Rogue Squadron is the logical evolution in LucasArts' Rebel Assault rail-shooter series. The original Rebel Assault debuted during the first generation of CD-ROM titles. During that time developers felt "obligated" to stuff the entire 650MB disk with filler, and more often than not opted to do so with Full Motion Video. Rebel Assault fit the bill perfectly, as it featured extremely handicapped control over the player's aircraft, set against various FMV background sequences. Player control was limited to negligible banking back and forth and firing weapons. Despite its technological shortcomings, Rebel Assault was a fun game to play nonetheless. It allowed for the use of various Rebel fighters, from the X-wing to the A-wing, and the game's missions were set throughout the Star Wars galaxy, from Tatooine to the Death Star.

While Rogue Squadron features the same criteria-based missions and vehicle selection of Rebel Assault, one minute behind the helm of this game will quickly end all the comparisons. Rogue Squadron doesn't limit the mobility of its vehicles. Players can do nose dives, rolls, loops, hard banks, high speed strafing runs and a host of other maneuvers. The game's engine and play mechanics are very similar to the Battle of Hoth sequence in LucasArts' Shadows of the Empire. Within an invisible "bubble", Rogue Squadron's environment is fully 3-dimensional. Players who venture too close to the edge of the bubble will have their vehicles turned around and pointed towards the direction of the action. By doing so, Rogue Squadron forces players to pay attention to the mission, and keeps the level of interactivity relatively high. Those who believe in Manifest Destiny will be relieved to know that size of these "bubbles" is fairly large, and a significant departure from the task at hand is needed to reach the edge of the allowable playing field.

The game is split up into four chapters, each with their own set of missions. In order to move from one mission to the next, certain criteria must be met, and they consist of more than "destroy all enemy targets and come back in one piece". Missions include escorting vulnerable convoys, providing ground and air support for rescue operations and preemptive strikes on Imperial Star Destroyer yards. These missions are also time sensitive, and more often than not, need to be executed within an allotted amount… usually not a whole lot either. The game's levels are based on an award system. A bronze medal signifies the completion of the minimum requirements within any given mission, and allows the player to move on to the next level. As more criteria are met, players are awarded more prestigious medals. Gaining these medals allow players to move through the ranks faster, which opens up previously unselectable aircraft.

Successful completion of these missions is no easy task. Thankfully, available to you are five powerful aircraft from the Rebel Alliance. Let's take an in-depth look at each one.