Stellar 7 (1982)

You’re probably all familiar with the tried-and-true tank simulation formula of the original Battlezone, created way back in 1980. Damon Slye, who would later be known for his excellent flight simulators (such as Aces of the Pacific and A-10 Tank Killer), decided to make his own version for home computers – with (gasp!) a plot.

They are a bit sluggish by today’s standards, but any game that could show 3D graphics back in the early ’80s was mighty impressive. While the Stellar 7 series has its roots in the early days of computer gaming, it had a resurgence during the early ’90s, when CD audio and full motion video were all the rage. These newer renditions are much faster and smoother, although they still look ancient by 21st century standards. All of them revolve around mankind’s attempt to destroy the evil Gir Draxon.

Apple II

The story of the original Stellar 7 goes as such: An evil emperor named Gir Draxon from the Arcturus system is sending out an armada of his most elite forces to wage war on Earth, occupying other systems as he goes. So you, a guy named John (and his super battle tank, the Raven), have to fight his forces across several levels. The story isn’t exactly Arthur C. Clarke material, but it helps to set things up for what really matters: blowing stuff up, Terran-style.

Outside of this plot, the gameplay is just like good ol’ Battlezone. You drive a tank around the countryside, occasionally shooting at wireframed enemy units. Enemies are quite varied in both form and behavior, and there are even places to recharge your energy. Once all the enemies are destroyed, the level ends and you are warped to the next system. The original version of Stellar 7 features wireframe graphics, which were pretty neat for the time. They run at a fairly decent framerate, and the models appear to be more complex than those of Battlezone.