#HFrom Computer Gaming World's November 1996 Anniversary Edition
#Uhttp://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/150best.htm
#N1. Sid Meier's #TCivilization #PMicroprose #D1993
#CWhile some games might be equally addictive, none have sustained
quite the level of rich, satisfying gameplay quite like Sid Meier's magnum
opus. The blend of exploration, economics, conquest and diplomacy is augmented
by the quintessential research and developemnt model, as you struggle to erect
the Pyramids, discover gunpowder, and launch a colonization spacecraft to Alpha
Centauri. For its day, Civ had the toughest computer opponents around - even
taking into account the "cheats," that in most instances added rather
than detracted from the game. Just when you think the game might bog down, you
discover a new land, a new technology, another tough foe - and you tell
yourself, "just one more game," even as the first rays of the new sun
creep into your room...the most accute case of game-lock we've ever felt.
#E
#N2. #TUltima IV #POrigin #D1984#E
#N3. #TMule #PEA #D1983#E
#N4. #TRed Baron #PSierra #D1990
#CWhile Falcon 3.0 (see below) may be the most impressive from a
technical standpoint, there is little question that Red Baron is the better
game. Damon Slye honed his craft while designing action hits like Stellar 7 and
Skyfox, but with pure flight sims, he found his metier. With all the realistic
options turned on, Red Baron is a bear to fly; it's all you can do to keep the
fragile wings from tearing off. Rotary aircraft snap to the right, machine guns
jam at the worst time - just exactly how you would expect these rickety
constructions of wood and fabric to behave. When you toss in the interesting
missions and wonderful campaigns, it's hard to imagine a better flight
experience. A tribute to the design is that despite its dated VGA graphics, it
is still selling. If Red Baron II is anywhere near as good, flight sim fans
will have ample reason to rejoice.#E
#N5. #TDoom #Pid Software #D1993
#CSimply the best action game of all time. Even though DOOM wasn't
true 3D, it transformed the way everyone thought about the PC as a fast gaming
machine. If you want to see us rhapsodize some more, check out this month's
Hall of Fame.#E
#N6. #TSim City #PMaxis #D1987#E
#CThe ultimate in software toys almost never got published.
Supposedly, there just wasn't "enough game," a description belied by
the dynamic city construction involved. After you built your city from scratch,
you had to run it, and the continued success comes not so much from the
mechanics, but from tapping into the sheer joy of discovery. Challenging on
many levels, it evaluates your performance even as you enjoy it. It's hard to
ask much more than that from any game.#E
#N7. #TWing Commander #POrigin #D1990#E
#N8. #TEmpire #PInterstel #D1978#E
#N9. #TWasteland #PInterplay #D1987
#CA fascinating science fiction story set in a post-nuclear world of
disintegrating technology, dysfunctional society and mutant organisms,
Wasteland was the first game many of us played where the other members of the
player's adventuring party acted like "real" people instead of
inventory cabinets with names and automatons with skill sets. Ask the party to
divvy up the cash and one or more might refuse. Try to get a party member to
cough up his/her last clip of ammo? No way!#E
#N10. #TFalcon 3.0 #PSpectrum HoloByte #D1991
#CFalcon 3.0 was the first jet simulation to offer a truly realistic
flight model, but it didn't stop there. It also introduced the useful (and
necessary) wingmen and the first truly dynamic flight sim campaign. Moreover,
Falcon 3.0 was also one of the first games to support multiplayer network play.
The fact that the game is still in the shelves more than five years after its
initial release is testament to its quality and advanced design.#E
#N11. #TFPS Football 1995 #PSierra #D1994#E
#N12. #TLemmings #PPsygnosis #D1991
#CThe cries of "Oh no!" as you'd sacrifice a Lemming in an
effort to save its brethren proved that the death of little animals had never
been so cute. This diabolical puzzle game starts with simple challenges and
works you steadily towards ultra-challenging conundrums that require
split-second timing with the mouse. In its initial release, the PC version was
a poor imitation of its Amiga predecessor, but the Win 95 update included with
Lemmings Paintball should be snatched up by all who missed this classic.
#E
#N13. #TZork #PInfocom #D1981
#CIt all started with a little letter in a mailbox outside a small
white house. From here began a magic journey into the land of Frobozz. This
seminal Infocom text adventure combined challenging puzzles, wonderful
descriptive prose, and a touch of humor to create a rich universe that existed
not in SVGA graphics, but within your head. A far different tone than the campy
Return to Zork or the dark Zork Nemesis made this a universe many early gamers
would spend all their non-school hours glued to until it was fully explored.
