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Start with STAR WARS: Squadrons if you want a modern first-person starfighter campaign with a defined story. Choose EVERSPACE 2 for a longer solo adventure built around combat, exploration, and RPG progression. If you want a more simulation-focused approach, In The Black is worth considering—but it is in Early Access. For the classic mission-and-squadron-command format, look into FreeSpace 2 or the X-Wing and TIE Fighter games, while checking whether the particular title is currently available where you live.
There is no single game that reproduces every part of Wing Commander 3. The best next game depends on which part you want back: cockpit-style dogfighting, a campaign that moves from mission to mission, a longer solo journey, or a more demanding simulation. For the closest modern fit to a story-led fighter campaign, STAR WARS: Squadrons is the clearest starting point. The other recommendations trade some of that specific campaign feel for different strengths.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Star Wars: Squadrons (PS4) | $13.98 | Buy on Amazon |
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Star Wars: Squadrons - PlayStation 4 LATAM Spanish/English/French | $15.49 | Buy on Amazon |
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![Electronic Arts - Star Wars Squadrons Occasion [ PS4 ] - 5030947124021](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51N66XhEYPL._SL160_.jpg)
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Electronic Arts - Star Wars Squadrons Occasion [ PS4 ] - 5030947124021 | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series (PS4) | $43.85 | Buy on Amazon |
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Sony Star Wars Squadrons - PS4 | $19.97 | Buy on Amazon |
At a glance: which game fits your next flight?
| Game | Best fit | What distinguishes it | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAR WARS: Squadrons | A player seeking first-person starfighter combat and a defined solo story | Its single-player campaign is set around the end of the Galactic Civil War; official EA and StarWars.com pages describe the piloting, story, and ship or squadron customization. | It uses the Star Wars setting, so its tone and fictional universe are different from Wing Commander. Store destinations are not proof of a specific edition being in stock. |
| EVERSPACE 2 | A player who wants a substantial solo space adventure and progression | Rockfish Games describes dogfights, exploration, loot, RPG elements, mining, crafting, 100+ handcrafted locations across six systems, and a 30+ hour story. | It is an action RPG with exploration and loot, not a tightly structured sequence of cockpit campaign missions. |
| In The Black | A player interested in combat simulation and flexible flight controls | Its Steam listing describes single-player and multiplayer, five ship classes, customizable loadouts, and HOTAS/HOSAS support. | Steam labels it Early Access; improvements and added content described for the full version are plans, not features to assume are already complete. |
| FreeSpace 2 and X-Wing/TIE Fighter classics | A player happy to explore older campaign games | Players in a Steam community discussion recommend FreeSpace games for single-player campaigns and squadron commands, and mention the X-Wing series. | Those are community recommendations, not official product assessments. Current storefront availability was not established for every title. |
| Elite Dangerous | A player looking for an open-ended space sim | A 2026 Space.com article characterizes it as open-ended and notes its complicated flight model. | Its open-ended structure is a different proposition from a focused Wing Commander-style campaign. |
What makes a good follow-up to Wing Commander 3?
The label “space combat game” covers experiences that can feel quite different in the cockpit. Before choosing, decide which parts of Wing Commander 3 matter most to you. These distinctions help explain why the games above are alternatives rather than interchangeable successors.
Campaign or sandbox?
A campaign gives you a defined story and a sequence of missions. That structure is central to the appeal of a story-led fighter game: you fly for a cause, encounter a developing conflict, and return to the next piece of the narrative. Squadrons is the clearest modern match in this group because its official product information confirms a single-player story campaign.
#1 Best Overall
- All Wings Report In – Plan skirmishes with your squadron in the briefing room before taking off to the evolving battlefields across the galaxy. Compete in intense 5 vs. 5 multiplayer dogfights or unite with your squadron to tip the scales in monumental fleet battles. Together, you’re the galaxy’s finest.
- Master Legendary Starfighters – Take control of different classes of starfighters from both the New Republic and Imperial fleets – including the agile A-wing and the devastating TIE bomber. Modify your ship, divert the power between its systems, and destroy your opponents in strategic space dogfights.
- Live Your Star Wars Pilot Fantasy – The cockpit is your home. Use its dashboards to your advantage and – with just a thin hull of metal and glass between you and the perils of space – feel the intensity of combat from a first-person perspective. Take off in thrilling multiplayer modes and a unique single-player Star Wars story, which covers a key campaign near the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War.
- The Mission is Clear – Star Wars: Squadrons is a fully self-contained experience from day one, where you earn rewards through play. Climb the ranks and unlock new components like weapons, hulls, engines, shields, and cosmetic items in a clear path for progression that keeps gameplay fresh and engaging.
