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ToBoldlyPlay:TheBestandWorstStarTrek
Videogames
byJasonDietz,MetacriticFeaturesEditor
February19,2010
18usercomments
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Grades
User
Score
86
25,0,0
9.3
2002
82
20,4,0
8.1
3DShooter
2000
81
18,5,0
8.5
Strategy
2001
78
7,2,0
7.5
RTS/Simulation 2002
78
11,7,0
9.2
2003
78
21,7,0
7.4
RTS/Simulation 2000
77
9,7,0
9.3
Genre
Year
1 StarTrekVoyager:EliteForce
FPS
2000
2 StarTrek:BridgeCommander
Simulation
3 StarTrekDeepSpaceNine:TheFallen
4 StarTrek:StarfleetCommand:OrionPirates
StarTrek:StarfleetCommandIII
StarTrekEliteForceII
7 StarTrek:StarfleetCommandVolumeIIEmpires
atWar
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Action/Sim
2000
74
5,9,0
10.0
9 StarTrek:ArmadaII
RTS
2001
65
4,7,2
8.0
10 StarTrek:AwayTeam
RTS
2001
64
3,16,3
8.5
MetacriticUsersPicktheBestof
2015
RTS
2001
64
1,4,0
6.2
January7,2016
Strategy
2000
63
2,6,2
n/a
MMORPG
2010
63
4,6,1
6.4
Action
2001
62
2,6,2
8.6
Action/RTS
2006
56
1,20,4
4.0
RTS
2000
52
4,9,10
8.1
Action
2009
50
4,19,0
4.1
8 StarTrek:KlingonAcademy
January19,2016
StarTrek:DeepSpaceNine:DominionWars
12 StarTrek:ConQuestOnline
StarTrekOnline
14 StarTrekVoyager:EliteForceExpansionPack
15 StarTrek:Legacy
16 StarTrek:NewWorlds
17 StarTrek:DAC
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BestandWorstStarTrekVideogamesMetacritic
Text/Strategy
1971
N/A
n/a
Simulation
1981
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:TheKobayashiAlternative
Text/Adventure 1985
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:ThePrometheanProphecy
Text/Adventure 1986
N/A
n/a
1988
N/A
n/a
StarTrek(akaSuperStarTrek)
Begin:ATacticalStarshipSimulation
StarTrek:TheRebelUniverse
Action
Adventure
StarTrek:FirstContact
Adventure
1988
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:TheNextGeneration:TheTransinium
Challenge
Adventure
1989
N/A
n/a
Action
1989
N/A
n/a
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StarTrekV:TheFinalFrontier
Begin2
Simulation
StarTrek:25thAnniversary
Action
Adventure
1991
N/A
n/a
1992
N/A
n/a
FelicityFenwick:Thanks,Keith!Read
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StarTrek:JudgmentRites
Adventure
1993
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:TheNextGenerationAFinalUnity
Adventure
1995
N/A
n/a
Interactive
1995
N/A
n/a
WhatMovieShouldISeeThisWeekend?
FelicityFenwick:Triple9looksreallygood,despite
thecriticalpounding.Read
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1996
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:DeepSpaceNine:Harbinger
Adventure
1996
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:StarfleetAcademy
Simulation
1997
N/A
n/a
FPS/Strategy
1997
N/A
n/a
Pinball
1997
N/A
n/a
FPS
1998
N/A
n/a
WhattoWatchNowonNetflix
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StarTrekGenerations
StarTrekPinball
StarTrek:TheNextGeneration:KlingonHonor
Guard
StarTrek:StarshipCreator
StarTrek:TheNextGeneration:Birthofthe
Federation
StarTrek:StarfleetCommand
StarTrek:HiddenEvil
StarTrek:Armada
Simulation
1998
N/A
n/a
Strategy
1999
N/A
n/a
RTS/Simulation 1999
N/A
n/a
TPS/Action
1999
N/A
n/a
RTS
2000
N/A
n/a
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TheMetascoreisaweightedaverageofscoresfromtopprofessionalcritics,onascalefrom0(bad)to100(good).Thepie
chartforcriticgradesrepresentsthepercentagesofindividualcriticscoresfallingintothecategoriesGood(positivelyreviewed
gameswithaMetascoreof75orhigher),SoSo(mixedoraveragereviews,5074),andBad(negativelyreviewedgames,049).
TheUser ScoreisanaverageofscoressubmittedbyMetacriticusers,onascalefrom0(bad)to10(good).ThescoresforStar
TrekOnlinearefromFebruary18,2010.
*OnlytitlesforWindows,IBMPC,and/orMSDOSarelisted.TherewereseveralotherStarTrekgamesreleasedforother
computersinthe1970sand'80s,includinggamesfortheAtari800,Commodore64,andAppleII.
