Category: Strategy and War Games

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Roger Keating & Ian Trout GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Studies Group (SSG) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Studies Group (SSG) Copyright 1990, Strategic Studies Group (SSG) Decisive Battles in American Civil War games were an early attempt by SSG to offer an accurate portral of the war that became a hit…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:R. T. Smith GAME DEVELOPER:Cases Computer Simulations GAME PUBLISHER:Cases Computer Simulations Copyright 1987, Cases Computer Simulations R.T. Smith, the creator and programmer for the fabulous game Encyclopedia of War: Ancient Battles, created a trio of World War Two games a few year earlier for the Spectrum…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kellyn Beck GAME DEVELOPER:Cinemaware GAME PUBLISHER:Cinemaware Copyright 1988, Cinemaware Defender of The Crown is unquestionably Cinemaware’s best game, and one of the best Amiga games ever released (although the PC version offers no less gameplay, it pales in comparison to the vibrant graphics and amazing soundtrack…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Lapkoff GAME DEVELOPER:Incredible Simulations, Inc. (ISI) GAME PUBLISHER:Incredible Simulations, Inc. (ISI) Copyright 1994, Incredible Simulations, Inc. (ISI) At 4 am, the lone bugler stirred. He could lie still in the Texas cold no longer. He arose and faced the forbidding walls 250 yards away. A…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier & Ed Bever GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1987, Firaxis Conflict in Vietnam, Crusade in Europe, and Decision in The Desert are three outstanding wargames, collectively released as “Command Series,” remain to this day some of the most well-balanced and fun wargames ever made.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Denis Dyack & Rick Goertz GAME DEVELOPER:Silicon Knights GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1994, Silicon Knights The last game Silicon Knights produced for SSI is reminiscent of SSI’s own Archon and Archon Ultra, but with even better gameplay and more strategic options. Command a fantasy…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Interstel GAME PUBLISHER:Interstel Copyright 1989, Interstel An average squad-level tactical game, D.R.A.G.O.N. Force is Interstel’s attempt to apply the same level of complex and realism used in Starfleet games to small-arms tactics . The result is mixed: while the game is decidedly more realistic…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Dani Bunten GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1980, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Designer extraordinaire Dani (nee Dan) Bunten’s third game for SSI is Cytron Masters, a fun futuristic 2-player strategy game that not only pushes the Apple II’s hardware to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Denis Dyack & Rick Goertz GAME DEVELOPER:Silicon Knights GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1992, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Better known as Steel Empire in Europe, which sold better than its US incarnation, Cyber Empire is a fun sci-fi strategy game that combines furious tactical combat…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Lapkoff GAME DEVELOPER:Incredible Simulations, Inc. (ISI) GAME PUBLISHER:Incredible Simulations, Inc. (ISI) Copyright 1995, Incredible Simulations, Inc. (ISI) It was hot that day. With the temperature hovering near 100 degrees, the thin blue line of cavalry troopers moved in a northwesterly direction. Just off a forced…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier & Ed Bever GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1987, Firaxis Conflict in Vietnam, Crusade in Europe, and Decision in The Desert are three outstanding wargames, collectively released as “Command Series,” remain to this day some of the most well-balanced and fun wargames ever made.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Steffen GAME DEVELOPER:Steffen Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Steffen Software Definitely the best gangster game I’ve ever played and one of the best shareware games ever, Crime Fighter is a game for up to 4 players where the objective is to commit as many crimes…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1993, Sierra On-Line Sierra’s adventure games have always included little arcade sequences that, for the most part, offer a fun diversion from puzzles at hand. Crazy Nick’s Picks games are collections of these games-within-a-game with a budget price…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1990, Firaxis Have you ever wanted to work for the CIA? Infiltrate the KGB? Black-mailpeople into becoming double agents? If you answered yes to any of the preceding then Covert Action is a game for you. Combining strategic thinking…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Fogstone Enterprises GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1992, Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) This is an excellent fantasy strategy game that could very well have influenced SSG in their design of acclaimed Warlords series. Control fantastic creatures, each with different strengths and abilities, in…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Norm Koger GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1991, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) “A serious simulation of the 1973 Yom Kippur War and a future Arab-Israeli War, this product was very detailed. Mouse implementation is is much easier than the designer’s…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Norm Koger GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1992, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Based on the engine of Conflict: Middle East, this is, in M. Evan Brooks‘ words, “A simulation of the Korean War (1950-51) and a hypothetical invasion (1995). Detailed…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier & Ed Bever GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1987, Firaxis Conflict in Vietnam, Crusade in Europe, and Decision in The Desert are three outstanding wargames, collectively released as “Command Series,” remain to this day some of the most well-balanced and fun wargames ever made.