Trek-80 is a computer game developed by Judges Guild in 1979 for the TRS-80.
Plot
Trek-80 is a game in which the player must destroy all the Klingon ships within a time limit and cannot lose more than five supply tugs. The player uses the warp drive to move the ship for galactic travel, and impulse drive for moving through the inner quadrant. The Enterprise and Klingon vessels are armed with phasers and photon torpedoes, but the supply tugs only have phasers. The Enterprise is also able to use a ram for an attack.
Gameplay
The screen displays an 8 × 8 square quadrant grid laid out over the galaxy as found in Trek games. The Enterprise is represented using the letter “E”, and likewise Klingons use a “K”, and the supply tugs use an upward pointing arrow. The on-screen display also shows the stardate, the condition of the ship, quadrant information, the energy of the ship, nearby bases, torpedoes left, and number of tugs destroyed.
Development
As part of their intention to compete with TSR, Judges Guild increased the production on their print products, and also moved into producing computer games, although Trek-80 (1979) the only such game Judged Guild released.
Trek-80 was a 16K program written in BASIC by Bruce Berry, and was the first computer game produced by a wargaming company that specializes in science-fiction and fantasy. Barry used concepts drawn from Trek games that were available at the time, and innovated on them further.
Reception
The game was reviewed in 1980 in The Dragon #36 by Michael Dodge. Dodge concluded the review with, “Trek-80 is a well written program and a good Star Trek game. The program’s graphics are well laid out and easy to read, the mechanics are adequate, and the introductions of ramming and tugs are excellent features”.
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Having closely reviewed Trek-80, the Gamer24h editorial team considers it one of the most noteworthy titles of recent times. The visionary approach of developer Judges Guild, combined with the expertise of publisher Processor Technology Corporation, has resulted in an exceptionally refined product. Its innovative take on the Retro genre offers a breath of fresh air for fans of the category. If you're looking for an absorbing world and satisfying mechanics that pull you right in, this game might be exactly what you've been searching for.