Kingmaker (video game)

Last updated

Kingmaker
Kingmaker game 1994.jpg
North American cover art
Developer(s) TM Games
Publisher(s)
Designer(s) Graham Lilley
Platform(s) Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS
Release1993: Amiga, Atari ST
1994: MS-DOS
Genre(s) Turn-based strategy
Mode(s) Single player

Kingmaker (known as Kingmaker: The Quest for the Crown in Europe) is a turn-based strategy game published by Avalon Hill in 1993. It was developed by American studio TM Games based on the Kingmaker board game.

Contents

Gameplay

Kingmaker simulates Wars of the Roses. Kingmaker reproduces the look and play of the board game almost exactly, allowing the player to compete with up to five computer controlled factions. The major change from the board game is the addition of a battle interface where the player can control his or her army in combat, but it is very simplistic and the option to resolve battles by the original method remains.

Reception

In Computer Gaming World in July 1994, Terry Lee Coleman rated the computer version of Kingmaker 3.5 stars out of five. While criticizing the lack of multiplayer in an adaptation of "a classic multiplayer boardgame" the reviewer said that it was "strangely addictive, and a class act". Approving of the "clever and varied AI", Coleman wrote, "Challenging and fun, despite its lack of high-tech glitz or multiplayer options, Kingmaker establishes a fine beachhead for AH's return to the computer wargame market." [1]

The editors of PC Gamer US nominated Kingmaker for their 1994 "Best Historical Simulation" award, although it lost to Lords of the Realm . [2]

By August 1996, Kingmaker had sold over 40,000 copies. In his Computer Gaming World column, Coleman summarized these figures as "decent for a computer wargame". However, he noted that it had outsold every Avalon Hill computer game released since, and that Avalon Hill's brand reboot on computers had not gone as hoped. [3]

Reviews

Related Research Articles

<i>Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord</i> 2000 video game

Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord is a 2000 computer wargame developed and published by Big Time Software. It is a simulation of tactical land battles in World War II.

<i>Carrier Command</i> 1988 video game

Carrier Command is a 1988 video game published by Rainbird for the Amiga, Atari ST, IBM PC compatibles, ZX Spectrum, Macintosh, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC. Carrier Command is a cross between a vehicle simulation game and a real-time strategy game where players control a robotic aircraft carrier.

<i>Realms</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Realms is a 1991 real-time strategy game produced by Graftgold Ltd. for MS-DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST. It was published by Virgin Games. In Realms, the player has to build cities, collect taxes, create troops and fight enemy cities and troops in order to defeat their opponents.

<i>Castles II: Siege and Conquest</i> 1992 video game

Castles II: Siege and Conquest is a 1992 real-time strategy game for the MS-DOS, developed by Quicksilver Software and published by Interplay Productions. Castles II is the sequel to the 1991 game Castles. Ports for the Amiga CD32, FM Towns, NEC PC-9801 were released in 1993. DOS CD-ROM version and Macintosh port were released in 1994. The Macintosh version of the game was published by Interplay's MacPlay brand name. GOG.com released an emulated version for Microsoft Windows in 2008.

<i>Achtung Spitfire!</i> 1997 video game

Achtung Spitfire! is a 1997 computer wargame developed by Big Time Software and published by Avalon Hill. It is a turn-based air combat game taking place during the early half of World War II, including fixed-wing aircraft, air battles and operations by Luftwaffe, Royal Air Force and French Air Force in 1939–1943.

<i>Hard Nova</i> 1990 video game

Hard Nova is a role-playing video game developed by Malibu Interactive and published by Electronic Arts in 1990 for DOS, Amiga and Atari ST. It is a follow-up to Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic.

<i>Centurion: Defender of Rome</i> 1990 video game

Centurion: Defender of Rome is a turn-based strategy video game with real-time battle sequences, designed by Kellyn Beck and Bits of Magic and published by Electronic Arts. Originally released for MS-DOS in 1990, the game was later ported to the Amiga and the Sega Genesis in 1991. Centurion shares much of the concept and feel with Beck's earlier game Defender of the Crown (1987).

