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Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron Released 16 Years Ago Today – A Portable Classic Worth Remembering

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Sixteen years ago today, Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron launched on PSP and Nintendo DS — delivering one of the most ambitious handheld Star Wars shooters ever made. Yep, before Battlefront II stole our hearts (and hours of our sleep), Elite Squadron was busy proving that you didn’t need a console to wage a galactic war.

And honestly? It still deserves more love.

A Battlefront Experience Built for Players on the Move

Released on November 3, 2009, Elite Squadron let fans jump into massive Star Wars battles from their handhelds — at a time when most portable shooters could barely handle a laser pointer, let alone the Battle of Hoth.

The game delivered:

  • Ground-to-space combat transitions
  • Customizable soldiers (a big deal back then!)
  • A narrative campaign following X2, a Force-sensitive clone trooper
  • Classic Galactic Conquest mode
  • Lightsaber combat, starfighters, and large-scale battles

The PSP version especially felt like a full-scale Battlefront game squeezed into your backpack — and for a generation of fans, it was their Battlefront.

X2, Clone Lore, and a Surprisingly Strong Story

Long before Clone Wars deep-dove into the Jedi-clone dynamic, Elite Squadron introduced:

  • X2 – a clone created from a Jedi’s DNA
  • X1 – his brother and rival
  • Jedi Order training
  • Order 66 fallout
  • A showdown that echoed the emotional beats of bigger Star Wars stories

It had betrayal, identity struggles, Force powers, dual sabers — the works. It wasn’t just “Battlefront Lite,” it was “Battlefront with lore.”

Even today, many fans wish X2 would return somewhere in modern canon.

Multiplayer Memories? Legendary.

For PSP players especially, the multiplayer lobbies were pure chaos and pure magic.

Jetpacks blasting across platforms, AT-STs stomping around, Jedi flipping into the sky — it was handheld mayhem and we loved every second of it.

LAN battles at school? Peak childhood rebellion.

A Forgotten Gem in the Battlefront Legacy

While the modern Battlefront games from EA get most of the spotlight, Elite Squadron remains a cult favorite — especially among fans who grew up gaming on PSP.

Its ambition, its lore, and its portable nostalgia still hit. Hard.

If you’re one of the players who spent 2009 blasting stormtroopers on a tiny screen, today’s your day. We salute you.

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