Star Wars has been one of the biggest franchises in entertainment since the late 70s, with a galaxy full of complex, interwoven stories played out in the cinema, in novels, and in video games, so it's unsurprising many of the franchise's releases have made it to the Nintendo Switch. Everything from classics such as Knights of the Old Republic to new releases like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga are playable on the platform.
There are currently nine Star Wars games available on Nintendo's hybrid console, although only two of these were native Switch releases. The catalog is padded by ports of beloved Star Wars titles from the 2000s, some of which work better on the Switch than others.
9 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was originally released for sixth- and seventh-generation consoles. This Switch port is an upscale of the Wii version, and essentially amounts to a fairly simplistic, 10-hour-long hack-and-slash. While it's not a bad game, the lightsaber hack-and-slash formula has been significantly improved since 2008. The combat is overly simplistic, and each level feels like a reskinned version of the last one. The soundtrack is a highlight, but overall this is one for hardcore fans and collectors.
8 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy 
The early to mid 2000s were a period of huge output in the Star Wars galaxy, with many of the IP's most beloved games coming from this era. Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy allows players to experience the process of training to become a Jedi, and like many other Star Wars games, it offers the choice of erring towards the light side or the dark side, really nailing the allure of the latter. Sadly, the hack-and-slash combat feels clumsy and ponderous on an analog stick, the campaign is quite short, and the story is lacking. The Switch port does, however, maintain the online multiplayer mode of the original.
7 Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast 
The sequel to Jedi Academy, Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is frequently mentioned among the all-time best Star Wars games, in part for the compelling story and in part for the combination of FPS and hack-and-slash gameplay. However, this very basic port of the PC version of the game falls a little flat on the Nintendo Switch. With no auto aiming help, the controls for the early part of the game are extremely frustrating. This goes a long way to explaining why the Switch port has a Metacritic score of 64 compared to the original PC version's 89. While the early levels are a drag, the acquisition of force powers and a lightsaber improve the experience significantly.
6 Star Wars: Republic Commando 
A PC game from 2005, Republic Commando is a Clone Wars classic that offers a different perspective into the Star Wars galaxy. Eschewing lightsabers and the Force, players take control of a genetically-enhanced commando squad in a first-person tactical shooter, a genre that was enjoying a golden age in the mid-2000s. Directing the AI teammates is an engaging experience, with radio chatter giving each member a personality. Story-wise, Star Wars: Republic Commando does a great job of explaining the relevance of the clone wars in the prequel trilogy, and that alone is reason enough to play the Switch port.
5 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2 – The Sith Lords 
Originally released in 2005, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 – The Sith Lords had the unenviable task of following up the universally acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. While it was rushed out in about a year and a half with a tiny development team at Obsidian (opposed to the original game being made by BioWare), it was still a very good RPG with a solid story and well-written characters. These are the kinds of aspects that can make a game stand the test of time, despite advances in graphics and gameplay making it look and feel dated. The Switch port was fatally broken at release, although a patch has now made the game beatable. However, the promised patch to restore content cut from the original still hasn't materialized.
4 Star Wars Episode I: Racer 
At a time when local multiplayer games were all the rage, and riding on the coattails of Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, this arcade racer provided heart-pumping, ultra-high speed pod racing. Blasting around Tattooine was great fun in 1999, and it's still great fun in 2023 on this upscaled Switch port. While the game's textures are nothing impressive nowadays, and weren't really even at the time of release, the high resolution and locked 60fps make it pleasant enough to look at. Star Wars Episode I: Racer is still a solid option for arcade racing on the go.
3 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 
Generally regarded as the greatest Star Wars game of all time, Knights of the Old Republic is yet another early 2000s classic to receive a Switch port. What made this BioWare effort so great in 2003 is that it looks and feels like a love letter to the galaxy far, far away. In other words, it's a game that really understands Star Wars itself. In truth, Knights of the Old Republic does feel somewhat dated nowadays, with the era's blocky graphics and fairly simple binary moral mechanics. However, great stories don't age, and the fantastic KOTOR Switch port allows players to carry this classic RPG with them on the go.
2 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 
Ostensibly a children's game, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga manages to retell the stories of the main nine Star Wars movies without feeling tired or boring, thanks to sarcasm and slapstick humor. Players may choose whether to start at Episode 1, 4 or 7, and each movie takes roughly two hours to play through. While not a particularly difficult game, the combat requires the player to string together combos rather than merely mashing a button, so it's a good thing the lightsaber combos are quite satisfying. With highly destructible environments and a huge, quasi-open world (well, galaxy) to explore, this is a polished and enjoyable experience.
