I used to be a serious retro video game collector, until I realized it served little purpose other than cluttering up my precious drawers. Still, I genuinely cherish what I have collected, and I do not plan to part with my expanded collection anytime soon.
Today, I’m sharing the story of my very first PC game, a gift from my parents in 1990. It was called Wing Commander, and I got it thanks to a stroke of luck! You see, my parents had originally offered me a game about the Titanic, but it was so bad that I decided to return it. Back at the department store, a salesman recommended this game, which had just been released. The picture of a space ship on the large box was eye-catching, and I was won over by the description on the back of the box. I picked it up, hoping not to be disappointed this time. And I wasn’t.
Wing Commander is a story-driven space combat simulation game. Players fly space fighters to battle a cat-like alien species known as the Kilrathi. The game’s storyline was particularly well done, far more so than the gameplay itself, and it was even better in the sequel released two years later. In total, the franchise comprises five games and several expansions. Expansion packs were common back then; they extended the story and added gameplay elements such as new ships and weaponry. Nowadays, they are called DLC.
Unfortunately, I no longer have the original box for this game. But! I do own a special edition that bundles the first three games in the series, including all the expansion packs and—most importantly—a fully remastered soundtrack for the first two games. This edition is very rare and sells for around 250 dollars—no exaggeration.
This game defined my teenage years, and I have fond memories of it. It might not be the last time I talk about it, either! In the meantime, here are some photos of that special edition.
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