Star Wars Card Games
If you're a fan of the Force, you'll love these Star Wars card games. From strategy to luck-based gameplay, there's something for everyone!
✍️ November 28, 2022
- 👾 Best Overall: Star Wars: Imperial Assault
- 🦸♀️ Best Classic: UNO Star Wars Matching Card Game
- 🚀 Most Immersive: Star Wars: Armada
- 🎲 Best Competitive: Star Wars Destiny Two Player Game
- 👉 How we picked and tested
When you can’t get enough of your favorite sci-fi franchise, it’s time to bring the battle into the real world and play some Star Wars card games! With many different versions of games inspired by the iconic franchise, you can experience the amazing battles and characters in a whole new way.
For any Star Wars nut out there, our top recommendation is Star Wars: Imperial Assault. It’s expansive, has just the right balance of strategy and luck, and provides immersive gameplay that will surely have you and your friends coming back for more!
We curated this list using our knowledge and expertise on fun card games and everything Star Wars, so you can rest assured that any of these games will be a great choice! From Fantasy Flight’s main Star Wars line to collectible card games, we’ve narrowed down over 20 different games to four of the best. If you want to learn more about our selection process, check out the methodology behind our lists here.
1. Best Overall: Star Wars: Imperial Assault
- Player count: 1-5 players
- Duration: 60 to 120 minutes
- Ages: 14+
This classic dungeon-crawler board game tops our list because it has everything you need for epic Star Wars battles. In this living board game, you assemble a team of Rebel heroes and fight against the Empire’s cruel minions. And if you’re feeling daring, why not switch to the dark side and have your team of Imperials crush the resistance?
Why we love it
What we love most about Star Wars: Imperial Assault is that teamwork is essential to winning. It’s a living board game, meaning the choices you make, the battles, experience, and equipment gained and lost during the game will affect you until the end. So, there’s a lot of table talk and teamwork involved if you want to survive.
There is an excellent level of immersive and cinematic gameplay with this game, you can experience the thrill of being in the Star Wars universe. With beautiful artwork and incredibly detailed figures and miniatures, you’ll be able to bring your cherished franchise straight to the table.
This game also has great replayability, as it comes with a fantastic campaign mode and various scenarios for you to enjoy. And if that isn’t enough, there is also an app available for even more mission options. The expansions for this game also add plenty of content that will keep you entertained for hours.
A possible downside for some is the fact that this game takes a fair amount of time to learn and set up and can be overwhelming at first. In addition, the instruction manual is vague when it comes to certain rules, so we recommend watching online tutorials or reading online reviews for a better understanding of the game. We also didn’t like how the probe droids felt a little flimsy and were easily broken.
Overall, we still think that Star Wars: Imperial Assault is an absolute must-have for Star Wars fans! It has all the elements of an amazing game and its cinematic flavor will have you feeling like a Skywalker in no time.
How to play
In Imperial Assault, you and up to four other players take part in an epic Star Wars adventure. The Galactic Empire is a powerful force, and one player gets to control everything from squadrons of Stormtroopers, to Darth Vader himself.
Every player takes charge of a hero from the Rebel Alliance and cooperates with the other players as a team. The heroes in the game fearlessly explore the galaxy and take on dangerous missions, and during these missions, The Rebel and Imperial armies engage in close, ground-based combat. To win, players must complete multiple missions successfully, growing in power and experience until they can take on the final mission.
Setting up: To get started, assemble the map and arrange the tiles, doors, and tokens as shown in the rulebook. Each player also decides who to take on the role of the Imperial player. We recommend that the most experienced player take on this role. All the other players take on the role of a Rebel hero, each with their own unique set of skills and abilities.
All the Rebel players then pick one of the following four heroes: Diala Passil, Jyn Odan, Gaarkhan, or Fenn Signis. If playing with a single Rebel player, that player will choose two heroes. Each hero will take their corresponding Hero sheet, figure, and Class deck. That hero should then find the weapon (marked P or O) in their Class deck and place it next to the Hero sheet.