An open-ended game gives you more freedom to choose what to do, but that freedom may not provide the same narrative momentum. Elite Dangerous is described as open-ended, so treat it as a different kind of follow-up: a fit if you want room to make your own way through a space sim, not if you primarily want a sequence of authored fighter missions. A broader sandbox can be rewarding, but it asks you to value open-ended play on its own terms.
Fighter action or simulation?
Some players want to get into a dogfight and manage a starfighter from a first-person cockpit. Others want a combat experience that puts more emphasis on simulation and control setup. In The Black is the recommendation here for the latter audience, with one critical qualification: it is an Early Access game. Its Steam listing names HOTAS and HOSAS support, but that fact alone does not establish that you need either setup, that every device works identically, or that the game is a finished campaign product.
Mission rewards or a progression loop?
A mission-to-mission campaign and an action-RPG progression loop provide different reasons to keep flying. EVERSPACE 2 puts combat alongside exploration, loot, ship and weapon choices, abilities, mining, and crafting. Those systems can suit a player who wants a longer solo activity with equipment and exploration as part of the journey. If you mainly want authored fighter missions, that broader loop may be less appealing than Squadrons or an older campaign sim.
STAR WARS: Squadrons: the closest modern campaign fit
For a player asking, “What should I play if I want a modern, story-led starfighter game?”, Squadrons is the most direct answer in this set. EA identifies it as a first-person piloting experience and confirms a single-player campaign. StarWars.com describes a story set around the end of the Galactic Civil War, along with ship and squadron customization. That combination—not an unsupported claim that it recreates Wing Commander exactly—is what makes it the natural first recommendation.
Why its structure fits
The main point of overlap is the combination of piloting and a defined solo story. You are not being pointed toward an open-ended galaxy and asked to supply your own purpose; the campaign provides a narrative frame for the combat. The setting is specifically Star Wars, however. If what you want is a continuation of Wing Commander’s universe, characters, or tone, Squadrons is not that. It is a match for the broad experience of flying a fighter through a story-driven space war.
Platforms and purchase checks
EA’s product page links to platform storefront destinations that include PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, Epic, and EA’s PC app. That establishes where EA directs prospective players, but it does not establish current stock at every retailer or confirm a particular physical edition. Check the store page for your platform and region before buying, especially if you are looking for a disc or a specific console generation.
The available product information does not verify current multiplayer population. If your priority is multiplayer rather than the solo campaign, do not infer that a storefront listing guarantees an active player base; check recent, platform-specific information before making that the deciding factor.
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EVERSPACE 2: a longer solo adventure with RPG progression
Choose EVERSPACE 2 when “more time in a spaceship” matters more than a strict campaign-mission format. Rockfish Games describes it as a single-player spaceship shooter combining fast dogfights with exploration and RPG systems. Its official page advertises a 30+ hour single-player sci-fi story and 100+ handcrafted locations across six stellar systems. Those are publisher product-description figures, not independent playtime measurements or a guarantee of how long any particular player will take.
What you do beyond fighting
Combat is part of a wider loop that includes multiple ships, weapons, and abilities, as well as loot, mining, and crafting. Exploration is a substantial part of the pitch: the publisher’s location and system figures indicate a much broader setting than a set of short, self-contained fighter sorties. The RPG elements make equipment and progression part of the experience rather than limiting the appeal to the next dogfight.
Who should choose it instead of Squadrons?
Pick EVERSPACE 2 if you want a longer solo adventure in which combat sits alongside exploration and gear development. Pick Squadrons if a focused first-person starfighter campaign is the priority. Neither choice is universally better: they answer different versions of “What can I play after Wing Commander 3?”
The publisher’s current site lists PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox editions, as well as expansions. Check the platform storefront for the edition and content available in your region. The cited product information does not establish a preferred flight-control setup, so do not assume that it is aimed specifically at mouse-and-keyboard, gamepad, or a particular HOTAS/HOSAS configuration.
In The Black: consider it if simulation matters more than completion
In The Black is the option for a reader drawn to space-combat simulation rather than simply seeking another finished campaign. Impeller Studios’ Steam listing describes both single-player and multiplayer, five flyable ship classes, customizable ship loadouts, and support for HOTAS, HOSAS, and head or eye tracking. The listing identifies the game as Early Access.
Rank #4
- Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series is a cinematic, interactive adventure that lets you step inside a galaxy far, far away
- Experience this thrilling three-part series in virtual reality
- Descend into Darth Vader’s mysterious fortress alongside new allies and encounter fearsome enemies, including the Sith Lord himself
- Be at the center of a story in which you hold the key to the galaxy’s salvation… or destruction
- An authentic Star Wars story that takes place between Episode III and Episode IV, which gives a personal look at Darth Vader himself
What Early Access changes about the recommendation
Steam’s description says the full version is planned to add or refine systems and content. Read that as a roadmap, not a list of features you can assume are complete today. Early Access is a meaningful product-state difference from a released game: content, balance, and systems may change, and the current experience should be judged by the present Steam listing rather than by expectations for the planned full release.
