Oil Barons is a turn-based business simulation game published by Epyx in 1983 for Apple II, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems. It fuses a video game and a board game via a 50 X 40 square grid game board and tokens to associate different squares to various terrain-specific video game locations.
Reception
Oil Barons received mixed reviews and was awarded a Certificate of Merit in the category of “1984 Best Multi-Player Video Game/Computer Game” at the fifth annual Arkie Awards.
Ahoy! criticized the pace of the game, noting that each player had to “sit at the computer for several minutes. Other players can use this time to strategize, but things can get pretty slow. Oil Barons, for all its complexity, may not keep you entertained while you are waiting.”
References
External links
- Oil Barons can be played for free in the browser at the Internet Archive
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Having closely reviewed Oil Barons, the Gamer24h editorial team considers it one of the most noteworthy titles of recent times. The visionary approach of developer Epyx, combined with the expertise of publisher Epyx, has resulted in an exceptionally refined product. Its innovative take on the Business simulation genre offers a breath of fresh air for fans of the category. All in all, the Gamer24h team stands firmly behind our rating. This is a unique journey you won't want to miss.