Each player will grab an activation token and place it ready on their character sheet with the green side face-up. The Imperial player will take one of the following four deployment cards: Stormtrooper (gray), E-Web Engineer (gray), Probe Droid (red), and Imperial Officer (gray). Place all figures on the map in their corresponding spaces.
Playing a mission: In Imperial Assault, players will complete missions during a number of game rounds. Each round has two phases that are carried out in this order:
Activation Phase: Play starts with the Rebel team activating one of their figures, who then resolves two actions. For example, they may choose to move and attack. Then, the Imperial player activates all figures corresponding to one Deployment card. This process repeats until each figure has resolved an activation.
Status Phase: After resolving all activations, players perform a number of cleanup steps. After resolving the Status Phase, the play proceeds to the next round, starting with the Activation Phase. These phases are repeated until the mission ends.
Winning the game: The aim of the players is to succeed in the final mission of the whole campaign, which we call the finale. Alongside their progress in the story, they get rewards like Item cards, Class cards, Agenda cards, and allies that will support them to win against everything else.
The players who win the Finale earn the title of ultimate victor and have won the campaign!
2. Best Classic: UNO Star Wars Matching Card Game
- Player count: 2-10 players
- Duration: Can vary
- Ages: 14+
A beloved classic game with a fun twist, UNO Star Wars Matching Card Game combines UNO’s classic matching and strategic gameplay with the film’s characters and imagery. The game is easy to pick up, and it’s perfect for introducing kids and new players to both UNO and Star Wars.
Why we love it
A significant part of why we love this game is because of its instant accessibility. The rules are straightforward, and the gameplay packs just enough complexity to make it fun for players of all ages. Whether you’re playing with family, friends, or kids, UNO Star Wars Matching Card Game is a great choice for an evening of Star Wars fun.
In addition, the game features stunning Star Wars characters and artwork. The visual aesthetic adds to the experience, as you feel like you’re playing with familiar characters from the films. It’s a fun way to indulge in Star Wars nostalgia.
We didn’t like how the cards were a little too thin, and they could get easily worn out if not handled with care. Other than that, UNO Star Wars Matching Card Game is a great addition to any Star Wars fan’s collection. It’s a simple and straightforward game that can provide hours of entertainment for all ages!
How to play
In this game, the original UNO rules still apply, with some additional Star Wars-related twists. One player deals everyone with seven cards face down. The remaining cards become the draw pile, and the top card is flipped over to start the discard pile.
Players take turns matching a card from their hand to the card on top of the discard pile. In this edition, instead of the regular UNO cards with just colors and numbers on them, players will find iconic characters from the Star Wars films.
The player can match either by color or number, or they can also use a Wild Card unique to this edition. The Force Card is a special card that can be played on any card.
When you play the Force, choose another player and choose a color. The player you picked must show you their hand. If that player has a card with the same color, they must draw two cards from the draw pile as a penalty. If they don’t nothing happens and play passes to the left.
The game ends when a player gets rid of their last card, and they win the game!
3. Most Immersive: Star Wars: Armada
- Player count: 2 players
- Duration: 120 minutes average playing time
- Ages: 14+
Star Wars: Armada takes the classic miniatures game and adds a much-needed dose of sci-fi adventure. Players take control of iconic starships like the Rebel Assault Frigate or CR90 Corvette A, as well as iconic characters from the films.
Why we love it
Our favorite thing about this game is the amazing level of immersion you get from being able to build your Rebel or Imperial fleet and then pilot it against your opponent. The game also features an amazing set of components, including pre-painted miniatures and tokens, as well as high-quality cards. You won’t feel like playing just a typical tactical miniatures game - you’ll actually be stepping into the shoes of a Rebel or Imperial commander in the Star Wars universe.
