up) as your wingmen.

I used to do this too and a few times I would steal a friends fighter pilot (god I loved the pictures) and then get him killed in a mission and your friend would lose all his progess. Funny system but still awesome in it's way. For a kid who grew up in the 70s and dreaming of piloting an X-Wing it was the ultimate to actually do it.

Tie Fighter took everything that made X-Wing great and the made it 10 times better. I have to say one of the greatest opening cut scenes for a game was Tie Fighter. I actually remember applauding when it was over and the Tie Fighter Logo exploded on the screen.

Octopus Overlords

The Pithy Compendium of Star Wars Games

Which is the best Star Wars game?

The Pithy Compendium of Star Wars Games