#E
#N14. #TTetris #PSpectrum Holobyte #D1988#E
#CThis insidious little puzzle game may have been the Soviet Union's
last-ditch attempt at destroying American productivity. If personal computers
had been more commonplace in 1988, it darned well might have succeeded. The
seemingly simple task of matching falling blocks would become an obsession, to
the point that many gamers would find themselves rotating Tetris blocks in
their dreams.#E
#N15. #TPanzer General #PSSI #D1994
#CMost of us that play wargames began for a variety of reasons, but
chief among them was that we wanted to be Patton, or Lee, or Rommel for a day.
Panzer General lets you do just that, in a series of tough scenarios and
exciting campaigns. PG isn't for everybody, since every time realism and fun
clash, the latter wins out. But what the game lacks in historical insights, it
more than makes up for in variety: the amphibious invasion of Norway; the
airborne assault on Crete; the sweeping armored battles of Kursk and North
Africa. Panzer General made more realistic games like Steel Panthers possible,
because it made wargames fun - and marketable - again.#E
#N16. #TWizardry #PSir-Tech #D1981
#N17. #TGabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within #PSierra #D1996#E
#CA hauting tale from Jane Jensen, the interactive Ann Rice, which
successfully blended the psychological and supernatural, an adventure game
interface and full motion video.#E
#N18. Sid Meier's #TPirates! #PMicroProse #D1987
#CThe Amiga version of this hybrid game of exploration, combat and
role-playing was by far the best, with smooth ship combat and fast-action
sworldplay.#E
#N19. #TSecret of Monkey Island #PLucasArts #D1989
#CWho could ever forget the insult-driven duel system or the identity
of the mysterious Swordmaster?#E
#N20. #TArchon #PEA #D1984#E
#N21. #TTheir Finest Hour #PLucasArts #D1990#E
#N22. #TX-COM #PMPS #D1994
#CThe best tactical system for squad-based combat combines with an
excellent R&;D model and pop culture about aliens and UFOs for an incredibly
addictive strategy experience.#E
#N23. #TMight &; Magic #PNew World #D1986
#N24. #TRaid on Bungeling Bay #PBroderbund #D1984#E
#N25. #TEarl Weaver Baseball #PEA #D1986#E
#N26. #TLinks 386 #P Access #D1992#E
#CWhen a "386" golf game is still selling to Pentium Pro
owners, you know it's good.#E
#N27. #TMechWarrior 2 #PActivision #D1995
#CThe atmosphere and background story made this giant robot game an
amazingly immersive experience.#E
#N28. #TWarcraft II #PBlizzard #D1995
#CDoesn't reach all of its lofty goals, but it's fast, furious and
compelling - what Interplay's Tolkien games should have been.#E
#N29. #TStar Control 2 #PAccolade #D1994
#CStarControl 2 was a fast-paced space game with a stunning blend of
adventure, action, and humor.#E
#N30. #TPopulous #PBullfrog #D1988
#N31. #TNASCAR Racing #PPapyrus, #D1994#E
#CIts fast action on the track introduced computer gaming to a whole
new market.#E
#N32. #TM-1 Tank Platoon #PMPS #D1989#E
#N33. #TMaster of Orion #PSimtex/MPS #D1993
#CSteve Barcia leaped to the stage with this Sid Meier's Civilization
meets Reach for the Stars game of space conquest.#E
#N34. #TDay of the Tentacle #PLucasArts #D1993
#CDOTT completely blew away its ancestor, Maniac Mansion, with its
smooth animated sequences, nifty plot and great voiceovers.#E
#N35. #TChuck Yeager's Air Combat #PEA #D1989#E
#CThree eras of air combat came together in this flight sim classic.
