Technically superior to its two predecessors, the game is multiplayer oriented. XvT runs on Windows, and requires a joystick (the others could be played with mouse as well). Technical improvements include: CD audio soundtrack, high resolutions, texture mapping to the ship models of the in-flight game engine, 3dfx support and a sophisticated pilot and mission selection system which tracks the points and awards the player accomplishments.
The game engine was completely rewritten. In the previous two games, the player's craft was at the center of the game grid (at coordinates 0, 0, 0) and the position of all other items was stored relative to the player craft. "Movement" of the player craft therefore meant that the relative position of all other items was altered. This approach was only possible in single player mode, however, and had to be abandoned for a multiplayer game.
An important addition is the ability to choose the squadron that the player wants to participate in (e.g. in a disable and capture mission, the player can choose between either the Y-wings that disable a ship, or the X-wings that support them), ship, and armament. Furthermore, due to the multiplayer aspect most missions featured in the game can be flown by teams of players, either together against the computer or even pitting player teams against each other.
Response to the game, on the other hand, considered it infamous for being the only part of the series designed exclusively for multiplayer and/or personal practice only. The original X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter game lacks a storyline, coherent scenarios, and cutscenes.
The game does not content a story-driven campaign. Instead, the game only features two "Battles": Rebel Alliance Operation: Quick Strike and Imperial Fleet Operation: Clean Sweep. These Battles comprise eight individual combat missions each which can be played on either the Rebel or the Imperial side, either as single missions (Combat Engagements) or as a "Battle" where three successful missions are required for one side to be considered the winner. The individual scenarios grouped together in a "Battle" are stand-alone. They do not follow a storyline and have no clear chronological order.
- Dreadnaught Warlover Attacks Rebel Cargo Operation
- Raid on Goibniu Platform
- Raid on Rebel Factory Koensayr 42
- Attack on Imperial-class Star Destroyer Tormentor
- Ambush of Rebel Leader at Airam Platform
- Raid on Imperial Convoy near Atterol
- Frigate Duel: Malevolent vs. Endeavor
- Attack on Victory-class Star Destroyer Formidable
The scenarios from the Battles, and the two Campaigns provided in the BoP expansion, contribute canon in a similar fashion to the storylines of previous (and subsequent) games of the series.
Although grouped together into Battles, the isolated nature of these combat scenarios makes it difficult to pinpoint when or even in which order they occurred. It seems clear that they take place prior to the Battle of Endor though, while the deployment of TIE Avengers in some missions means that these missions at least take place no earlier than the inception of this particular starfighter around 2 ABY.
Since the combat missions from the Battles are standalone missions that can be played for either side, the outcome of these engagements naturally depends on the actions of the player(s). While the actual occurrence of the individual mission can therefore be considered canonical, the outcome is unknown; generally it is safe to assume that a given Battle mission ended in a draw and neither side managed to fulfill their mission objectives.
A cut-down version of X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, subtitled Flight School, was re-released as part of the X-Wing Collector Series, which also contained the Collector's CD-ROM versions of the first two games. In this edition, X-Wing and TIE Fighter are retrofitted with the X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter graphics engine, which uses texture mapping instead of Gouraud shading and uses XvT physics (Most notably faster 'laser' speed and de/acceleration), but omits the I-MUSE dynamic music system.
- "" — Star Wars Insider 40
- "Red Five, I'm Going In" — Star Wars Insider 65
- "The Rebel Bruiser" — Star Wars Insider 152
- Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, New Edition