<i>Command HQ</i> 1990 video game

Command HQ is a real-time strategy world domination game. It was released in 1990 by Microplay Software and was created by designer Danielle Bunten.

<i>RoboSport</i> 1991 video game

RoboSport is a 1991 turn-based tactics computer game. It was created by Edward Kilham and developed and published by Maxis.

<i>Overlord</i> (1994 video game) 1994 video game

Overlord is a combat flight simulator by Rowan Software. It was released in 1994 for Amiga and PC MS-DOS platforms.

<i>Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus</i> 1992 video game

Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus is the second game in the Elvira series of horror adventure/role-playing video games. It was developed by Horror Soft and published by Accolade in 1992. The game is a sequel to 1990's Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. It was followed by Waxworks, which can be considered its spiritual sequel.

<i>The Universal Military Simulator</i> 1987 video game

The Universal Military Simulator is a computer game developed by Rainbird Software in 1987 for the Macintosh, Tandy 4000, and IBM PC compatibles. In 1988, both Atari ST, Amiga versions were released. The game was created by Ezra Sidran. The PC and Amiga versions were ported by Ed Isenberg. The game spawned two sequels: UMS II: Nations at War and The War College: Universal Military Simulator 3.

<i>Harpoon</i> (video game) 1989 computer wargame

Harpoon is a computer wargame published by Three-Sixty Pacific in 1989 for DOS. This was the first game in the Harpoon series. It was ported to the Amiga and Macintosh.

<i>Pacific Islands</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Pacific Islands is a computer game published by Empire Interactive in 1992 for the MS-DOS, Amiga and Atari ST. It is the sequel to the 1987 video game, Team Yankee.

<i>Ultimate Domain</i> 1993 video game

Ultimate Domain, known as Genesia in Europe, is a computer game developed by Microïds and published by Mindscape initially on the Commodore Amiga in 1993 and then ported for the IBM PC in 1994. The original Amiga version is known to be one of the few commercial games developed in AMOS Basic.

<i>1830: Railroads & Robber Barons</i> 1995 video game

1830: Railroads & Robber Barons is a video game developed by Simtex and published by Avalon Hill in 1995 for MS-DOS.

<i>Operation Crusader</i> (video game) 1994 video game

Operation Crusader is a 1994 computer wargame developed by Atomic Games and published by Avalon Hill.

<i>Wooden Ships and Iron Men</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

Wooden Ships and Iron Men is a 1996 computer wargame developed by Stanley Associates and published by Avalon Hill. It is an adaptation of the board wargame Wooden Ships and Iron Men.

<i>Flight Commander 2</i> 1994 wargame video game

Flight Commander 2 is a 1994 computer wargame developed by Big Time Software and published by Avalon Hill. It was designed by Charles Moylan.

<i>5th Fleet</i> (video game) 1994 wargame video game

5th Fleet is a 1994 computer wargame developed by Stanley Associates and published by Avalon Hill.

References

  1. 1 2 Coleman, Terry Lee (July 1994). "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Sovereign". Computer Gaming World . No. 120. pp. 110–111.
  2. ↑ "The First Annual PC Gamer Awards". PC Gamer . 2 (3): 44, 45, 47, 48, 51. March 1995.
  3. ↑ Coleman, Terry (August 1996). "No Joystick Required". Computer Gaming World . No. 145. pp. 179 180.
  4. ↑ "Kingmaker review from Amiga Action 53 (Jan 1994) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
  5. ↑ "Kingmaker review from AUI Vol 8 No 3 (Mar 1994) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
  6. ↑ "Amiga Format Issue 54".
  7. ↑ "Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games!". www.kultboy.com (in German). Retrieved September 21, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.