For the Korean War, this is the only flight sim which has addressed it. #E
#N36. #TQuake #Pid #D1996
#CThe ultimate implementation of the deathmatch, Quake also creates
the spookiest atmosphere ever presented in an action game.#E
#N37. #TDuke Nukem 3D #PApogee #D1996
#CA close match for Quake, with any deficiencies in its 3D engine
made up for by its bizarre, and sometimes earthy, humor.#E
#N38. #TCrusader: No Remorse #POrigin #D1995
#CIn an industry dominated by Doom-clones, this shows that the view
action game has a lot of very visceral appeal left.#E
#N39. #TRed Storm Rising #PMicroprose #D1989#E
#N40. #THarpoon #P360 Pacific #D1989#E
#N41. #TSid Meier's Railroad Tycoon #PMPS #D1990
#CSid's fascination with railroading begat a combination of SimCity,
1830 and the ultimate model railroad that will be a strategy game icon for
years to come.#E
#N42. #THitchhiker's Guide #PInfocom #D1985#E
#N43. #TBetrayal at Krondor #PDynamix #D1993
#CThe universe of Raymond E. Feist came to brilliant life in this 3D,
first-person perspective role-playing game.#E
#N44. #TUltima VI #POrigin #D1990#E
#N45. #TRocket Ranger #PCinemaware #D1988#E
#N46. #TChessmaster #PSoftware Toolworks #D1986
#CThe best of a competitive pawn-pushing lot, Chessmaster stays ahead
of the competition with AI opponents based on real-life Grandmasters. #E
#N47. #TAces of the Pacific #PDynamix #D1992
#CCorsairs came alive in this WWII sim that set new standards for
graphics and performance.#E
#N48. #TCommand &; Conquer #PWestwood #D1995
#CNot quite as complete a design as Warcraft II, this still set a new
standard for great multiplayer play combined with a good back story told
through top-notch cinematics.#E
#N49. #TDungeon Master #PFTL #D1987#E
#N50. #TPinball Construction Set #PEA #D1983#E
#N51. #TReach for the Stars #PSSG #D1984
#N52. #TF#P9 Stealth Fighter #PMicroProse #D1988#E
#N53. #TSteel Panthers #PSSI #D1995#E
#CGary Grigsby's superb implementation of tactical combat in WWII was
the culmination of such successes as Kampfgruppe, Panzer Strike
and Typhoon of Steel.#E
#N54. #TWing Commander III #POrigin #D1994
#CThrilling space action in the first successful interactive movie.
The beginning of a new breed?#E
#N55. #TStarflight #PElectronic Arts #D1986#E
#N56. #TTIE Fighter #PLucasArts #D1994
#CA far better simulation of the Star Wars universe than X-Wing,
winning in this space combat game relied more on flying skills than
puzzle-solving.#E
#N57. #TNBA Live #PEA Sports #D1994#E
#N58. #TSuspended #PInfocom #D1983
#CControlling remote robots gave this SF text adventure a unique
flavor.#E
#N59. #TGettysburg #PSSI #D1986#E
#N60. #TEF2000 #PDigital Integration #D1995
#CGraphics, sound, and realism took a flying leap forward in this
combat sim.#E
#N61. #TSeven Cities of Gold #PEA #D1983
#N62. #TIncredible Machine #PSierra #D1993 #E
#CThis Rube Goldberg-style puzzle game was fresh in concept and long
on gameplay.#E
#N63. #TFaery Tale Adventure #PMicroIllusions XX#E
#N64. Marathon #PBungee, #D1994#E
#N65. #TWings #PCinemaware #D1991#E
#N66. #TWorld Circuit #PMicroProse #D1992#E
#N67. #TSyndicate #PBullfrog #D1993#E
#N68. #TUltima Underworld #POrigin #D1992
#CWith the 3D look that paved the way for other point-of-view games,
the Looking Glass design team immersed gamers in a more intense Britannia. #E
#N69. #TLeisure Suit Larry #PSierra #D1988
#CLowe's Larry's lascivious, lecherous life was launched in this
remake of lewd text game, Softporn.#E
#N70. #TDune 2 #PWestwood #D1992
#CCommand &; Conquer's predecessor used the universe of Dune as
the environment for a fabulously engaging real-time strategy game.#E
#N71. #TAces of the Deep #PDynamix #D1994
#CThis U-boat simulator is still unrivaled for creating an authentic
atmosphere.#E
#N72. #TSolitaire's Journey #PQQP #D1992#E
#N73. #TQuest for Glory #PSierra #D1987
#CWhoever heard of combat in a Sierra adventure? Attributes? Skills?
Corey and Lori Cole made it work in the hybrid adventure/role-playing game.