Despitethefactthatitwasreleasedadecadeagoandbased
onarguablytheworsttelevisionseriesintheStarTrek
franchise(okay,okay,thesecondworst)StarTrekVoyager:
EliteForce
86
isstillthegoldstandardagainstwhichallother
StarTrekvideogamesarecompared.Thebestreviewedofall
StarTrekgametitles(PCorconsole),EliteForceisalsooneof
thefewfirstpersonshootersintheseries.Manycriticshailedit
asnotjustagreatTrekgame,butagreatgameingeneral
withterrificgraphicsandgameplayanditspawnedaslightly
lessacclaimed2003sequelsetonboardtheEnterprise(Star
TrekEliteForceII
78
).
VirtuallyalloftheotherStarTrekgametitlesreleasedforthePCovertheyearsfallintothe
adventure,strategy,orsimulationgenres(orsomecombinationthereof),includingsecond
placetitleStarTrek:BridgeCommander.This2002releaseofferedafun,immersiveand
innovativestarshipsimulation,andcapturedtheStarTrekflavorbetterthanmanyofthetitles
thathavefollowed.BridgeCommanderwasreleasedatthetailendoftheStarTrekgame
crazethenumberandqualityofreleaseshasdroppedsincethen,muchastheStarTrek
branditselfslumpedoveralargeportionofthepastdecade.
ThoughitisstillearlyanyMMOtitlewillevolveandpotentiallyimproveovertimethe
http://www.metacritic.com/feature/bestandworststartrekvideogames
2/7
2/27/2016
BestandWorstStarTrekVideogamesMetacritic
ThoughitisstillearlyanyMMOtitlewillevolveandpotentiallyimproveovertimethe
newestentry,StarTrekOnline,alsofallstowardthelowerendofthequalityspectrum,with
criticslabelingthegamerepetitive,incompleteandunworthyofanythingotherthanaquick
look.Thenewgame,atleast,istruetothestandardStarTrekcanon(it'ssetaftertheevents
inStarTrekNemesis)todate,onlyStarTrek:DACisbasedontheJ.J.Abramscreated
alternatetimelineestablishedinthe2009film.
AtleastSTObeststheonlytwootherStarTrekPCgamesreleasedinthelastfiveyears.
ThosegamesthefrustratingshipcombatstrategytitleStarTrek:Legacyandthedull
arcadestyleshooterDACwereportsoflousyconsolegames.2000'sStarTrek:New
Worlds,ontheotherhand,takesthecrownastheworstreviewedStarTrekPCexclusive.
Thatrealtimestrategytitlewaspeggedbycriticsas"horrible"and"vergingonunplayable"
andwaspartiallysavedonlybysomenicegraphicsandtheStarTrektiein.(Althoughwe
probablyshouldn'tusetheword"save,"sinceNewWorldsnotoriouslyfailedtoincludeamid
missiongamesavefeature,drivingplayerscrazy.)
AsforthosepreMetacritictitles,takealookatthe
releaseyearfortheveryfirstStarTrekgame:1971.
WritteninBASICshortlyaftertheseriesoriginallyaired,
thefirstStarTrekgameinspiredanumberofknockoffs,
andbecamebetterknownlaterinthe1970swhenit
wasincluded(asSuper Star Trek)inabookofBASIC
programs.
AfewmoretextbasedStarTrekgamesemerged
duringthePCboomofthe1980s,andin1988,thefirst
StarTrek:TheKobayashiAlternative
(1985)
previousyear).RebelUniverseputsplayersonthebridgeoftheEnterpriseonamissionto
investigateanewKlingonweaponthatiscausingotherFederationcrewstomutiny,and
featuredauniversewiththousandsofplanetsthatcouldbeinvestigated.
OutofalltheearlyStarTrekcomputergames,theone
widelyconsideredthebestisStar Trek: 25th
Anniversary,releasedin1992tocommemoratethe
birthoftheoriginaltelevisionseriesin1966,amere
uh26yearsearlier.Combiningacombatflight
simulatorwithanadventuregameoverthecourseof
sevendistinctmissions(or"episodes"),theanniversary
titlewasthefirstStarTrekgametoscorewiththe
public.ACDversionofthegameaddeddialogue
voicedbytheoriginalcast,andthegamewasso
successfulthatitspawneda1993sequel,Star Trek:
StarTrek:25thAnniversary(1992)
Judgment Rites.
