Star Trek 25th Anniversary

Star Trek 25th Anniversary is an adventure game and space combat sim based on the Star Trek universe. It was developed and published by Interplay for DOS and Amiga in 1992. Funnily enough, this 25th anniversary missed the actual 25th anniversary of the show by about six months.

It is primarily based on the 1960s Star Trek TV show, where James T. Kirk is the captain. I must admit to being a fan, even back this far, judge all you want. The game features the original crew of the USS Enterprise of Captain Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura, Chekov, Sulu, and McCoy and follows several different missions they embark upon. The episodes, written by the series' author, are a direct continuation of what was seen on TV. That's why the game is also considered the 4th season of the TV series, which stopped at the 3rd season on TV.

The game has two different view modes, one on the bridge from a first-person view. While on the bridge, each character controls a different part of the ship and takes orders from the captain, who the player controls. The second is a third-person view when the team goes on planetary missions. When the team leaves for a planet’s surface, the team is Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and, of course, a ‘red shirt’; those poor red shirts. Most combat will involve the ship and be done from the bridge view. You can use your phaser while on a planet, but the Federation encourages non-violence while adventuring. While on a planet, Kirk and crew must solve puzzles, collect items, and interact with the natives.

Star Trek 25th Anniversary is listed as the best game in the Star Trek gaming franchise. Everything holds true to the show, from the characters to the environments and types of missions. The CD-ROM version of the game got the best reviews from critics and was said to be the first Star Trek game “to deliver.” The original cast, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley, gave their voices. This reason alone is enough to consider this game a real gem.