Play Command & Conquer (Beta) Online

Command & Conquer for the Sega Genesis was a port of the PC real-time strategy classic, though it never saw a final commercial release. Developed by Westwood Studios and intended for publication by Sega, this version attempted to translate a complex mouse-driven game onto a console better known for platformers and fighting games. It exists as a curious artifact, a glimpse into an alternate history for 16-bit strategy games.

You control either the Global Defense Initiative or the Brotherhood of Nod, building a base, harvesting Tiberium for resources, and training infantry and vehicles to destroy the enemy. The isometric view is broken into separate screens you scroll between, and unit selection is handled with a cursor, a clumsy but functional system for the controller. The pace is slower than the PC original, the action more deliberate due to the interface constraints. Managing your economy while fending off attacks with a limited selection of units feels like a genuine puzzle. It is a fascinating, cumbersome experiment that makes you appreciate the precision of a mouse.