Top 10 HARDEST Star Wars Video Games

Easily one of the coolest arcade flight games, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II - Rogue Leader, apart from being a mouthful to say, is equal parts brilliant and challenging. Getting to take part in the epic space battles in and around the series’ unique locations will surely test your mettle with the likes of the Battle of Hoth or the Raid on Bespin. Being able to step into the cockpit of some of the most famous Star Wars spacecrafts feels immersive and fun, at least once you have grasped the controls. Heck, you can even fly the Millenium Falcon in a bonus mission which is still impressive today.

A Star Wars first-person shooter that plays and feels like the OG Doom or Wolfenstein 3D? Yes please. The fact that way back in 1995 players could step into the shoes of Kyle Katarn, a Rebel Alliance mercenary, was nothing short of spectacular. From blasting away storm troopers to lobbing grenades to solving confounding puzzles, Dark Forces had something for everyone; plus, even being able to aim up and down. While it may not have aged all that well and while it was a very punishing game, the sheer enjoyment of hopping between dazzling Star Wars locales was quite the treat, especially with that banging soundtrack.

It’s a shame that pod racing hasn’t made a resurgence in gaming since the blistering speeds of these spacecrafts is quite something to behold, well, that is if you can even get ahold of them. Star Wars: Episode I - Racer is a gem of a game, but one that comes with a massive caveat, especially on the Nintendo 64: controlling this barreling speedster is downright punishing at times. Keeping your speed in check while ensuring the engines don’t overheat as you careen around corners and traverse deserts, snowy tundras, and other sci-fi locales from the Star Wars universe is frenetic fun but isn’t always the easiest to enjoy.

EA did right by Star Wars fans when they released Star Wars Squadrons in 2020. As long as you aren’t prone to motion sickness, this flight sim meets arcade shooter is intense, immersive, and fun. Oh, and also quite difficult given the in cockpit view where keeping on course isn’t always the simplest of tasks. However, getting to step into ships such as Tie Fighters, X-Wings, Tie Defenders, U-Wings, and so many more provides for a thrilling intergalactic time. Interestingly, Squadrons is a class-based game where players can opt to be either the side of the New Republic or the Empire. From diverse missions to kinetic space combat to ship customization, Squadrons is a challenging treat for fans of Star Wars.

While this game has aged about as gracefully as a walrus on a tightrope, there’s no doubt about the appeal of being able to constantly swap up gameplay from space fights to third-person shooter sections to speed races, and more. Sure, the game looks like a warped piece of modern art now-a-days, but back then on the N64, it was quite marvelous. Getting to run about a host of Star Wars locales as Dash Rendar (coolest name ever) is pretty thrilling even if there’s no good way of knowing where to go, at least in the on-foot sections. Still, blasting away enemies, attempting to platform, and destroying space ships was and still is good ol’ fashioned fun.

Ah yes, the cliche adage of the Dark Souls version of a game…well, that’s true here with Jedi Fallen Order, although it’s not quite as challenging of a game as the Soulsborne ones are. But, that doesn’t mean you are in for an easy time, far from it. As you step into the role of Cal Kestis, you must fight back against the oppressive Galactic Empire. While the game has become synonymous with difficult third-person action gameplay, there’s also plenty of exploration, puzzle solving, and even platforming tidbits to contend with. The experience as a whole is wholeheartedly enjoyable, even for non Star Wars fans.

Jedi Power Battles for the PlayStation 1 is simply a slog, hampered by unrefined controls, poor platforming, and less-than-thrilling lightsaber battles. For the time, it was at least fun to enjoy playing as a multitude of Jedis such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu. Seeing them on screen was certainly a treat but this game was just challenging to play, and not for the right reasons. There is a story that sort of involves parts of The Phantom Menace, but it does take many of its own liberties in an attempt to craft something special. The ability to use lightsabers, force powers, and ranged attacks was unique but nothing really stood out beyond that.

Combined first and third-person action adventure games seemed to be all the rage in the late 90s and early 2000s, with Jedi Outcast being one such game. Swapping between your E-11 Blaster and lightsaber on the fly helped many of us live out our Jedi power fantasies, but the iffy platforming and running/parkour sections didn’t help. Despite the game's many setbacks, it provided a mostly compelling Star Wars experience where players journey ahead with Kyle Katarn after he opted not to keep The Force. Even though many of the enemy encounters were tough, the game kept you progressing, finding new weapons, and meeting new characters to interact with.

Often revered as one of the very best Star Wars video games, Knights of the Old Republic is a deep, extensive, and strategic role-playing game from veteran developer, BioWare. What makes this game so difficult is that there are a lot, and I mean a lot, of moving parts to keep in mind at any given time; from the nuanced action turn-based battles, party management, dialogue choices, large explorable areas, equipment, and more. There is a sort of impenetrable nature to this game that simply isn’t appealing to everyone. However, for those that put in the time, KOTOR offers a rich, comprehensive, and spectacular narrative RPG for the ages.

It should probably come as no surprise that the hardest Star Wars video games are a Super Nintendo Trilogy comprised of Super Star Wars, Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. These punishing 2d action platformers are akin to the likes of Contra, Castlevania, Mega Man, and even Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. Spanning the years of 1992 to 1994, each of these titles features challenging platforming, sneaky enemy encounters, and brutal boss battles. Throughout the course of the games, players can become the likes of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and even Chewbacca. For the retro fans out there or for those looking for a Star Wars-infused challenge, look no further than the Super Star Wars Trilogy.