Being able to wield a lightsaber and cut down a Rancor is awesome. It makes the player truly feel like a Jedi or a Sith of their dreams. It’s why games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and The Force Unleashed are classics.

However, it is equally satisfying to feel immersed in the cockpit of an X-Wing; Flying across the skies and stars, firing lasers, and hearing the engines roar despite being in space. Whether it’s being a Rebel pilot or an Imperial, some games make piloting into an adventure. There are also some games that do it less effectively.

10 Worst: Star Wars (Atari 2600)

For every arcade game that translated well to consoles like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time, there are the poor ports. Admittedly, the Atari 2600 age was simplistic and obviously, could never live up to the arcades.

However, even for Atari 2600, the Star Wars game was just mediocre. The controls were stiff, awkwardly slow, and it just did not live up to the arcade.

9 Best: Star Wars Trilogy: Arcade

Speaking of which, the classic arcade? Still a dazzling machine to play but it is not the best Arcade game. That honor goes to Star Wars Trilogy: Arcade. Sega took what Atari did so well and dialed it up to an eleven; this results in one of the best arcade shooters ever made.

Sega enhanced the starfighter segments for all three movies to be practically perfect. They even added lightsaber gameplay for variety. The only problem is that it is difficult to get a hold of one of these Arcade games without paying a lot of money.

8 Worst: Star Wars: The Old Republic

An MMORPG with starfighter combat? That sounds like it won’t work, right? Well…it doesn’t. Granted, Star Wars: The Old Republic’s starfighter is not abysmal to play, it’s just so awkward and slow due to the MMO-style controls.

It is possible to get some enjoyment but after a few matches, any gamer will just be wishing to play something better or return to the rest of The Old Republic.

7 Best: Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)

Battlefront II may have had problems at launch but DICE followed through on ironing them out. One mode that remained solid from the start however was Starfighter Assault. Rather than just holding down two triggers to win, Battlefront II added more strategy.

Players have to lead their aim, use different ships for different objectives, and use proper abilities. It was a giant leap in the right direction for the Battlefront games and hopefully, that continues.

6 Worst: Star Wars: Battlefront (2015)

Many gamers can agree that the first reboot of Battlefront was a disappointment. It was rushed and provided very little content. One of its more disappointing aspects was the starfighter. It looks gorgeous but that’s pretty much where the positives end.

The biggest problem was that it was way too easy and slow. Everything about the starfighter combat was so simplified to the point of hurting it. The maps were lame and everything just paled in comparison to classic Battlefront games. Thankfully, the sequel fixed things.

5 Best: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

What began with the opening Hoth sequence in Shadows Of The Empire evolved into Rogue Squadron; it was a great follow up but things got even better with its sequel. Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader is a sequel done right.

Rogue Leader takes everything that made the first game so great and adds more to it. It’s more of the high-speed starfighter action that balances both difficulty and fun. Rogue Leader also boasts some of the best visuals of the GameCube/PS2 era.

4 Worst: Star Wars: Starfighter

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Star Wars: Starfighter. One would think that a game named Starfighter would get that right. Wrong: this one does nearly everything wrong.

The camera is so close up on the ships that it’s impossible to see anything. The controls are stiff and make the ship feel more like a floating tank. Finally, the graphics look terrible for being in the same era as Rogue Leader.

3 Best: Star Wars: Squadrons

X-Wing VS Tie Fighter is a perfect culmination of the classic 90s starfighter games. If only there was a remake…well, in 2020, that became a reality. Star Wars: Squadrons is to starfighter games what Jedi: Fallen Order was for lightsaber games.

Everything down to even the point and click adventure style menus is a return to form. The combat is refined, fast, and intense. This is the reboot of the X-Wing/TIE Fighter games that fans have been demanding; the different loadouts and customization options are just icing on a cake. In VR, it is a mind-blowing experience.

2 Worst: Star Wars: Rebel Assault II

Full motion video was quite the fad in the 90s. In cases like the Rebel Assault games, they were so focused on the FMV that it hurt the games. Rebel Assault is an on-rail starfighter/shooter game with controls that are so bad, they make the Atari games seem advanced.

Nothing feels like it’s in the player’s control. It’s too automated and can be beaten in less than one hour. Even the FMV and digitized sprites are not that impressive to look at.

1 Best: Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)

It was difficult choosing between Squadrons and this game. However, at the end of the day, the original Battlefront II has more variety in starfighter gameplay. There are more ships to choose from and the giant capital ship battles provide tons of variety.

Being able to get into a ship, land in an enemy cruiser, deal damage on foot, then get back into a starfighter is just too much fun. There are so many strategies and tactics used in Battlefront II that it never just feels like a shooting gallery.

NEXT: The 10 Best Star Wars Games With Lightsabers, Ranked