You can find all kinds of comprehensive scenarios to play through and customize your fleet however you want. The game offers hours of replayability, and it’s perfect for both hardcore miniatures game fans and casual Star Wars fans alike.
The most significant drawback is that the game isn’t ideal for casual play because it can take far too long to complete a full game session. It’s best suited for those with lots of free time and a passion for tactical miniatures games.
We also wished that the base of the peg had enough friction to stay secure in the base. This can be a big issue for tabletop gamers because if you shift the base, the peg and attached model tend to tilt forward.
Overall, Star Wars: Armada is a great addition to any Star Wars fan’s game collection. It offers hours of strategic fun with a unique and immersive experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
How to play
In this game, players choose to be either Rebel or Imperial admirals. These captains then lead their fleets of spaceships and weaponry into battle. They use their ships and squadrons to command, attack, and maneuver against each other until the opponent’s fleet is damaged or destroyed.
Setting up: Before playing, begin by choosing which faction you will be playing as and taking the corresponding ship and squadron cards. Each player gathers their ship tokens that match their ship cards and constructs their ships according to the ship cards.
Prepare your squadrons and place defense tokens in your play area. Once the game begins, use cards to give commands and make tactical decisions that will bring you closer to victory.
Playing the game: Star Wars: Armada is played over six rounds, with each round following these phases:
Command Phase: Each player secretly assigns command dials to their ships. When revealed, each command provides that ship with a powerful bonus.
Ship Phase: During this phase, players will take turns attacking and moving their spaceships. After the ship finishes its activation, the revealed dial is placed faceup on the ship’s ship card; a faceup command dial on a ship card indicates that the ship has activated this round.
Squadron Phase: In this phase, you and your opponent activate any remaining squadrons that were not activated by the command during the ship phase. A squadron that activates during this phase has the choice to either move or attack, but not both.
Status Phase: Get your defensive tokens ready and flip over the initiative token to see who goes first. When the Status Phase ends, the player with the initiative token picks up the next highest round token and places it next to the play area. Then the next round begins. The game continues until all ships from one fleet are destroyed, or the sixth round ends.
Ending the game: When one player destroys all of their opponent’s ships, the game immediately ends. Once a player is eliminated, the opponent automatically wins the game!
The game also ends when neither player has been eliminated after six rounds, and the player with the highest score at that point wins. A player’s score is equal to the total cost of each enemy ship and squadron destroyed; this cost is printed in the lower-right corner of every card.
4. Best Competitive: Star Wars Destiny Two Player Game
- Player count: 2 players
- Duration: 30 minutes average playing time
- Ages: 10+
All the fun of a dueling card game combined with dice and the Star Wars universe, what else could you ask for? Star Wars Destiny is a two-player game that offers the perfect balance of strategy, deck-building, and luck. It’s fast-paced, easy to learn, and great for competitive play.
Why we love it
Because of its competitive aspect, we just absolutely like the fact that this game features a healthy amount of player interaction. You can force your opponents to discard cards and resources, and there are even cards that will allow you to manipulate your opponent’s dice results. This makes it a fun game for when you want some lighthearted competition during game night!
In addition, this is a great introduction to the Destiny game system because of the game’s balanced started decks. Compared to other card games where you had to buy a separate starter set for the heroes, villains, etc, this game already comes with both decks in the box. The flow between turns is also smooth and doesn’t drag on, so you can keep your game running quickly.
However, we do have to note that this game can be quite difficult to learn, especially if you’re not familiar with the Destiny game system. This game can also be quite expensive if you’re a collector because it uses a Collectible Card Game (CCG) model, meaning all purchases are random. So if you want to collect a certain set of cards, you’re going to have to bet on luck and that can be heavy on budget.
Overall, Star Wars Destiny Two Player Game is an awesome card game that’s great for competitive play and collectors alike. With fast-paced action and plenty of strategic decisions to make, this game is sure to keep you entertained!
