So you love Baby Yoda and his television series which is oddly named The Mandalorian. Maybe you also like the bounty hunter action and western tropes and hey, who knows, you might even like the Mando himself. If that’s true, then here are some Star Wars comics, games, books and other stuff you should check out. Sadly, there is no Baby Yoda game. Yet.
Star Wars Bounty Hunter | Video Game | 2002 (Legends)
Of course, this game was going to be on this list. The Mandalorian is a TV show about a bounty hunter who is also (sort of) a Mandalorian and wears their armor. Star Wars Bounty Hunter is a video game about Jango Fett who also happens to be a bounty hunter, who is also (sort of) a Mandalorian and who also wears their armor.
After it was recently re-released on PS4, I went back and played Bounty Hunter and its fun, but clunky in that way most PS2 games of this era were. But if you can get used to the camera controls, there’s a decent Star Wars game here that lets you slip into the boots of a feared bounty hunter.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra | Comic | 2016
I’ve enjoyed most of the new Marvel Star War comics, but without a doubt, my favorite has been Doctor Aphra. She first appeared in the Darth Vader Marvel comic series, but quickly became a fan favorite. She’s smart, shady, tough and also has two evil murder droids as her companions. What more could you want?
Well, there’s a lot more, actually. Aphra eventually got her own series which is wrapping up soon. (Don’t worry, a new series starring Aphra is coming later.) But over the course of 40 issues, she got into all sorts of criminal and underworld shenanigans. She might not be as good of a person as the Mando, but if you want some fun adventures set in the grimy corners of the Star Wars universe, start reading Doctor Aphra.
The Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy | Books | 1998 (Legends)
That Boba Fett is a real troublemaker and survivor. While none of what happens in these books are considered canon anymore, it doesn’t make these stories any less great. This book is set after Fett was eaten by the Sarlacc creature in Return Of The Jedi.
If you like bounty hunters, this trilogy is for you. It also features stuff that would later show up in The Mandalorian and other canon stories, like the Bounty Hunter Guild.
Solo: A Star Wars Story | Movie | 2018
I know a lot of folks were down on this film when it first came out and I also know it didn’t do very well at the box office. But whatever, I thoroughly enjoyed Solo because it gave me what I wanted out of a Star Wars movie, people becoming friends, evil bad guys getting beaten, cool space combat and Lando. And Solo has all of that.
If you haven’t watched Solo yet and are craving some fun non-Jedi Star Wars adventures similar to what we see in The Mandalorian, give this film a shot.
Any episodes Of The Clone Wars featuring Cad Bane | TV Series | 2009
It is always odd how much love Boba Fett gets from Star Wars fans. Sure he had some cool stories in books and comics, but the film Boba Fett was a big dweeb who got killed by accident. If you want a cool, badass bounty hunter you should check out Cad Bane.
Cad Bane wears a big cowboy hat and chews on a toothpick, like a classic Old West villain. There was even a plan to have him and a young Boba Fett duel each other like two gunslingers straight out of the movies. Maybe we will get to see this scene finished in the revied Season 7 of Clone Wars. Regardless, if you have access to the Clone Wars series, which is on Disney+, you should watch some Cad Bane. (And honestly, the whole series is worth watching.)
Republic Commando | Video Game | 2005 (Legends)
Republic Commando isn’t a game about bounty hunters or old west-style shootouts. It’s a lite-tactical shooter with some squad management features. But if you love The Mandalorian because it doesn’t feature Jedis, lightsabers, Skywalkers, or annoying alien sidekicks, then you might enjoy Commando.
This is a darker, grittier and more grounded take on the Star Wars universe. Stuff looks more gnarly and deadly from the perspective of a solider and Republic Commando puts you in the boots of an elite squad leader who must lead his small group of clones through different battles from the Clone Wars. Warning, this game does end on a cliffhanger, but the rest of it is great and a nice break from all the Jedi and Sith stuff Star Wars games usually feature.
There is a lot of Star Wars books, games, TV shows and movies that I didn’t include on this list, but I feel like this is a good introduction to the more sketchy and dangerous part of the Star Wars universe.
If you have any other suggestions for other Star Wars books, TV episodes or whatever that people should check out if they love Mandalorian, recommend them in the comments below!