There’s never been a better time to be a
Star Wars
fan. The franchise is in the middle of its second renaissance, with shows like Andor receiving rave reviews and the live-action Ahsoka on the horizon (Thrawn!!). But what are you supposed to do with yourself until the latest and greatest movie or show drops? How do you scratch that Star Wars itch? Simple. Install some Star Wars themed
games
on your favorite Android tablet.
1
Star Wars
Galaxy
of Heroes
Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes is a collectible RPG, so it features a healthy dose of monetization, but its gameplay is engaging enough that it’s not a chore to grind out a character you want. There are a ton of modes, from Light Side and Dark Side battles to Challenges and Events. Even though the game came out just before the release of The Force Awakens back in 2015, it’s still being updated with characters from the new Kenobi series and The Mandalorian.
2
Star Wars: KOTOR
It’s been 20 years since Knights of the Old Republic dropped on
Xbox
, and the game is still as engaging as ever. KOTOR takes place 4,000 years before any of the movies, so if you haven’t played it before, the story will feel new. Aside from building out a character and a team, you’ll eventually get to build your own lightsaber. KOTOR also has one of the greatest plot twists in video game history, so you should check it out if you’ve got the 2GB free on your phone (it’s a big game) and enjoy meaty RPGs.
3
X-Wing Flight
X-Wing Flight fills a niche in the mobile Star Wars games market that Disney hasn’t deigned to fill yet:
space
flight simulator. You can choose a number of ships from both the Rebellion and Republic eras to complete missions (kill TIE Fighters, disable Star destroyers) to purchase upgrades for your favorite ship (A-Wing!!) or unlock new ones. Definitely give this one a look if you were a fan of the old X-Wing or TIE Fighter games. But get it fast, because it lacks a blessing from the House of Mouse, it’s liable to disappear at any moment, thanks to how much the game uses familiar Star Wars themes.
4
Lego Star Wars: TCS
This game is the reason that Lego games are still relevant today. The Complete Saga combines the first two Lego Star Wars games into one epic mashup. You start off as Anakin Skywalker and Qui-gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace and continue through the first two trilogies collecting Ewoks, Storm Troopers, and Jedi to play as. If you haven’t played Lego Star Wars before, this is the one to get since it has all the content and hours of playtime to keep you busy between Zoom meetings.
5
Star Wars Pinball 7
Do you like pinball? Do you like Star Wars? If so, then Zen Studios, the king of pinball video games, has exactly the game you need. The base game comes with a table for Episode V, but there are 18 other tables available for purchase. The controls are responsive (super important in pinball games), and the table has enough challenge to keep you coming back to master it, but it’s not so overwhelming that you can’t enjoy a casual session. Play as the Light Side or the Dark Side, and if you feel lost, check out the Table Guide that walks you through the idiosyncrasies of the table.
6
Star Wars: KOTOR II
If you’re a fan of the first KOTOR game, then you almost have to follow through with the sequel. The gameplay and mechanics are basically identical to the first game, but the story has some deeper nuance. There’s a lot of game here (around 30 hours), and there’s a lot to do whether you like dialogue and exploration or just killing Sith Lords with a lightsaber. Yes, it’s a premium release, but you get the whole game with no ads, so if you’re into RPGs, this one is worth it.
7
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
This entry in the Lego Star Wars series follows the same basic formula as the previous games, with just enough extra to make it worth your time. In addition to the hundreds of characters and massive replayability, TFA adds some new mechanics to keep things interesting. The most notable is the Blaster Battles mechanic that puts you in the middle of a shoot-out, popping out from behind cover to blast a squad of Storm Troopers.
This is the way
If you’re hungry for some Star Wars action, these games will definitely whet your appetite. The KOTOR games are among the best RPGs available on Android, and the Lego Star Wars games laid the groundwork for the plethora of other Lego games on the market. But even if you haven’t been a Star Wars fan for decades, all of these games are solid enough to stand on their own, well outside the long shadow cast by the Star Wars universe.