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ron Sutherland GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1984, Avalon Hill “A faithful rendition of the classic boardgame, its graphics and computer intelligence were probably never state-of-the-art, the AI was learning disabled and multi-player options were clumsy. Yet its faithfulness to its predecessor made this…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1985, Avalon Hill This classic early Avalon Hill game mirrors the board game very well. Take control of a Roman chariot and try to win races and gain glory in ancient Rome. There is a lot of strategy…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Sackson GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1991, Avalon Hill Computer Acquire is a faithful translation of AH’s famous boardgame of the same name. In this game of oligopoly, up to 6 players, any of which can be computer-controlled, compete to build a hotel…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Dani Bunten GAME DEVELOPER:Microplay GAME PUBLISHER:Microplay Copyright 1991, Microplay From Brian Moriarty’s tribute to Dani Bunten: “Microprose took up the cause of modem-based wargaming in a big way with the 1990 [Dani Bunten] release, Command HQ, which boasted a simple, clean user interface that made historical…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1993, Firaxis This Sid Meier classic is not severely underrated but certainly deserves as much acclaim as his classic Civilization for the novel design and refreshing emphasis on colony development as opposed to military might like Civil War games…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Martin Scholz GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1995, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) This updated version of SSI’s classic Clash of Steel is the same game, but with numerous bug fixes and AI enhancement. SSI should have included new maps or…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Martin Scholz GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1993, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) “A strategic and eminently playable simulation of World War II in the entire European Theater (including both Eastern and Western Theaters). Reminiscent of Avalon Hill’s boardgame Hitler’s War,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Steve Estvanik GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1985, Avalon Hill “Based on the Victory Games boardgame of the same title, this product covered the American Civil War (1861-1865). It showed how one can take a highly playable boardgame and turn it into an unplayable…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Fatman GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1987, Anonymous Chinese Chess Master is an excellent straightforward chinese chess program that has all the features one could hope for in this type of game, from options to rewind or fast forward moves, save game in progress, and varying…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Spectrum Holobyte GAME PUBLISHER:Spectrum Holobyte Copyright 1993, Spectrum Holobyte One of the best parody games ever, Chess Maniac 5 Billion and One, endorsed by the National Lampoon), took the classic Battle Chess idea of animated chess pieces one step further with parodies of pop…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:New World Computing GAME PUBLISHER:New World Computing Copyright 1995, New World Computing Chaos Overlords is an excellent board-game style game with a novel premise: lead your gang to victory in a post-apocalyptic city. The game is structured like a card game, with different cards…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:PSS GAME PUBLISHER:Mirrorsoft Copyright 1991, PSS Champion of the Raj is a unique strategy game that depicts the competition among the British, Maharajas, Monguls, and Gurkhas to claim India in the 1800s for their own. The accumulate-resources-to-raise-army approach of traditional conquer-thy-neighbor games is presented…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kellyn Beck GAME DEVELOPER:Electronic Arts GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1990, Kellyn Beck An entertaining game with bits of adventure elements (for example, at some point you’ll get to meet Cleopatra and try to– erm– win her favor), this game is reminiscent of the old Cinemaware classic…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:KOEI GAME PUBLISHER:KOEI Copyright 1995, KOEI Balor of the Evil Eye is an excellent strategy sleeper that never received sufficient publicity because KOEI abandoned the PC market at the time for console products. Which is very unfortunate, because Balor of the Evil Eye is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Richard Kim GAME DEVELOPER:Broken Arrow Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1997, Avalon Hill One of the most original but underrated strategy games of all time, Cavewars is a refreshing fantasy wargame that adds the Z-axis to the traditional two-dimension game map, adding a whole new dimension…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Gary Grigsby GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1992, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Gary Grigsby’s updated