How to play
If you’re new to the game, we suggest you use the included starter deck first. Once you get a hang of how the game is played, you can start creating your own decks with specific rules in mind. To start, each player should have a copy of the game to play.
Star Wars: Destiny is played in rounds, with every round having an Action Phase and an Upkeep Phase.
On your turn: In the action phase, players take turns one at a time. They can do different actions, such as:
Playing a card from your hand: There is a resource cost that must be paid in order to play each card. Cards can include events, upgrades, or support items. The first is one-time use, with the latter two being cards that stay in play.
Activating a character or support: To use a card, roll the character’s dice and add the result to your dice pool.
Resolve your dice: In the previous Activate Action, rolled dice can now be put to use. Players are allowed to activate any number of dice they want provided that they all share the same symbol. Dice results will let players perform a variety of actions such as attacking their opponent, gaining resources, making their opponent lose cards/resources, or activating special abilities.
Claim the battlefield: If a player goes out first, they receive a bonus at the end of the round.
In the upkeep phase, every player uses their cards and gains two resources. They then draw back up to have five cards in their hand again.
Ending the game: If all of a player’s characters are defeated, the game ends immediately and the other player wins the game. Alternatively, if a player cannot draw any more cards and has no cards in their hand at the end of a round, they lose and the other player wins.
If both players lose this way, the player who controls the battlefield at the end of the round wins the game!
How we picked and tested
PsyCat Games is built by people who know how to have fun! We’ve been researching parties and games since 2018 and have published 400+ articles on our website. That’s why we’re confident that we know what we’re talking about!
We want you to have the best time possible and not waste your money on a subpar product. That’s why we spend over three months testing over 15 different games with groups of kids, teens, and adults. We’ve ranked the games by the fun factor, player experience, and replayability!
Our ranking is subjective, but we’ve tried our best to be as impartial as possible. However, if you stumble upon a Star Wars card game that you think deserves a spot on our list, please reach out to us! We would love to hear from you.
PsyCat Games is supported by readers clicking on our affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, we might earn a commission if you buy something through our links.
FAQ about Star Wars Card Games
1. Is there a Star Wars card game?
Yes, there are several Star Wars card games available. One of the most popular ones is the two-player game called Star Wars: Destiny which was released by Fantasy Flight Games in 2017. The game is a dice and card game that features characters from the Star Wars universe, making it an exciting experience for fans of the franchise!
Apart from Star Wars: Destiny, there are also other card games based on the franchise such as Imperial Assault, and Star Wars: Armada. If you want to jump into the Star Wars card game universe, you have plenty of options to choose from! Unsure where to start? Check out our reviews of the top four Star Wars card games to help you decide!
2. Do people still play Star Wars card games?
Yes, people still play Star Wars card games. With the rise of digital gaming and streaming platforms, physical card games can seem like a thing of the past. However, this is not the case when it comes to Star Wars card games.
People still love playing these games and they can be found in gaming stores, conventions, and online. These games are great for casual players and hardcore fans alike, so don’t be afraid to take your chance and join in the fun. Who knows, you might get hooked!
3. What is the card game called in Star Wars?
There are many card games named after the Star Wars franchise. One that you might be familiar with is Star Wars: Imperial Assault. This is a two-player game that features characters and soldiers from the Star Wars universe, making it both exciting and tactical.
If two-player games aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other choices. You could try UNO Star Wars Matching Card Game, or Star Wars: Destiny - a dice and card game that lets you build your own deck.
There’s something for everyone when it comes to Star Wars card games. So, pick the one that you think sounds most fun for your next game night!
4. What happened to Star Wars card game?
The Star Wars card game did not go away. In fact, it is still very much alive and kicking. With the release of new movies and TV shows, the franchise is more popular than ever before.
The card game genre has become even more diverse with the introduction of various board games, card-collecting games, and even digital versions. So if you’re looking for a Star Wars card game to play, you won’t be disappointed.
