Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

To sit in the cockpit of an X-wing, streak over the surface of an alien planet, and take down Imperial fighters one after another – that is the dream of every Star Wars fan, and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron fulfilled it on the Nintendo 64 with infectious joy. It is a flight shooter that put you behind the controls of iconic fighters from the films and turned you loose in battles across the galaxy.

The game benefits from a semi-open flight design, where you soar over planet surfaces, complete varied objectives, and take out both ground and air targets. It is not quite an open simulator, but neither is it a narrowly guided rail shooter; it finds a pleasant balance where you have enough freedom of movement to feel like a real ace pilot, while the game also drives you forward with clearly defined missions and goals.

The magic of Rogue Squadron rests on the feeling of flying and on the variety of craft. You pilot legendary fighters like the X-wing and other vessels from the world of Star Wars, each with its own handling and armament, and you gradually learn to master more demanding missions, where it is not enough to just shoot but also to maneuver correctly and manage both time and targets. For fans, the feeling of finally piloting these iconic ships themselves was indescribable.

Visually and atmospherically the game leaned fully on Star Wars music, sounds, and design, so every mission felt like its own little cinematic sequence. On the N64 it was one of the titles that showed just how brilliantly the Star Wars license could work when someone gave it real gameplay depth.

For anyone who ever longed to be a Rebellion pilot and race through the galaxy in their favorite fighter, Rogue Squadron is a wish come true.

Why play: For the superb feeling of flying iconic Star Wars fighters and varied aerial missions across the galaxy.