TheremainingyearsinthedecadebroughtasharpincreaseinthenumberofStarTrek
titles,includingthewellreceivedStar Trek: The Next Generation - A Final Unity(featuring
hundredsofhoursofnewdialoguevoicedbytheentireNextGenerationcast),Star Trek:
Starfleet Academy(a3DsimulationallowingplayerstocompletemissionsasaStarfleet
cadet),Star Trek: The Next Generation: Klingon Honor Guard(perhapsthebestofthesmall
numberoftitlesallowinggameplayasaKlingon),andthehugelysuccessfulStar Trek:
Starfleet Command(asimulationbasedontheclassic1979boardgameStarFleetBattles).
Metascore
Critic
Grades
User
Score
2000
76
7,5,0
9.0
RTS/Action
2006
64
8,29,4
5.5
Action
2009
64
0,4,0
6.0
Game / Platform
Genre
Year
1 StarTrek:Invasion
PSOne
Action
2 StarTrek:Legacy
360
StarTrek:DAC
PS3
http://www.metacritic.com/feature/bestandworststartrekvideogames
3/7
2/27/2016
BestandWorstStarTrekVideogamesMetacritic
4 StarTrek:Conquest
PS2
Action/Strategy 2007
54
2,10,3
8.8
5 StarTrek:DAC
360
Action
2009
53
3,14,9
7.8
6 StarTrekVoyager:EliteForce
PS2
Action
2001
52
2,6,4
8.0
Shooter
2006
51
2,7,8
8.7
8 StarTrek:Conquest
Wii
Action/Strategy 2007
49
1,9,8
5.1
9 StarTrek:ShatteredUniverse
PS2
Action/Shooter
2004
42
0,9,10
8.9
10 StarTrek:ShatteredUniverse
Xbox
Action/Shooter
2004
41
0,9,12
3.7
StarTrek:PhaserStrike
Microvision
Shooter
1979
N/A
n/a
StarTrek:TheMotionPicture
Vectrex
Shooter
1982
N/A
n/a
1991
N/A
n/a
Adventure
1993
N/A
n/a
Adventure
1994
N/A
n/a
Simulation
1994
N/A
n/a
Platform
1995
N/A
n/a
7 StarTrek:Encounters
PS2
StarTrek:25thAnniversary
NES
StarTrek:TheNextGeneration:Future'sPast
SNES
StarTrek:TheNextGeneration:Echoesfrom
thePast
Action
Adventure
Genesis
StarTrek:StarfleetAcademyStarshipBridge
Simulator
SNES/Genesis
StarTrek:DeepSpaceNineCrossroadsof
Time
SNES/Genesis
Yes,thereisjustonedecentStarTrekconsolegamefromthepastdecade.SetintheNext
Generationuniversebutfeaturingmainlynewcharacters,Invasionwasamongthebetter
Playstationshootersatthetimeofits2000release,andcamefromtheteambehindthehit
(nonStarTrek)gameseriesColony Wars.Still,itwasfarfromperfect,andsomecriticsfelt
thattheheavyemphasisoncombatwasn'ttruetothespiritofStarTrek(acriticismthat
echoestodayinreviewsofthenewStarTrekOnline).
However,thatgameisamasterpiececomparedtoatitlelikeStarTrek:Shattered
Universe,the2004shootersetinStarTrek'sgoateefilledmirroruniverse.Whileanedgier,
darkerversionofStarTrekseemslikeabrilliantconceptforavideogame,Shattered
Universeinsteadturnedouttobe"asfunaswatchingapetdie,"inthewordsofIGN.Other
criticslambastedthetitleas"glaringlyugly,""abysmal,"and"adisgracetothegaming
industry."FaringonlymoderatelybetterwastheNextGenerationuniversetitleStarTrek:
Conquest,atoosimplisticandpoorlyreviewed2DstrategygameforthePS2thatsomehow
emergedevenworsewhenreleasedfortheWii(sadly,it'sstilltheloneStarTrektitle
availableonthelatterconsole).
You'veseenmostoftheotherrecentconsolegames
above,inoursectiononPCreleases.Asfortheearlier
releases,1982'sStar Trek: The Motion Picturewas
basicallyaslightlymoreadvancedversionofAsteroids,
switchingtheactionfromthirdtofirstperson.Thetitle,
releasedfortheVectrexArcadeSystem(asmall
consolewithabuiltinmonitor),wasalsothefirstStar
Trekgamereleasetotieintoaparticularmovie,
althoughthegameitselfhadnothingspecificallytodo
withthefilm(andwhatthatflyingsombrerohastodo
withanyelementofStarTrekisbeyondus).Our
favoritepartofthegame:whenyouarehitbyan
StarTrek:TheMotionPicture(Vectrex,
1982)
enemytorpedo,yourwindshieldcracks.
