Summary
- Release Year: 1981
- Genres: Adventure, Shooter, Simulator, Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS)
- Platforms: Atari 2600
- Developers: Atari
- Publishers: Sears
Stellar Track (1981): A Text-Based Strategy Classic
Released in 1981 by Sears, Stellar Track is a text- and turn-based strategy game that puts the player in control of a Terran Super Warship on a mission to clear out alien ships from all quadrants of a galaxy. A conversion of a college mainframe Star Trek game, Stellar Track is a suitably primitive game by today’s standards, but it remains a fun and challenging experience for fans of classic strategy games.
Gameplay
The game is played on a 6×6 galactic map, with the player’s ship starting in the center quadrant. Each quadrant can contain enemy ships, starbases, or nothing at all. The player uses the joystick to move the ship around the map and to select actions from a menu.
Actions include:
- Scan: Scans the current quadrant for enemy ships and starbases.
- Warp: Moves the ship to a new quadrant.
- Attack: Attacks an enemy ship with either phasers or photon torpedoes.
- Repair: Repairs the ship’s hull and engines.
- Refuel: Refuels the ship’s engines.
The player’s goal is to clear out all of the enemy ships from the galaxy. To do this, the player must use the scan action to locate enemy ships, then warp to their quadrant to confront them. The player can use either phasers or photon torpedoes to attack enemy ships. Phasers are less powerful but have a longer range, while photon torpedoes are more powerful but have a shorter range.
The player must also be careful to manage their ship’s resources, including hull integrity, fuel, and energy. If the ship’s hull integrity drops to zero, it will be destroyed. If the ship’s fuel drops to zero, it will be unable to move. And if the ship’s energy drops to zero, it will be unable to fire its weapons or use its shields.
Graphics and Sound
Stellar Track is a text-based game, so there are no graphics to speak of. The game does have a simple sound engine that provides basic sound effects for actions such as firing weapons and exploding ships.
Difficulty
Stellar Track is a challenging game, even for experienced strategy gamers. The enemy AI is aggressive and unforgiving, and the player must carefully manage their resources in order to survive. The game also features a number of random events that can make the player’s life even more difficult, such as asteroid fields and solar flares.
Legacy
Stellar Track is a classic text-based strategy game that has been enjoyed by gamers for over 40 years. It is a simple game by today’s standards, but it remains a fun and challenging experience for fans of the genre.
Tips for Playing Stellar Track
Here are a few tips for playing Stellar Track:
- Use the scan action frequently. This will help you to locate enemy ships and starbases, and to avoid running into them accidentally.
- Be careful not to overextend yourself. If you move too far away from your starbase, you may find yourself stranded without fuel or energy.
- Use phasers for long-range attacks and photon torpedoes for short-range attacks. Phasers have a longer range but are less powerful, while photon torpedoes are more powerful but have a shorter range.
- Repair your ship regularly. This will help to keep your ship in good condition and prevent it from being destroyed.
- Refuel your ship regularly. This will help to keep your ship moving and prevent it from being stranded.
Conclusion
Stellar Track is a classic text-based strategy game that is still fun to play today. It is a challenging game, but it is also a rewarding one. If you are a fan of strategy games, then I highly recommend checking out Stellar Track.
Review Score
7/10
Art
Cover Art
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