#E
#N74. #TSecret of Monkey Island II #PLucasArts #D1990
#CLeChuck was back and managed to provide the unhappily ever after
for a washed-up pirate hunter named Guybrush.#E
#N75. #TYou Don't Know Jack #PBerkeley Systems #D1995
#CThis irreverent cyber game-show will glue the most computer-phobic
to the screen.#E
#N76. #TShadow of the Beast #PPsygnosis #D1989#E
#N77. #TWarlords II #PSSG #D1993#E
#N78. #TBalance of Power #PMindscape #D1983#E
#N79. #TFlight Simulator II #PSubLogic #D1984#E
#N80. #TLode Runner #PBroderbund #D1983#E
#N81. #TLoom #PLucasArts #D1982
#CLoom featured one of the most beautiful scores ever to grace an
adventure game and a musical staff interface that was most original.
#E
#N82. #TRescue at Fractalus #PEpyx #D1987#E
#N83. #TRise of the Dragon #PDynamix#D1990#E
#N84. #TPrince of Persia #PBroderbund #D1990
#CAn acrobatic platformer with amazingly fuid action, Prince of
Persia let you become the legenday Thief of Baghdad.#E
#N85. #TRobot War #PMuse #D1981#E
#N86. #TSilent Service #PMicroProse #D1985#E
#N87. #TF/A8 Interceptor #PEA #D1987#E
#N88. #TAlone in the Dark #PI-Motion #D1992
#CFollowing on the heels of Out of this World, Alone in the Dark
showed that 3D action needn't get in the way of a tense, exciting story. #E
#N89. #TBard's Tale #PEA #D1985
#CWith three-point monster animations, 3D maze window and new
character classes, Michael Cranford's story started the successful trilogy. #E
#N90. #TCarriers at War #PSSG #D1992#E
#N91. #TBattles of Napoleon #PSSI #D1985
#N92. #TDefender of the Crown #PCinemaware #D1986#E
#N93. #TIndiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis #PLucasArts #D1993#E
#CThree games in one, Hal Barwwod's Indy adventure let the gamer
regulate the way it was to played without losing its impact as a story-based
game.#E
#N94. #TKing's Quest V #PSierra #D1990
#CWith King's Quest V, Roberta Williams horrified Sierra
tradionalists by getting the parser out of the way of some of the most
beautiful graphics ever.#E
#N95. #TSam &; Max Hit the Road #PLucasArts #D1993
#CThe adventure game that redefined "wacky" as Steve
Purcell's crazy animal detectives visit alligator farm miniature golf courses
and freak shows.#E
#N96. #TStar Trek: Judgement Rites #PInterplay #D1994
#N97. #TWolfenstein 3#PApogee #D1992#E
#N98. #TSystem Shock #POrigin #D1994#E
#CThis hybrid action/adventure/RPG didn't get the credit it deserved
for its tight cyberpunk plot, believable characters, and SHADAN, an excellent
villain.#E
#N99. #TUnder a Killing Moon #PAccess #D1993
#CCampy humor combined with amazing 3D scenery in this futuristic
film noir.#E
#N100. #TAH-64D Longbow #PJane's #D1996
#CThe first helicopter sim to match its fixed-wing counterparts for
realistic play.#E
#N101. #TKampfgruppe #PSSI #D1985#E
#N102. #TGunship #PMPS #D1989#E
#N103. #TEric the Unready #PInterplay #D1992#E
#CFull of puns, punchlines and personality, Eric the Unready was not
only one of the funniest games of all time, but Bob Bates' masterpiece.
#E
#N104. #TDeadline #PInfocom #D1982
#CDeadline was a tough text adventure that placed you in the midst of
an intricate police procedural and let you wander around a mansion.
