Before Empire at War, we had Galactic Battlegrounds. And as primitive and simple as it looks, we loved it. With tons of factions, missions, and units, you're pretty much guarenteed tons of playtime from this latest batch, and the gameplay still holds up enough for a strong session or ten. If you're looking for a Star Wars RTS fix, look no further.
X-wing Alliance is, tragically, the last game in a series of masterpieces from Totally Games and Lucasarts. Combining fluid, fast-paced space simulation gameplay with a fully-voiced story mode leading all the way to the Battle of Endor and featuring a mission creator for the first time in the series, Alliance manages to combine the best of every installment, while bringing an engaging side story and introducing turreted light transport gameplay into the mix, including the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. That's right: by the end of the game, your hands will be at the controls of the Millennium Falcon herself! If you're even remotely interested in space sims or Star Wars, pick this gem up. Good luck pilots, and may the Force be with you!
X-wing Vs. TIE Fighter and its Balance of Power expansion is perhaps the most difficult entry in the X-wing series. With more of an eye towards cooperative and competitive multiplayer than its successor, X-wing Alliance, a central storyline is somewhat sacrificed in favor of pure, unfettered gameplay. Featuring a unique balance that has only one or two glaring issues (looking at the Y-wing here), players should have a blast in cutthroat free-for-all melee tournaments and cinematic battles alike. The AI and strategy featured here is some of the best I've seen in space sims, forcing players to adapt to waves of fightercraft on multiple vectors, with each flight both running interference towards the player and pursuing their main objective. Capping it all off is some fantastic sound design, voicework, and the traditional Star Wars score. tl;dr? Buy this piece of gaming history and enjoy a real challenge.
Though it is no longer the greatest game among space sims, or even within its own series, X-wing still stands as the original perfect balance between atmosphere and gameplay. Players take on the role of a Rebel pilot, battling their way through the formative years of the Rebel Alliance, up to the Death Star battle and beyond. X-wings, A-wings, Y-wings, and later even the B-wing starfighter are all available to fly, with each vessel bringing its own variety and style of gameplay. Combat and flight in this series carries surprising smoothness and depth, with the management of your laser, shield, and engine energy adding a layer of strategy to mowing down TIE Fighters and taking on massive Star Destroyers. Beware, however - this is the only game in the series to feature permadeath in regards to your score, so watch your six out there!
Perhaps the Holy Grail of space sims from both atmospheric and gameplay standpoints, TIE Fighter still remains one of the finest games in the genre 20 years after its release. Working your way up the ranks of the Empire, quashing Rebels and Imperial coups from the cockpits of the Empire's greatest starfighters is made a perfect experience via an iMuse score that shifts instantly with the tone of the battle. With dozens of missions and plenty of Imperial secrets to pursue, TIE Fighter should keep any player going for tens of hours. It's smooth, it's engaging, and it's perhaps the best Star Wars game out there. Pick it up, for the glory of the Empire!
