Opinion: The 'X-Wing Space Combat Flight Simulator' Was The Best 'Star Wars' Video Game Ever
Most of the time, when people discuss the best Star Wars video games, the most recent games are mentioned. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order or Star Wars Battlefront II, and even some slightly older ones like Knights of the Old Republic, or The Force Unleashed, and brand new ones like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. Don’t get me wrong, those are all excellent games, but they are not the best, in my opinion. Not even close. The best Star Wars game came when Star Wars was just coming out of the dark times. That game is the X-Wing Space Combat Flight Simulator. Nothing will ever compare.
The X-Wing Space Combat Flight Simulator came out in 1993 for PC only, and it’s a classic that too many forget existed. When compared to contemporary games like Star Wars: Rebel Assault for SEGA, and Super Star Wars for Nintendo, it didn’t quite reach the audience as those games, but as far as story, involvement, and gameplay, it blew those games away. Rebel Assault told a similar story, but its capacity was much more limited. At the time, the X-Wing PC game was the closest you could get to being in the movies at a time when there wasn’t much Star Wars content out there. Certainly not by today’s standard.
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So why do I think the X-Wing PC game is the best Star Wars video game ever? Obviously, it’s subjective. Whether it’s the best or my favorite, in this case, it is one and the same. I love aircraft. Specifically, military aircraft. Even more specifically, WWII aircraft, so that helps. Second, I’ve always been a fan of flight simulators. I had a game for the PS2 called Ace Combat I’d play for hours at a time. So combining a flight simulation game with Star Wars equaled hours of fun for 18/19-year-old Eric. If you’re not a fan of flight simulation games, you probably won’t agree with me in this instance, and that’s fine. But it was more than that.
In today’s gaming environment, complete immersion is the norm. Things like Galaxy’s Edge, Vader Immortal, the Galactic Starcruiser, and KOTOR all strove to immerse you in the Star Wars galaxy. But the X-Wing PC game did it first. When you start the game, you create your character’s name and begin flying different rebellion fighters on a training course. You had the choice of an X-Wing, Y-Wing, and an A-Wing. A B-Wing expansion pack came a few years later. As you progressed through the game, your rank would increase based on your achievements. But it was the story that really grabbed you.
The game came with a strategy guide, 5 floppy discs and booklet called "The Farlander Papers", which told the story of a young rebel pilot named Keyan Farlander and his trials as a rebel pilot during the Galactic Civil War, with the destruction of the first Death Star, the conclusion of the game. In the game, as Keyan Farlander, you’d be assigned flying missions of all kinds; escort missions, surveillance, attack, and defend. Of course, in each task, you’d encounter Imperial ships to destroy. Before each mission, there would be a mission briefing with either General Dodonna or Admiral Ackbar describing your mission goals. It was fun to see Keyan Farlander show up again in the New Jedi Order book series later on.
Thanks to the X-Wing game, the Y-Wing is still my favorite rebel fighter. However, I was not a fan of the X-Wing as a ship. Although its balance of speed/shields/firepower, I did not like the angle of where the lasers came from when I had them set to single-fire. On the other hand, the Y-Wing’s cannons are straight out in front of you, making it easier to aim. And the A-Wing was just too darn fast with weaker cannons and shields. But it was the flying that made the game a classic.
As you’re flying, you had to think of what you’re trying to accomplish and decide what you need the most at the moment, stronger shields, speed, or more powerful cannons. But, of course, to do any of those, you’d have to reroute energy from one to another. This is where I learned what double-front shields are. You also chose to have the Star Wars soundtrack playing in the background. I preferred not to because I wanted to pretend I was in Star Wars, and I don’t think Luke heard music while he flew.
Eventually, a TIE Fighter version came out later in the 1990s, when the TIE Defender from Star Wars Rebels first appeared. I loved that game, too, but nothing compared to the first. The X-Wing PC game came at the right time for me. As a first-generation OT fan, having Star Wars come back into the public eye was like reuniting with an old flame, and we haven’t parted since. We’re basically married now.
The X-Wing game inspired me to write my first Star Wars fan-fic story about a rebel pilot who left the military to search the galaxy for Jedi artifacts. In my story, the rebellion was nice enough to loan my protagonist a Y-Wing fighter. Maybe my view is tainted by nostalgia, but so be it. I still own my copy. I remember bringing "The Farlander Papers" booklet to school and studying that instead of my schoolwork. Yea, today’s games have movie-like graphics and better sound, but none of them have the charm of the X-Wing Space Combat Flight Simulator.
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