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Gaming’s Best And Worst Darth Vaders
BB-8 and R2-D2 may be cute, but Darth Vader is unquestionably the coolest and most iconic Star Wars character. Because of that, many Star Wars video games make sure the fan-favorite Sith gets his time in the spotlight. Scenes featuring Darth Vader have the potential to be the best and most memorable parts of a game…but they can also blow it and turn the fallen Jedi into a joke.
We’ve selected some of Darth Vader’s best and worst gaming appearances. For good or bad, they’re all memorable...whether they made you smile, laugh, wince, or pump your fist.
Best: The Wookiee-Killer (Star Wars: The Force Unleashed)
Everyone loves Chewbacca, but those other wookiees? Well, let’s just say that no one complained when they saw Darth Vader – resplendent in his black armor and full command of the Force – storming Kashyyyk and blasting Chewbacca’s compatriots off of cliffs.
Worst: Scorpion Sith (Star Wars on Famicom)
Okay, so Darth Vader turns into a scorpion here for some reason. That must be the second-most egregious liberty ever taken with Star Wars canon, right behind to the concept of Midichlorians.
Best: Cute Vader (Lego Star Wars)
As great as he may be, Darth Vader can’t be grim and terrifying all the time. That’s why his Lego incarnation is so great; the team at Traveller’s Tales does a great job adding some charm and levity to the character without going for the easy laughs.
Worst: Death Without Dignity (Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi)
The problem with including Darth Vader on a fighting game roster is that he should never lose. Except to Luke, maybe. In Masters of Teräs Käsi, any chump can take down the Sith Lord, including (but not limited to) a Tusken Raider and a Gamorrean Guard.
Best: A Fierce Opponent (Super Empire Strikes Back)
Capturing the menace of Darth Vader was tough in the early days of gaming, but this SNES action game got it right. Vader’s moveset and animations are accurately drawn from the movie, and the necessity of blocking his strikes makes this feel like a real lightsaber duel.
Worst: No Finesse Required (Star Wars Trilogy Arcade)
Dueling Darth Vader is rough – just ask Luke or Obi-Wan. It requires focus, determination, and...obeying dumb on-screen prompts? This arcade game wasn’t bad overall, but the Vader battle makes it look like he doesn’t know one end of his Lightsaber from the other.
Best: The Squad Leader (TIE Fighter)
In TIE Fighter, you don’t fight Vader; you team up with the legendary character, acting as his wingman during a space battle to save Emperor Palpatine. Turns out that the Dark Lord’s piloting skills aren’t overhyped (nor are his Force-choking skills, as the cutscenes demonstrate).
Worst: Dancin’ Darth (Kinect Star Wars)
We don’t really need to go into why this is basically the worst thing that has ever happened to Darth Vader, do we? Yes, that also includes the time he got his limbs chopped off and then started burning alive.
That's it for this list, but don't go over to the Dark Side in despair. If you love seeing various Star Wars games ranked, you’ll love our list of the Top 30 Star Wars Games, and our Top 10 Worst Star Wars Games.
