If you were hanging around the LucasArts forums or checking IGN back in 2009, you probably remember the confusion. Everyone wanted Battlefront III. Instead, we got Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron on the PSP and DS. It felt like a consolation prize, but honestly, it’s one of the weirdest, most ambitious pieces of Star Wars history because it’s basically the "ghost" of a cancelled masterpiece.
The game follows X2. He’s a clone trooper born from the DNA of a Jedi Master, which sounds like fan-fiction but was actually the narrative backbone of the project. While his brother X1 goes full Sith, X2 joins the Rebellion. It’s a classic sibling rivalry set against the backdrop of the entire Skywalker Saga.
Most people don't realize that Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron was essentially built from the ashes of Free Radical Design’s legendary, cancelled Battlefront III. When that project collapsed due to internal politics and missed deadlines, Rebellion Developments took the scraps. They had to cram a "ground-to-space" engine into the tiny Sony PSP. It shouldn't have worked. Somehow, it did.
The Technical Miracle of Ground-to-Space Combat
The biggest selling point of Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron was the multi-tier combat. This wasn't just "capture the flag" with blasters. You started on the ground, fighting for command posts. Then, you’d hop into a TIE Fighter or an X-Wing and fly through the atmosphere into a space battle. Once there, you could land inside the enemy’s Capital Ship and blow it up from the inside.
It’s wild.
Think about the hardware for a second. The PSP had one analog nub. One. Yet, Rebellion managed to sync three simultaneous layers of battle. If you were on the ground, the AI was still fighting the war in space above you. If you were in space, you could see the planet below. Modern games like Battlefront II (2017) by EA actually struggled to implement this feature, often keeping space and ground battles completely separate. Elite Squadron did it in 2009 on a handheld you could fit in your pocket.
The controls were, frankly, a nightmare at first. You had to use the face buttons to look around if you weren't using the lock-on system. But once it clicked? It felt like the definitive Star Wars experience. You weren't just a soldier; you were a participant in a galactic event.
Why X2 Matters More Than You Think
The story of X2 and X1 is a bit of a deep cut now. Since Disney reset the canon in 2014, these characters are technically "Legends." But they represent a specific era of LucasArts where they weren't afraid to get weird with the lore. X2 being a Force-sensitive clone predates the ideas we saw in The Force Unleashed II or even the cloning plotlines in The Bad Batch.
Rebellion Developments didn't just make a shooter. They made a spanning epic. The campaign takes you from the Battle of Geonosis all the way through the Battle of Endor and beyond. You see the rise of the Empire through the eyes of someone who was literally bred to serve it. It’s a perspective that Battlefront II (2005) touched on with the 501st Journal, but Elite Squadron made it personal.
Customization: The Secret Sauce
One thing Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron got right—that even the modern reboots took years to figure out—was deep character customization. You weren't locked into a specific "class" like a Sniper or an Engineer. You had a budget. You could pick your primary weapon, your sidearm, and your gadgets.
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Want to be a Heavy Trooper with a Jump Pack and a Thermal Detonator? Go for it. Want to be a stealthy Saboteur with a cloaking device and a sniper rifle? You could do that too. This level of agency made the Galactic Conquest mode feel much more tactical. You weren't just moving pieces on a map; you were building a specific type of army.
The game also featured a massive roster of heroes. You had the staples like Luke and Vader, but also more obscure picks like Rahm Kota from The Force Unleashed. It was a love letter to the Expanded Universe.
The DS Version vs. The PSP Version
It’s worth noting that the Nintendo DS version of Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron was a completely different animal. Developed by n-Space, it used an isometric-ish 3D perspective. It didn't have the seamless ground-to-space transitions of its PSP brother.
Honestly? It wasn't as good.
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The PSP version is the one people talk about. It’s the one that feels like a lost console game. The DS version felt like a mobile tie-in. If you’re looking to revisit this today, the PSP version (which you can play on a Vita or through various "other" means) is the definitive way to experience the story.
The "What If" Factor
Every time I boot up Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, I can't help but think about what could have been. We have the leaked footage of the Free Radical Battlefront III build. It looks incredible. It had seamless transitions from ground to space on the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Elite Squadron is the proof that the concept worked. It’s a "demake" of a game that never officially came out. It’s a fascinating artifact of a time when LucasArts was falling apart, yet still managed to push out something that felt incredibly forward-thinking.
The game holds up surprisingly well if you can get past the lack of a second analog stick. The sheer volume of content is staggering. Between the campaign, the instant action, and the Galactic Conquest, there’s dozens of hours of gameplay. It’s a reminder that sometimes, hardware limitations breed the most creative solutions.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive into the world of Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron today, there are a few things you should know. It’s not just a relic; it’s a playable piece of history.
First, check the secondhand markets. The PSP UMDs are still relatively affordable, usually hovering between $15 and $30 depending on the condition. If you still have a working PSP or a PlayStation Vita, the digital version was available on the PSN store for a long time, though storefront changes make that tricky now.
For those into the technical side, look into the "Battlefront III Legacy" mods for the PC version of Battlefront II (2005). Modders have been working for years to port the maps and assets from Elite Squadron back into the PC engine, effectively creating the "Battlefront III" we never got. It uses the assets from the PSP game but scales them up for high-definition play.
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Finally, pay attention to the story. Even if it's "Legends," the rivalry between X1 and X2 is one of the better-written clone stories in the franchise. It handles the transition from the Republic to the Empire with a level of grit that was rare for handheld games at the time.
Go find a copy. Map the controls to a modern controller if you can. Experience the ground-to-space transition for yourself. It’s a mechanic that even the biggest studios in the world struggle to get right today, and Rebellion did it on a handheld from 2004. That alone makes it worth your time.