Star Warshas a long, long history in the video game landscape. From the veryfirstStar Warsgame releasing for the Atari 2600all the way back in 1982, the beloved Sci-Fi/Fantasy franchise has received at least one video game adaptation every year since, and while not all of these have been met with equal critical or fan reception, most of them have fulfilled the promise of transporting the player to a galaxy far, far away. From shooting a blaster to flying an X-Wing,Star Warsgames, more often than not, let fans live out their greatestStar Warsfantasies, and a good handful of them let players take control of some of the most powerful characters in theStar Warsuniverse, the Jedi.
While aStar Warsgame doesn’t need to feature the Jedi to be great, with the stellarRogue Squadronseriesor the very firstStar Wars: Battlefrontbeing great examples of this, it often helps. After all, some of the most iconic moments fromStar Warscome from the movies' lightsaber battles and Force training sequences, so it’s only natural that fans would want to use those weapons and powers for themselves. With four decades' worth ofStar Warsgames out, there are quite a few that let players control a Jedi, but only a handful revolve around the most powerful Jedi in the universe.
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Strongest Video Game Jedi With a Lightsaber
The Jedi are the peacekeepers of the galaxy, highly trained in both the art of swordplay and with the mystical life-energy known as the Force. Over the last 40 years, fans have been able to play as some of the strongest lightsaber-wielders inthe entireStar Warsuniverse, being able to use their fine-tuned senses to aid them in one-on-one combat.
One of the strongest Jedi with a lightsaber isKyle Katarn, the protagonist oftheDark ForcesseriesandJedi Outcast. In the firstDark Forcesgame, Kyle Katarn is just a mercenary, tasked by the Rebellion to retrieve the Death Star plans in a non-canon version of events. This first game takes heavy inspiration fromDoomand chooses to focus on blaster combat as opposed to any lightsaber gameplay.
In the sequel,Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Kyle Katarn learns that his father was a Jedi, and the same inherent connection to the Force is present in him too. After a run-in with somebounty hunters on Nar Shaddaa, Katarn returns to his family homestead on Sulon and discovers his father’s lightsaber, with a message from his late father explaining that the Dark Jedi Jerec, responsible for killing him, must be stopped at all costs. Over the course ofJedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Kyle sets aside his mercenary life and adopts a new path, the Jedi path.
While Kyle is a decent Force user, his powers are limited, with only short bursts ofForce Heal, Force Speed, and other abilities being available. Instead, Kyle Katarn is much more skilled with his lightsaber, using it to effectively cut down armies of Imperial Remnants in his way. Within just a few swipes, Katarn is able to defeat some of the most skilled dark Jedi of his era.
InStar Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast, players once again take control of Kyle Katarn. After regaining his powers from a brieftraining session with Luke Skywalker, Katarn once again sets out to defeat a dark Jedi uprising.Jedi Outcastis widely considered to have some of the best lightsaber combat of anyStar Warsvideo game, and all of it is used to show just how powerful Kyle Katarn is with a lightsaber, capable of dodging and jumping behind his opponents with ease while slicing through their defenses in seconds.
Kyle goes on to train Mara Jade, who eventually becomes Luke Skywalker’s wife inthe non-canonLegendsuniverse. Through his teachings, and her own inherent talent, Mara Jade quickly becomes one of the strongest lightsaber-wielders of her era, even capable of besting Kyle Katarn when he is lured to the Dark Side towards the end ofStar Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith.
A more recent contender for the strongest lightsaber user,Cal KestisfromStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderuses a heavier form of lightsaber combat than Kyle Katarn or Mara Jade. Though Cal’s attacks are slightly slower, they are much more powerful, and the raw strength behind each swing can land some devastating blows onStormtroopers and Purge Troopersalike. Despite having his training cut short due to Order 66, Cal is still capable of defeating some of the Empire’s best Inquisitors.
But there’s one lightsaber user that Cal can’t even land a single hit on:Darth Vader. Playable in a range ofStar Warsgames over the years, Darth Vader is one of the most powerful character in all ofStar Wars, and themost recent episode ofObi-Wan Kenobiis the perfect example of that. While he prefers to use the Force to intimidate and defeat, Vader is lethal with a lightsaber, only ever making the most deliberate and powerful strikes.
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Strongest Video Game Jedi With the Force
The Force surrounds us, penetrates us, binds the galaxy together, and it’s what gives the Jedi their power. Without the Force, the Jedi cannot exist, and even the most skilled lightsaber-wielder would be reduced to a shell of their former self. Those strongest in the Force are some of the most powerful beings in the entireStar Warsgalaxy.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed’sGalen Marek, better known as Starkiller, is one such being. One of the most popularStar Wars Legendscharactersout there, Starkiller is one of the most powerful Force users in anyStar Warsmedium. Throughout the game and its sequel, Starkiller is seen to bat away waves of Stormtroopers with just a single flick of the wrist, and take down fully grown rancors with just a few taps of the Force. With his powers taking from both the Light Side and the Dark, Starkiller is able to achieve more than most Jedi, even being able to take down entire Star Destroyers with nothing but the Force, all while flicking away attacking TIE-Fighters like flies.
While their powers are much more reserved than Starkiller’s,Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’s Revanis on a similar power level and perhaps an even higher one. Throughout their life,Revanis constantly trying to find new ways to grow stronger, from learning all there is to know at the Jedi academy on Dantooine, to trying to harness the power of the Star Forge. By the end of their life, Revan was so powerful that they could even assist their granddaughter as a spirit, years after their death, to defeat the Sith Emperor.
Though she wasn’t quite as powerful as Revan,Bastila Shan’s Battle Meditationis one of the most powerful uses of the Force in the entireStar Warsuniverse.Bastilagives allies a significant morale boost on top of the ability to coordinate with supreme efficiency, acting as one mind. Battle Meditation is capable of turning the tide of battle in mere moments, even being able to demoralize the opponent’s army.
Shortly after Revan disappeared, aForce-user known as The Exilewould take on some of the most powerful dark Jedi of the era, and would succeed in defeating them. Later namedMeetra Surik, The Exile is not often cited as one of the strongest Force users inStar Wars, but they were able to defeat the near-unkillable Darth Sion, the literal planet-eating Darth Nihilus, and the immensely powerful Darth Treya, one after the other.
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