Star Wars – Flight of the Falcon (GBA)

Introduction to Star Wars – Flight of the Falcon (GBA)

Have you ever slid the little gray cartridge of Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon into your Game Boy Advance and felt like you were suddenly hurtling through space behind the cockpit of your favorite ships? That’s exactly the vibe this game goes for. Released back in 2003, it lets you pilot everything from the Millennium Falcon to TIE fighters, weaving through asteroid fields and dogfighting imperial forces just like in the original trilogy.

The game splits into a story-driven campaign and a quick battle mode, so you can either follow the missions that echo Luke and Han’s adventures or just jump into a skirmish whenever you like. You’ll fly familiar missions—blasting Imperial convoys above Tatooine, escorting Rebel transports, strafing Walker columns on Hoth. It never gets too complicated, but there’s enough variety in objectives that each level still feels fresh.

Controls are straightforward, even on the GBA’s compact layout. You’ve got acceleration, deceleration, roll and a basic lock-on fire button. You can pick up power-ups for shields and weapon boosts, and there’s always that thrill of squeezing through tight canyons or dodging twin laser blasts. It’s not a super-deep simulator, but it never pretends to be—it knows its limits and just leans into the arcade-style thrills.

Graphically, it’s impressive for a handheld of its era, with colorful backdrops that instantly scream “Star Wars” and little animations for every explosion. The music borrows those iconic themes in chiptune form, which somehow still gets you pumped. Critics were split on its longevity, but if you’re craving a quick dose of interstellar action on the go, it’s a neat little title that doesn’t outstay its welcome.