#E
#N105. #TCrusaders of the Dark Savant #PSir-Tech #D1987
#N106. #TBattle Chess #PInterplay #D1988#E
#CStar Wars' Chewbacca would have felt right at home with this chess
game enhanced by funny, elaborate animated sequences and spectacular special
effects.#E
#N107. #TPerfect General #PQQP #D1989
#CAs in Empire, Mark Baldwin (with new partner Bob Rakowsky) took a
proven design (Bruce Williams Zaccagnino's table-top strategy game) and made it
better.#E
#N108. #TNeuromancer #PInterplay #D1988#E
#N109. #TPacific War #PSSI #D1992
#CArguably the most ambitious wargame design in history, Gary
Grigsby's magnum opus lets you refight the campaigns in the Pacific on a
day-by-day basis.#E
#N110. #TOperation Crusader #PAH/Atomic #D1994#E
#N111. #TWayne Gretzky Hockey #PBethesda #D1989#E
#N112. #TTV Sports: Football #PCinemaware #D1987#E
#N113. #TMonopoly #PVirgin/Hasbro #D1995
#CBased on the quintessential family boardgame, this Internet-capable
version of Monopoly offered more than we ever expected in a computer version. #E
#N114. #TJagged Alliance #PSir-Tech #D1995
#N115. #TBattleGround: Waterloo #PTalonsoft #D1996#E
#CThe grand age of warfare comes to life with colorful uniforms,
delightful landscapes, and above-average opponent AI in this recent release. #E
#N116. #TCastle Wolfenstein #PMuse #D1981#E
#N117. #TBeach Head #PAccess #D1983#E
#N118. #TFighter Duel Pro 2 #PJaeger Software #D1993#E
#N119. #TPinball Dreams #P21st Century Entertainment #D1990
#CSmooth scrolling and great ball physics made this Amiga game a
wizard's choice.#E
#N120. #TTrinity #PInfocom #D1986
#CBrian Moriarty's text adventure based on the Manhattan Project was
a tense, ethical tightrope walk through the Cold War.#E
#N121. #TVirtua Fighter PC #PSega #D1996
#CThe best of the horizontal-scrolling fighting games, this title
succedds on a platfor for which it was not designed.#E
#N122. #TIndianapolis 500 #PEA #D1989#E
#CThe nascent Papyrus redefined the racing sim on the PC and Amiga
with this game that allowed you to go backwards on the Indianapolis
"Brickyard" for the first time.#E
#N123. #TDescent II #PInterplay #D1996
#CBuilds on the promise of the original with better 3D effects and
enemy AI.#E
#N124. #TDeathtrack #PActivision #D1989#E
#N125. #TWarcraft #PBlizzard #D1994
#CA spirited real-time rendition of the age-old conflict between Orcs
and Humans, with an especially elegant network setup routine.#E
#N126. #TWar in Russia #PSSI #D1984
#CGary Grigsby's strategic level game of combat on WWII's eastern
front was the first "monster game" on the computer that came close to
SPI's huge boxed sets.#E
#N127. #TStar Control #PAccolade #D1992
#CSpace War enters the 90s with a touch of humor.#E
#N128. #TTony LaRussa 3 #PStormfront #D1995#E
#N129. #TMiG Alley Ace #PMicroProse #D1984#E
#N130. #TOgre #POrigin #D1986#E
#N131. #TPresident Elect #PSSI #D1981#E
#N132. #TLexi#Pross #PInterplay #D1991#E
#N133. #THeroes of Might &; Magic #PNew World #D1995
#CThis award-winning remake of The King's Bounty is a brilliantly
balanced game of fantasy combat the quickly becomed addictive.#E
#N134. #TI Have No Mouth and I Must Scream #PCyberdreams #D1995
#CHarlan Ellison's dark, despairing story makes a smooth transition
to dark, despairing adventure game.#E
#N135. #TNukeWar #PAvalon Hill #D1983#E
#N136. #TDark Castle #PSilicon Beach #D1986#E
#N137. #TMagic Carpet #PBullfrog/EA #D1994
#CDarned weird rules were offset by a rich, 3D world to explore and
conquer.#E
#N138. #TArcticFox #PEA #D1986#E
#N139. #TMean Streets #PAccess #D1989#E
#N140. #TCrystal Caliburn #PStarplay #D1993
#CNot as many tables as we'd like, but it looks and sounds like real
pinball. The multiball action leaves Tristan in the dust.#E
#N141. #TMaster of Magic #PMPS #D1994
#COnce patched, this fantastic strategy game was almost a Sid Meier's
Civilization/Magic: The Gathering hybrid.#E
#N142. #TBlue Max #PSynapse #D1983#E
#N143. #TTyphoon of Steel #PSSI #D1987#E
#N144. #TUltima III #POrigin #D1983#E
#N145. #TKasparov's Gambit #PEA #D1993
#CNot up to the standard set by Chessmaster, but this was the first
to effectively use multimedia in illuminating the mysteries of chess. Strong AI
didn't hurt, either.#E
#N146. #TShangai #PActivision #D1986
#CThis mah-jongg style game not only transfixed puzzle games of both
sexes during the '80s, but even has version on dedicated word processors in the
Far East.#E
#N147. #TSword of Fargoal #PEpyx #D1992#E
#N148. #TTigers on the Prowl #PHPS #D1994#E
#N149. #TCourtside College Basketball #PHaffner #D1984#E
#N150. #TStarFleet I #PInterstel #D1985#E