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Battle Isle

Available Platforms: Amiga, MS-DOS

Battle Isle is the first game of the popular series of sci-fi turn-based war games developed by Blue Byte Software.

Year1991
GenreStrategy
Rating4

84/100 based on 9 Editorial reviews. Add your vote

PublisherUbi Soft
DeveloperBlue Byte
OS supportedWin7 64 bit, Win8 64bit, Windows 10, MacOS 10.6+
Updated19 April 2024

Game Review

Battle Isle is the first game of the popular series of sci-fi turn-based war games developed by Blue Byte Software. This first title was released in 1991 for the Amiga and MS-DOS, and it included 16 levels to play against the computer and another 16 for 2 players.

This hex-based tactical warfare game, designed by Thomas Hertzler and Lothar Schmitt, established Blue Byte as a major force in strategic gaming, combining complex military simulation with accessible gameplay mechanics.

The game presents players with a futuristic military conflict on the island of Chromos, where two factions battle for control using a vast array of land, sea, and air units. The hex-based movement system allows for precise tactical positioning, while the simultaneous turn resolution creates tension as players must anticipate enemy movements without knowing their exact plans. Each unit type has specific strengths, weaknesses, and movement capabilities, from basic infantry and tanks to advanced aircraft and naval vessels. The fuel and ammunition system adds strategic depth, requiring players to manage supply lines and plan attacks carefully rather than simply rushing forward with superior numbers.

One of Battle Isle's most innovative features was its split-screen two-player mode, allowing both players to plan their moves simultaneously on the same computer without seeing each other's orders. This groundbreaking implementation eliminated the traditional problem of players watching over each other's shoulders during turn-based strategy games, maintaining the fog of war and strategic surprise that made the simultaneous turn system so compelling. The split-screen interface divided the monitor horizontally, giving each player their own view of the battlefield while preserving the secrecy of their tactical decisions.

The MS-DOS version showcased detailed VGA graphics with crisp unit sprites and clear terrain representation that made battlefield analysis straightforward. The interface, while initially complex, proved intuitive once mastered, allowing players to issue movement orders, coordinate attacks, and manage multiple units efficiently. Sound effects were minimal but effective, with satisfying weapon sounds and explosions that enhanced the tactical atmosphere. The AI opponent provided reasonable challenge, though experienced players could exploit certain patterns in enemy behavior.

The Amiga version maintained the core gameplay while adapting to the platform's different capabilities. The graphics remained sharp and colorful, taking advantage of the Amiga's palette to create visually appealing battlefields. However, the Amiga port suffered from slower performance during complex turns with many units, and the mouse-driven interface occasionally felt less responsive than the DOS version. The sound design benefited from the Amiga's superior audio capabilities, with improved weapon effects and atmospheric background sounds.

Battle Isle's success led Blue Byte to develop several other notable war games that expanded on similar themes and mechanics. The immediate sequel Battle Isle 2 refined the formula with improved graphics, expanded unit variety, and enhanced campaign structure while maintaining the innovative simultaneous turn system. Battle Isle: The Andosia War served as a prequel, exploring the backstory of the conflict with similar tactical mechanics but different scenarios and factions. History Line: 1914-1918 transported the hex-based tactical system to World War I, featuring historical units and scenarios while maintaining the simultaneous turn structure. The company also produced The Settlers, representing a departure into real-time strategy with city-building elements though retaining Blue Byte's attention to economic and logistical details.

The game's influence extended beyond Blue Byte's own catalog, inspiring other developers to explore simultaneous turn-based mechanics and complex supply management systems. Players familiar with Panzer General would find similar attention to unit statistics and terrain effects, while the hex-based movement system shared DNA with classic board games like Squad Leader, bringing tabletop tactical depth to computer gaming.

Battle Isle established many conventions that would become standard in tactical strategy games, including the importance of combined arms tactics, terrain advantages, and logistical planning. The simultaneous turn system created unique psychological elements, as players had to second-guess opponent intentions while committing to their own strategies, adding a layer of mental gameplay rarely seen in traditional turn-based games. The split-screen multiplayer implementation became a template for other strategy games seeking to solve the problem of maintaining secrecy in local multiplayer matches.

