Play Frontier: First Encounters Online

Frontier: First Encounters came out in 1995 for MS-DOS, published by GameTek. It was the third game in the Elite series, following Elite and Frontier: Elite II. This was a time when space sims were ambitious but often buggy, and this one was no exception; it pushed the limits of what a PC could handle back then.

You play as a freelance pilot trying to make your way in a vast, open galaxy. The main goal is to earn credits through trading, missions, or combat, all while navigating political tensions and the looming threat of the Thargoids. Key mechanics include real-time Newtonian flight, where you manage speed and direction with realistic physics, and a dynamic economy that shifts based on your actions and galactic events. The pacing is slow and deliberate, demanding patience as you plot hyperspace jumps and monitor fuel levels. It feels like carving out a life on the edge of space, where every decision carries weight and danger is never far away.

Each game uses different controls, most DOS games use the keyboard arrows. Some will use the mouse , "Alt" ,"Enter" and "Space bar".