http://www.metacritic.com/feature/bestandworststartrekvideogames
4/7
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BestandWorstStarTrekVideogamesMetacritic
Game / Platform
Genre
User Score
1 StarTrek:TacticalAssault
PSP
RTS
2006
64
2,12,1
8.7
2 StarTrek:TacticalAssault
DS
RTS
2006
63
4,9,2
7.3
Action/Puzzle
1994
N/A
n/a
DespitecomingfromthesamedeveloperasthehitStarfleet Command,StarTrek:Tactical
AssaultstillthelonehandheldStarTrektitlereleasedforcurrentgenerationplatforms
wasmediocreatbest.1994'sBeyond the Nexus,releasedonthebiggesthandheldplatforms
atthetime(includinginfullcoloronSega'sGameGear!),wasoneofseveralStarTrek
gamesbasedonthemovieStarTrekGenerations.
Engage
Whatareyourfavorite(orleastfavorite)StarTrekgames?Whatwouldyouliketoseeina
futureTrekgame?WhatdoyouthinkofthenewStarTrekOnline?Letusknowinthe
commentssectionbelow.
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Comments(18)
FirsttoLast
rodney
Latest
Mar10,201110:06AM
Cansomebodyassistme.Backintheearly80's,IwasgoingtoControlDataInstitutewheretheyhad
computerterminals.AndonthemIfoundagamethatwasjustgreatcalled"Empire"!Itwasbasedon
StarTrek.Ithadauniversesplitinto4sections.Federation,Romulan,Orionandcan'trememberthe
4th.Butyouhadtoconqureallforquad'sbybombingtheplanetsanddroppingyourarmiesonthem!
Thebestpartwasfightingothershipswithfazersandtorpedoes!Doanyoneelsebesidesme
rememberthisgameandisthereanythingsimilaronlineIcanplay?Pleasehelpanoldfoggielol!!!
Mar8,20115:55PM
With"KlingonAcademy",theyshouldalsohave"RomulanAcademy",or"CardassianAcademy".Too
badtheyonlystoppedattheKlingons.
PainNsuffering
Oct22,20101:35AM
BridgeCommanderwasoneofthebetterStarTrekgames.EliteForcealsohitthemarkdespitebeing
setinthevoyager'verse.Voyager,cast,crew,writing,actors...WASTHEWORST!..butthegamewas
good.FunnyhowtheoriginalserieswasthebeststartandEnterprise(whichstayedthemosttruetothe
originalseries)wasthebestoffshootbutwascancelledliketheoriginalseries.Thetwobestwere
cancelledwhilesomethinglikeVoyagerwenton...andon....andohfortheloveofpete...onandon.
edy
Sep5,20102:27AM
AfterpatchesSTOisgreatgame.Tofullyenjoygameyouneedtoplayforsometime.
youdontneedtokno
Aug18,20103:46PM
ialsolikedthevoyagergameeliteforceandtheserieswasquitegood2butihatedthecharicterneelix
hewaswhatputmeoffthatseries
youdontneedtokno
Aug18,20103:44PM
ihavnthadthatmanygamesbutmyfavouriteshaealwaysbeentheonesthatarebasedaroundthe
nextgenerationanditsadventuresasfortartrekonlineiamyettotryitbutwhenicanbebotheredto
gooutandbuyacoppybutwilljusthav2cihavntgotveryhighhopes
SimonPassmore
Jul3,20106:00PM
Whywontsomeonejustmakeastartrekgamewithafreeroamingprospect...whereyournottold
wheretogoandurtheadventurerbutwithlandmarkareastogettotoactivatemissionslikesidmieers
piratesasanexample?withalltheshipsandsomesortofshipupgrading,rankingandpurchasing
system.iplayedaflashtrekstartrekgametheotherdaythatwasquitegood...poorgraphicsbutthe
gameplayandtheideabehindthegameworkedwell.....simplyputtingsomeoneinashipandletting
themtravelaround,fight,tradeconquerplanetsandbuildfleetsanditwasmorefunthananystartrek
gameivecomeacrossandivplayedalotofthem!!!
Mike
May22,20105:30AM
YouneglectedtomentiontheStarFleetCommandseries,whichiseasilythebestshipcombat
simulatoroutthere.
StarTrekOnlineistheworstTrekgameI'veeverplayed,byfar.
JamesRegalado
Apr26,201010:28PM
Iamannouncingafanmadestartrekgameprojectwhichisrecreatingalltheoriginalseriesepisodes
intoadventuregameformattheprojectcanbefoundatwww.startrekadventures.com/yearonethefirst
demoisreadybasedofftheepisodeofArena
WeldonChen
Feb28,20103:32AM
Thisarticleleftoutoneofthegreatestgamesinthe"noncanon"trekgamesevercreated:NETrek.
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