Review by: GN Team
Published: 6 June 2025 11:20 am

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Download Battle Isle - DOS Version dos

PC Download Download for PC en

Updated package with a new version of the game 1.1 - Language: English - Size: 2.35 Mb

Mac Download Download for Mac en

DOS version 1.31 - Language: English - Size: 4.16 Mb

Download Battle Isle - Amiga Version amiga

PC Download Download for PC en

Amiga version 1.10 - Language: English - Size: 8.13 Mb

Mac Download Download for Mac en

Amiga version 1.9 - Language: English - Size: 9.44 Mb

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Latest Comments

  • Hagen Gärtner - 2023-10-18 - Reply

    I´m on am Mac. The Game loads well and everything seems to be fine. BUT... there are no keys working except sound on/off and effects on/off. The worse thing is: Mouse Cursor is going compl crazy if i touch the mouse. Can someone help?

  • Nader Hosni - 2022-10-03 - Reply

    I'm on a MAC. I've downloaded it, and it's loading and seems to be working perfectly, BUT I am unable to work the controls :(
    ONLY the up / down arrows and the enter keys are working!

  • Chris Korff - 2016-11-07 - Reply

    And you have done it. You are great

  • Manu - 2016-10-28 - Reply

    History Line is definitely in the list :)

  • Chris Korff - 2016-10-24 - Reply

    And by the way: I want History Line too pls., was too heavy and boring on Amiga in the 90s ^^

  • Chris Korff - 2016-10-24 - Reply

    Hello Sirs.
    Thanks for uploading, but I guess, to play Human vs PC, you need to enter the right codes, i copied em from good Sir Arkadius2 from GOG. It seems it starts with Code "BLOCK" for this mode, even if its the original Map from BI 1 when I remember correctly? Enjoy:
    I think this article will help many players.
    To enable the Battle Isle in single player mode, you must enter the code :
    Battle Isle :
    Two player: FIRST, GHOST, GAMMA, MARSS, EAGLE, METAN, FOTON, POLAR, TIGER, SNAKE, ZENIT, DONN, VESTA, OXXID, DEMON, GIANT, EUROP
    Single player : CONRA, PHASE, ECOTY MOUNT, FIGHT, RUSTY, FIFTH, VESUV, MAGIC, SPACE, VALEY, TESTY, TERRA, SLAVE, NEVER, RIVER, STORM
    Battle Isle The Desert :
    Single Player Level Passwords :
    1 BLOCK 2 WATCH 3 LAGUN 4 BIRMA 5 SERPT 6 RAMBO 07 YUKON 08 POINT 09 FROGS 10 ITALY 11 LINES 12 VARUS 13 SOUND 14 TWEAK 15 NIPON 16 FLAIR 17 ARROW 18 KORSO 19 NOUTH 20 FJORD 21 DONOR 22 LEYES 23 JUMPY 24 WERFT
    Two Player Level Passwords :
    1 CLOAK 2 LOSAG 3 BOMBS 4 COMET 5 PEARL 6 MIROR 7 ROMEL 8 MAGMA
    Battle Isle The Moon :
    One Player Two Player
    Level Code Level Code Level Code Level Code
    1 LUMIT 9 RAMPE 17 EBTAR 1 LUDOS
    2 LUNAR 10 RANGG 18 KARST 2 SONNE
    3 LUTOF 11 FILMO 19 KANTO 3 SOTEX
    4 SONIX 12 FIEST 20 KAROT 4 RASEN
    5 SOWYN 13 FINXT 21 KAISR 5 FISCH
    6 SOSOO 14 EBENE 22 SYBIL 6 EBTON
    7 SONAF 15 EBSYL 23 SFNIX 7 KABEL
    8 RACHE 16 EBONY 24 SYNOM 8 SYTAX