Shoulda Been A Contender

Wing Commander Armada was the first space combat game that allowed players to fight one another, rather than just the computer AI. To this date it is still the only game set in the Wing Commander universe to support multiplayer at all. The original mated a rather pathetic strategy game with in the cockpit flying that you could participate in.

But the real fun was tangling over a modem or a serial connection with a friend. I spent literally hundreds of dollars in long distance phone charges flying against people all over the United States. The flight model was pure Wing Commander but the variety of ships, the pacing of the game, and the sheer adrenaline rush of the kill stay with me to this day. Indeed, even with high tech marvels like Freespace 2 and X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, the ancient Wing Commander Armada remains the most fun I have ever had in a multiplayer game.

It's incredible to me that in the six years since the release of Wing Commander Armada there has yet to be another game from Origin that allowed gamers to face off against one another. Rumors of a massively multiplayer Wing Commander game persist, but what I really want to see is an upgrade of this classic, with 1999 graphics, an enhanced strategic game and the same seat of the pants, fast and furious, missiles flying, boom and zoom multiplayer game play.

Origin, my $50 is waiting...