Way back in 2015, I decided to create my Top 10 Star Wars board games list. While there were some solid offerings on that list, it also had to contain just a bit of filler titles as the amount of new Star Wars board games was pretty thin. Since then, there have thankfully been quite a few new board games released for gamers who want to experience a galaxy far, far away on their tabletops. So I figured it was time to give the list an update. While some of the original titles still have spots on this list, we have a nice offering of new games for you to check out. On to the list!
Top 10 Star Wars Board Games
10. Star Wars: Epic Duels
Star Wars: Epic Duels is just what it sounds like. A host of Star Wars characters fighting battles against each other. You can pit Emperor Palpatine and his royal guards in a death match against Darth Maul and two battle droids. All told there were 12 major characters each accompanied by 1-2 minor sidekicks. Unfortunately, this game has long since gone out of print, so finding a new copy is a tough order. While it has been reimplemented with the Unmatched system from Restoration Games, if you want your Star Wars dueling fix in, this is still your best option.
2-6 Players • Ages 10+ • 30 minutes • Out of Print
9. Star Wars: Destiny (review)
This was a collectible dice game that has since seen the end of its lifespan. In Star Wars: Destiny, you built a deck of cards and dice and battled an opponent in a Magic: The Gathering style duel. I actually thought the game was pretty good, but my interest in it died pretty quickly as I’m not a fan of anything with random booster packs. This was especially true after my first three booster packs all contained duplicates of cards from the starter set as my rare card. Still, if you can find a bulk of cards and dice on the secondary market for a good price, it’s actually a really fun game.
2 Players • Ages 10+ • 30 minutes • $13
8. Carcassonne: Star Wars
For those in the USA, you have to head overseas to get ahold of this Carcassone offshoot… or at least your favorite EU webstore. More than a simple retheme, Stars Wars: Carcassone will have you creating asteroid fields, hyperplane routes, and even a few meeple duels can happen. It’s a nice reimplantation of the Carcassonne formula that throws in some new features and rules to help gamers feel like they are getting something new. Is it the most thematic game? Probably not, but it’s still one of my favorite Carcassone offshoots.
2-5 Players • Ages 7+ • 30 minutes • $50
7. Star Wars: X-wing Miniatures Game (review)
X-wing has been around for 8 years now and seen more ships released than I can count. A couple of years ago Fantasy Flight Games even put out a second edition of the game with updated rules and ships. If you enjoy ship-to-ship dogfighting, it’s hard to find a better option than Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures as the rules are really easy to jump into and there is no shortage of Stars Wars-themed ships to control.
2 Players • Ages 12+ • 60 minutes • $35
6. Star Wars: Armada
If X-Wing is about dogfighting, Armada takes a more macro approach to space combat in the form of this strategic game. Players control the big capital ships from Star Wars including Star Destroyers and Calamari Cruisers. These massive ships don’t exactly stop on a dime, so players will need to plan out actions a few turns in advance. Players also won’t just be controlling capital ships, as they’ll have a host of fighter screens to defend their ships and attack their opponent. And with the upcoming clone wars ships about to enter the fray, players will have plenty of options to build their fleets.
2 Players • Ages 12+ • 120 minutes • $75
5. Star Wars: Legion
We’ve seen a few options for tactical space battles, but Star Wars: Legion now lets you get boots on the ground. In this skirmish game, players will control an army of Imperials, Rebels, Clone Troopers, or Separatists. While not the most simple of rulesets, Star Wars: Legion goes a long way to keeping the game both fun and accessible… especially for a skirmish game. Star Wars: Legion makes a great entry into the skirmish genre and players will be controlling squads of stormtroopers up to famous heroes such as Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. There are even official terrain packs sold to make the battlefield more interesting—or you can print your own if you are lucky enough to own a 3d printer.
2 Players • Ages 12+ • 60-120 minutes • $75
4. Star Wars: Outer Rim
Outer Rim is an open-world game where players can take a few different paths to victory. You can be an honest trader, a sneaky smuggler, or even a bounty hunter as you zip around the outer rim, completing missions, and upgrading your ship/crew. I love how free Star Wars Outer Rim feels as you can really make your mark however you see fit. The only reason it’s not higher in the list is, in standard Fantasy Flight Games style, it really needs an expansion to add some variety to the somewhat thin decks in the game.
1-4 Players • Ages 10+ • 120-180 minutes • $50
3. Star Wars: Queens Gambit (review)
While Star Wars: Episode 1 may not have been the best movie in the series, it did spawn one of my favorite Star Wars games. Star Wars: The Queen’s Gambit is an asymmetrical dice chucker that seeks to replicate the climax from The Phantom Menace. While the game isn’t perfect (the Anakin mechanic kind of sucks), everything else about the game is great. It’s got tons of miniatures to fight with, a 3d palace, and a fun card-based action system. This is a game that I’m always willing to pull off the shelf and play.
2 Players • Ages 12+ • 120 minutes • Out of Print
2. Star Wars: Rebellion
Probably the deepest and most epic game on the list, Star Wars: Rebellion is a game of cat and mouse where one player takes command of the Imperial forces trying to hunt down the hidden rebel base. The other player must try and hold out against the overwhelming might of the Imperials to sway enough planets in the galaxy to their side. You’ll be commanding space fleets, ground troops, and heroes in this amazing game of galactic conflict. I love how different each of the two sides feels, and if I’ve got the time to play it, almost nothing recreates the Star Wars experience like Star Wars: Rebellion
2-4 Players • Ages 12+ • 180-240 minutes • $75
1. Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Coming in at the top spot once again is Star Wars: Imperial Assault. This game can be played either 1 vs Many, or fully cooperative with the free app. Imperial Assault is a campaign-style game that has players controlling new characters in the rebellion as they embark on a series of missions that take them throughout the Star Wars universe. The game is thematic, fun to play, and has a ton of expansions already released. And if you are looking for more than just a campaign game, all the characters can also be used in a 1v1 skirmish mode for some quick battles. Between its thematic nature, variety of play styles, and overall excellent mechanics and production values, it’s hard to be Star Wars: Imperial assault for recreating a galaxy far, far away on your tabletop.
2-5 Players • Ages 12+ • 90 minutes • $75
Wow you actually put Carcassonne: Star Wars on your list. I’m impressed. That’s the only Star Wars game I own! But I have played Queen’s Gambit and I really liked it! May the Force be whatever…
You need more star wars games in your life!
Great list! I usually see Rebellion at the top. Glad especially to see Epic Duels on it.
So Carcassone made the list but the excellent Star Wars Card Game by Eric Lang didn’t…
Imperial Assault is a great star war themed board game, but it takes a very long time to play.