Starflight: Genesis

[Bratwurst]

Surprisingly this wonderful game gets mentioned quite a bit around these here parts but I felt it was appropriate to give the Genesis port its own thread given the week's theme.

What a damn fantastic game, the graphics tend to be rather spartan at times but who cares? It's so vast that I play through it nearly every year or so and not remember everything. Exploring planets and robbing them of their natural resources remains absurdly addicting to this day.

When I first got ahold of this one it left me with a genuine feeling of being a starship captain, unlike the disappointing Star Trek Simulator on the Atari systems (which is what I had only been able to sample prior). Needless to say in 1991 I was cruising space just like Kirk and copping feels on my Elowan communications officer. Just like Kirk. Mmm, plant.

Also, if I am correct in my presumption, Starflight for the PC came out WELL BEFORE Star Control, and the Genny version comes in a plastic snap case, unlike Star Control's cardboard box. Starflight: 2-0.

Favorite race has to be the Veloxi though. That collective arrogance is too charming.

[nothingisttrue]

yea i agree great game. i suggest picking up the sequel here : http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?gameid=2087 its free and also a great game even though its a pc game and not a genesis game.

[Daniel Thomas]

I really dug Starflight way back when I discovered it. I remember playing it a lot in my dorm room in early '92, naming my crew after Metallica, and just travelling around, hunting for minerals and picking fights. It was quite a rush to discover that there was actually a plot to follow, and an overarching goal to the game. Everything was all so open-ended, allowing you to go at your own pace, or just chuck everything and screw around for kicks. Pretty much describes college itself.

I don't have anywhere near the patience or fortitude anymore to go through that game today, but I still remember it fondly as one of my favorite Genesis experiences. Hell, Starflight and warm beer stashed in your dorm -- what more can you ask for?

[ubersaurus]

One time i went through the game for the sole purpose of dropping planet bombs on homeworlds.

Ever so much fun. Eat that, Thryyn pricks.

[Graham Mitchell]

It's funny this game came up because I've been thinking about it a lot lately. It's shocking how much they crammed into this cartridge. A very rich and elegant game that I never beat. I majored in chemistry in college, and every time I had to work with tungsten, I remembered that this game was the first time I ever even heard that word.

[bargora]

Interesting--I just picked up Starflight for the Genesis last week (+manual, -box). I didn't know a damn thing about it, but just looking at it I could tell:
1) SPACE
2) Big honkin' manual
3) Probably a port of a PC game (text on cart reads "Sega conversion by BlueSky Software")

All of these factors pointed toward a complicated, StarCon type of thing, so I couldn't resist picking it up. Still haven't powered it up, but your posts make me think I ought to try it out sooner rather than later.

[SoulBlazer]

Starflight is indeed a classic. I always enjoyed 2 better myself (suggest playing the Apple port) but 1 is enjoyable. I first played it on the PC, but used to own the Gensis version.

And I THINK you're right -- Star Control came out a year or so later, and that was also a fun game. SC 2 is probaly one of the best PC games ever made, IMHO.

I wish there was more games like Starflight and Star Control out there.

[nothingisttrue]

well the-underdogs.org classifys it as starting the space exploration genre

[digitalpress]

I wish there was more games like Starflight and Star Control out there.

Check out games in the Elite lineage. Elite is all about space exploration as well, and has had a number of sequels that lead pretty much right up to the present.

[Graham Mitchell]

You know, since this post came up my memories of this game ate at me until I got the gumption to get a Genesis emulator and download this rom. I understand this game much more now that I have a degree (which is probably why so many kids my age didn't like it when it was released) and it has occurred to me how unique this game is.

I have never seen another game like this, ESPECIALLY not for the consoles. It's complex, but well worth checking out. I highly recommend anyone who hasn't played this and is sick of the, like, three available genres of games anymore should really check this game out. It made my Friday night, and totally mucked up my studying!

[Bratwurst]

Playing through this game again, it brought to mind perhaps the one complaint I have about it - lack of active alien cities to visit. Check out the Spemin, Elowan's second homeworld etc and there's nothing on the planet surface. Sure there are ruins and stuff to examine on other planets but it would have REALLY made the game if you could have visited other places in the sidescrolling style of the Arth space station.

[Graham Mitchell]

Playing through this game again, it brought to mind perhaps the one complaint I have about it - lack of active alien cities to visit. Check out the Spemin, Elowan's second homeworld etc and there's nothing on the planet surface. Sure there are ruins and stuff to examine on other planets but it would have REALLY made the game if you could have visited other places in the sidescrolling style of the Arth space station.

Yeah, I'll agree with you there, but bear in mind that walking around in the Arth space station is nothing but making menu choices, really. I don't think I'd let that minor quibble outweigh all the good things this game has going for it, like the creepy atmosphere, clever mythology, and analogies to racism and conflicting cultural ethics. Pretty bold for '91.

[SoulBlazer]

I never did like Elite -- and I'm not so sure why. :) At least Starflight and Star Control had some great plots and stories behind them.

Recently, the closest game I've played like that has been Freelancer. Good game, just the story part of it is short.

There was a pusdo Starflight 3 although it's not called that. I'd love to see a new game in either the SF or SC series, though.

[Daniel Thomas]

I wish there was more games like Starflight and Star Control out there.

Check out games in the Elite lineage. Elite is all about space exploration as well, and has had a number of sequels that lead pretty much right up to the present.

Just where exactly can I find a decent version of Elite? I've never been able to find a version to play. There was that NES version that, unfortunately, never worked for me, and a couple old shareware ripoffs. What are the better versions available?

[Bighab]

Starflight was a great game I remember beating back in 95/96. I loved attacking alien ships and flying over the wreakage afterwards to collect the minerals :D I found the game hard to play if you didn't have the Starmap to keep track of where all the jump points are. I kinda regret selling my sealed StarFlight 2 a few years back on ebay.