From the back of the box: "The Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire are at war - whose side are YOU on? Who will reign supreme in this clash between the Rebels and the Empire? The Galactic Empire and Rebel alliance are locked in an epic battle to take control of the galaxy. In this game, featuring classic Star Wars characters, players must use their troops to advance the game board, occupy planets, fight battles and ultimately conquer their opponent."

Star Wars Galactic Conquest is a hex based strategy game where players use pawns and character pieces to conquer the key planets of the Star Wars universe. Victory is achieved when all planets have been captured and one player controls the majority (5 or more) of planets.