If you want to try a combat simulator and are comfortable with an unfinished product, its stated control support and ship-loadout focus make it relevant. If your main requirement is a complete, tightly paced story campaign, the available description does not establish that it fills that role. In that case, start with Squadrons, or investigate the classic campaign path below.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Classic campaign games: FreeSpace 2 and X-Wing/TIE Fighter
If what you miss is the older campaign format, the most relevant route may be to look backward rather than to choose a modern game with a different structure. In a Steam community discussion, one player recommended FreeSpace and FreeSpace 2 for single-player campaigns and squadron commands; the discussion also mentioned the classic X-Wing series. These suggestions are useful leads from players, not official documentation or an independent ranking.
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Older titles can be a better conceptual fit when campaign structure and squadron flying matter more to you than modern production or a current release. But availability is a separate issue. The sources reviewed do not establish current official listings for every FreeSpace or X-Wing game. Search for the exact title and edition at a legitimate storefront, and confirm that it is available in your region and works with your system before buying.
Best Value
Can you simply replay Wing Commander 3?
If the original game is still the experience you want, GOG currently lists Wing Commander 3 and says it can be installed offline without GOG Galaxy. That makes replaying it a concrete option, rather than assuming that a successor must be better. Check the current listing for regional availability and its included edition before purchase; this information does not establish the state of every other Wing Commander game or storefront.
When a space sim is the wrong substitute
Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen may appeal to players interested in a broader space experience, but neither should be presented as a direct replacement for a completed, story-led fighter campaign on the evidence available here. Space.com’s 2026 article describes Elite Dangerous as open-ended and notes a complicated flight model. That combination may suit someone seeking a larger simulation, but it can require more tolerance for learning and self-directed play than a campaign-focused game. That comparison is an inference from the descriptions, not a hands-on assessment.
The same article characterizes Star Citizen as an ongoing ambitious project. Treat it as an evolving project, not as a completed story-led campaign recommendation. If a finished, defined solo story is your main criterion, Squadrons is the more directly supported choice in this guide.
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Choose by the part of Wing Commander 3 you want to recover
- You want a first-person fighter and a defined solo story: start with STAR WARS: Squadrons.
- You want a longer solo journey with exploration and gear progression: choose EVERSPACE 2, understanding that its action-RPG loop is broader than mission-to-mission combat.
- You want a combat simulator and flexible controls: investigate In The Black, but make the Early Access status part of your decision.
- You want the classic campaign lineage: look into FreeSpace 2 or the X-Wing/TIE Fighter games, then verify the exact title’s current availability.
- You want open-ended simulation more than a scripted campaign: consider Elite Dangerous as a different format, not a close structural substitute.
- You want to revisit the original: GOG currently lists Wing Commander 3, with offline installation available without GOG Galaxy.
Before you buy: check the details that can change the fit
Platform presence, product state, and genre fit are separate questions. A publisher linking to a store does not tell you whether a particular edition is currently in stock, whether a disc exists for the console version you own, or whether the game has an active multiplayer population. Likewise, a game supporting a class of controls does not mean a particular joystick is required or guaranteed to work.
- Confirm the exact platform and edition. Use the relevant publisher or platform storefront and check your region. This matters especially for physical copies and older games.
- Check product state. In The Black is marked Early Access on Steam. Read its current listing rather than treating planned full-release additions as present features.
- Match the structure to your preference. Look for an explicit single-player campaign if story-led missions are essential; do not assume that an open-ended sim will provide the same pacing.
- Verify controls for your own setup. The In The Black listing names HOTAS/HOSAS support. The cited information does not verify individual devices or establish that any external flight stick is necessary for the other recommendations.
- Separate current availability from historical reputation. Community recommendations can point you toward classics, but they do not prove that a title is currently sold or supported on your platform.
Final recommendation
For most players looking for a modern story-driven fighter game after Wing Commander 3, start with STAR WARS: Squadrons. It is the strongest match here for first-person starfighter combat paired with a confirmed single-player campaign. Choose EVERSPACE 2 if you would rather spend longer in a solo space adventure with RPG progression and exploration. Choose In The Black only if its combat-simulation direction appeals and you are comfortable with Early Access. If campaign structure matters more than modernity, check the availability of the classic FreeSpace and X-Wing titles before settling for a different kind of space sim.
Quick Recap
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