Best game to capture the wonder of space?

[tmc]

I was stood outside looking up at the moon the other night and getting caught up in the whole geeky wonder of space thing -

Now obviously i'm never gonna get to go up there, which got me thinking - which classic game for you best captured the wonder of space?

Now this can cover anything from freeform travel accross light years of unresticted space - to trade with querky alien types.

i dunno, you tell me and why?

and for my vote? a not-very original Elite 2: Frontier (Aminga 500)!

[FantasiaWHT]

Is Privateer old enough to count?

[KeyserSoze61]

Star Control 2 -- fairly open ended, good writing, dialogue, etc. Freely available for download now as The Ur-Quan Masters.

[koster]

Microsoft Space Simulator had decent graphics (http://www.planetmic.com/orbit/spasim02.htm) for its time. I'd love to see a current-gen console sequel/remake.

[playgeneration]

Star Raiders for the Atari 400/800, awesome game. Travelling at hyperspace to different parts of the galaxy to destroy enemy spaceships and save star bases, and stopping off at bases to re-fuel. You can play at different ranks, admiral etc for different difficulty levels. Theres plenty of different keys for sheildss, reverse view, computer targetting. Its a game that should be regarded as a classic, yet not many people seem to know about it.

[Pantechnicon]

Interesting question. I've always found a certain serenity in spaceflight as presented by LucasArts original X-Wing and Tie Fighter titles for the PC. After completing a mission I'll sometimes just noodle around for several minutes flying around stuff before hitting the hyperspace button and returning to base. Turn the game music and the lights in the room off for added ambience.

[98PaceCar]

Frontier (Amiga) always did it for me. It's the sequel to Elite, but had a ton more variation in the worlds than Elite did. I used to spend days just making cargo runs between worlds to make money for ship upgrades.

[blissfulnoise]

Exploring the galaxy? Star Control II, hands down. God bless Toys for Bob.

[namzep]

For me, it would have to be the original Master of Orion for PC. There is just something about the way the map is setup.

[idrougge]

I also vote for Elite II: Frontier.

[Sothy]

starflight for sega genesis

star control II for 3DO

[MrRoboto19XX]

I've got to say "Cosmic Conflict!" for the O^2.

[Jimid2]

I loved X-Wing in its day, but I think the best in-game "presentation" of the whole "wonder of Space" feeling has got to be found on disc 3 of Final Fantasy VIII - the space station, Rinoa's space walk, the drifting through the emptiness and watching the debris burn into the Earth's atmosphere... that entire section of the game was beautifully done, and contained the most memorable scenes from the entire RPG for me...

[Cornelius]

Mine have been listed:
Privateer - Don't remember too much of this game, other than the general impression that it felt very real and even gritty (in my 8? year old mind).

Star Con 2 - Upgradeable ship, a plethora of other ships to use, different races to meet and ally (or not) with. And a frankly great pvp melee mode where even the mighty Ur-Quan had a weakness (well, sort of).

Masters of Orion - I can't count the number of hours I've sunk into this game. Very much one of those "just one more turn" type of games.

[BydoEmpire]

Star Raiders for the Atari 400/800, awesome game. Travelling at hyperspace to different parts of the galaxy to destroy enemy spaceships and save star bases, and stopping off at bases to re-fuel. You can play at different ranks, admiral etc for different difficulty levels. Theres plenty of different keys for sheildss, reverse view, computer targetting. Its a game that should be regarded as a classic, yet not many people seem to know about it.I agree. I've been playing it a lot recently, and it still blows me away. Great game, and it really captures the mood well.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I remember really getting involved in Wing Commander for the SNES, which I haven't played for 12+ years now. I'm sure it would be very dated now, if I tried to play it. But I guess if I find it cheap enough I'd give it another go. That's the only game that comes to mind right now.

[Gentlegamer]

Asteroids.

[Technosis]

Well I can tell you one that doesn't: Atari StarShip :LOL: I thought the game was defective after hearing all the weird random sound effects in the background, but another gamer told me that was how "space" was supposed to sound :LOL:

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:fhK7d7o6Vroq5M:http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/games/drg000/g073/g073673pdwy.jpg

[GrandAmChandler]

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/grandamchandler/pic.pl.jpg

-GAC-

[InsaneDavid]

Is Privateer old enough to count?

Agreed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Commander:_Privateer). There is no other game that goes "here's the galaxy, go make a living for yourself" the way Privateer did. Then the universe would expand as you acquired more star charts. I shall never forget the hours spent running contraband porn to the prison colonies. lol

[sonoranreptile]

I remember playing Echelon for the Commodore 64 and having that feeling of wonder while exploring a new planet and trying to solve the mystery of what happened to the people there. It really made you feel you were "out there" and gave you just the slightest hint that maybe you weren't always alone......

[FantasiaWHT]

Freelancer felt very much like Privateer. More recent though, but still a great game.

Damn, I haven't played a great space shooter in way too long. *Goes to load up Rogue Squadron on GC*

[fcw3]

The Halley Project from the mid 80s. You used the stars to steer to the various planets and moons in our solar system. You base was Halley's Comet. I think it was on the Apple II but was also available on other computers of the time.

FRED

[Damaramu]

My top 3 from "back in the day":

TIE Fighter
Wing Commander: Prophecy
Colony Wars

[diskoboy]

Wow... No love for Space Wars??

And for modern games - Project Sylpheed (still whoring that game to death! ;) )

[theshizzle3000]

Kirby's Dreamland even had a good rendition of space and what not...nothing compared to X-Wing and the gang, but it was space nonetheless.

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

Wing Commander
Privateer
X2
Darkstar One (This is much better than I thought it would be. I might like it better than Freelancer)
Freelancer - (So cool to just pick a star you see and start flying towards it. And then come back literally hours later and find out that it was a real star with nothing around it...hehe...)

[Niku-Sama]

i think the name of the game i am thinking of is indipendence war 2 i am not sure though

[Icarus Moonsight]

I recall being so entranced by Homeworld's celestial serenity that I could barely play the game. I was content only moving the camera around and getting lost in checking things out. Soon afterwards my units would be getting swarmed and I'd have to restart. :)

[boatofcar]

I'd really like to play Elite, but I'm too afraid that without the nostalgia the game won't do anything for me. :(

EDIT: Great thread topic btw :)

[idrougge]

I'd really like to play Elite, but I'm too afraid that without the nostalgia the game won't do anything for me. :(


Go play Elite II then. I don't think that anyone's managed to expand on the notion of space (as a realistic, convincing place inhabited by humans) since then.

[Ed Oscuro]

System Shock 2

Depressurized!

[Barbarianoutkast85]

Toejam and Earl: Panic on Funkatron thats what the outer space and the moon is REALLY like. Not like the HOAX they pulled off in the basement of the White House in 1969...