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Saturday, 13th April 2019

Space simulations: combat, trading and exploring space

iwar2-03.jpg

Space simulation games are part of a niche genre that appeals to specific gamers, not everyone like it. I think we can categorize two main groups of space sims players: the ones who only want to fight in space (no trading, no mining, etc) and the ones who like full scale simulations with trading, combat, missions, mining asteroids and so on. Me, I'm part of both groups, sometimes I enjoy a clean space fighter more than a full scale simulation, sometimes it's the other way around.

Elite was the game that started the genre and its developers never stopped developing sequels (think about Elite Dangerous). Since the first Elite, other devs tried to match the success of the first one with mixed success.

Here are a few space sims you might already know.

vehicle simulation - 1986 Deep space: Operation Copernicus
deepspace-2
vehicle simulation - 1993 Nomad
nomad-06
vehicle simulation - 1993 Protostar: War on the Frontier
protostar-04
vehicle simulation - 1988 Skyfox II: The Cygnus Conflict
skyfox2-05
vehicle simulation - 1997 Independence War
iwar-1-02
vehicle simulation - 2001 Independence War 2: Edge Of Chaos
iwar2-05