Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator

Sitting behind the control console of a starship and defending yourself against overwhelming numbers of Klingons is the dream of every Star Trek fan, and at the start of the eighties Sega's arcade game managed to turn it into reality. The conversion to the ColecoVision brought this experience into living rooms and promised a slice of arcade glory right by the television.

Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator is a space shooter with an emphasis on tactics. You control the Enterprise, destroy incoming enemies, protect bases and keep an eye on your energy, torpedoes and shield status. It's not mindless shooting, but constant juggling of limited resources, where you have to decide when to attack, when to dodge and when to pull back to resupply. It was precisely this layer of resource management that set the game apart from the ordinary shooting cabinets of its time.

The ColecoVision was the ideal choice for such a conversion. Thanks to its powerful graphics chip it handled a more colorful and smoother image than many competitors, so home versions of arcade games usually looked a notch better on it. For players who couldn't afford regular trips to the arcade, it was a way to have a piece of the cabinet experience at home.

The Star Trek license was a strong draw at the time. The brand had a huge fan base and the game benefited from the fact that players could control the iconic ship they knew from the screen. The combination of a popular series and brisk action was exactly the kind of product the market of the day responded to.

Today the game works as a pleasant time capsule, a reminder of an era when arcade hits moved into living rooms and when even a simple premise could sustain hours of fun. For Star Trek enthusiasts it also carries a nostalgic value that isn't easily matched.

Why play: Tactical space action with the iconic Star Trek license, ideal for fans of the series and lovers of classic arcade shooting games alike.