version of Carrier Force, it did not have the graphic capabilities of [SSG’s] Carriers at War II, but it did have a campaign option. While…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1995, Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) One of QQP’s last efforts after its buyout by American Laser Games, Card Players Paradise is a good collection of card games that are played in world class tournaments:…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Richard Carr GAME DEVELOPER:Carr Software GAME PUBLISHER:Carr Software Copyright 1995, Carr Software CGW’s Chuck Miller said it all in his review of this tremendously popular shareware game: “Based on the traditional outdoor diversion by the same name, [Capture The Flag] pits the player against an opponent…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Steve Estvanik GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1984, Avalon Hill A semi-historical abstraction of medieval warfare, this game lived down to Avalon Hill’s early standards in computer gaming. [excerpt from M. Evan Brooks’ Homepage] Certainly not the best depiction of medieval times. Those interested…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Fritz Bonner GAME DEVELOPER:Interplay GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1992, Strategic Visions Doubtless one of the most original strategy games I’ve ever played, Buzz Aldrin’s Race into Space is a computer simulation of man’s greatest adventure, the race to the moon, based on designer Fritz Bronner’s own obscure…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Wilfried Reiter & Albert Lasser GAME DEVELOPER:Max Design GAME PUBLISHER:JoWood Productions Copyright 1993, Max Design Burntime is an innovative post-apocalyptic strategy game from the makers of underrated strategy classic 1869. The goal is simple: to gain control of cities in the assigned area, in the harsh…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1994, Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Bridge Olympiad is a solid bridge that features a diverse set of strong opponents and a comprehensive (and *long*) tournament despite lacking the pizzazz of computer bridge games (e.g.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Thomas Carbone GAME DEVELOPER:Impressions GAME PUBLISHER:Impressions Copyright 1995, Impressions Breachis an early but detailed simulation of tactical level combat. Breach 2, a newer revision, adds more details and fits as a tactical subset into Rules of Engagement through Omnitrend’s innovative “Interlocking Game System.” Easy to learn…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Thomas Carbone GAME DEVELOPER:Omnitrend GAME PUBLISHER:Omnitrend Copyright 1991, Omnitrend Breachis an early but detailed simulation of tactical level combat. Breach 2, a newer revision, adds more details and fits as a tactical subset into Rules of Engagement through Omnitrend’s innovative “Interlocking Game System.” Easy to learn…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Thomas Carbone & William Leslie III GAME DEVELOPER:Omnitrend GAME PUBLISHER:Omnitrend Copyright 1988, Omnitrend Breachis an early but detailed simulation of tactical level combat. Breach 2, a newer revision, adds more details and fits as a tactical subset into Rules of Engagement through Omnitrend’s innovative “Interlocking Game…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:FranKennstein GAME PUBLISHER:RAW Entertainment Copyright 1995, FranKennstein Bravo Romeo Delta is an interesting wargame that lets you implement a “limited and controlled” strike against either America or Russia. You must find the precise timing, weight, and mix of nuclear responses to achieve victory while…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Al Benincasa & Joseph Benincasa GAME DEVELOPER:RAW Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:RAW Entertainment Copyright 1989, RAW Entertainment A conversion of the board game of the same name, this simulation of Battle of the Bulge had a confusing interface and lengthy game mechanics. Although it’s a faithful conversion, the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Stephen Jones GAME DEVELOPER:SDJ Enterprises GAME PUBLISHER:SDJ Enterprises Copyright 1989, SDJ Enterprises The Big Three is a grand strategic-level wargame set in World War II that covers the entire Europe, Northern Africa, and Eastern Russia. You can play as one of the “Big Three” (US, UK,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Marc Seekamp GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1997, Marc Seekamp Company’s blurb gets right to the point: “Beer! War is an economic simulation about breweries. You take control of a company and try to get the monopoly of beer production. But beware: there are nine opponents…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Landrey & Chuck Kroegel GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1989, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Released in 1991, this is a very realistic war game on the most famous battles of Napoleon’s career — the game comes with Borodino, Waterloo,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ken Lightner GAME DEVELOPER:Holistic Design GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1992, Holistic Design Like its former publisher QQP, Holistic Design is an underdog in the PC gaming industry. Battles of Destiny was their first game that definitely paves the its excellent descendant Emperor of the Fading Suns. In…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bruce Williams Zaccagnino GAME DEVELOPER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1995, Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) This abstract wargame, like The Pure Wargame after it, was obviously “rushed out the door” long before it was ready: the game was full of bugs, uninspiring…