Play Wing Commander: Armada Online

You juggle turn-based fleet moves and chaotic dogfights, then grab a joystick and dive into the action when patience runs out. That split-screen multiplayer had us yelling at each other across the couch.

Developer: ORIGIN Systems, Inc.

Released: 1994

File size: 7.09 MB

Game Overview

Wing Commander: Armada came out in 1994 as part of the MS-DOS Classic Games lineup, developed and published by ORIGIN Systems. It arrived during a time when space combat sims were pushing the limits of what PCs could handle, offering a mix of strategy and action that felt ambitious for its era.

You command a fleet of capital ships and fighters, managing resources and movement on a strategic map before engaging enemies in real-time cockpit combat. The main objective involves capturing systems and destroying enemy carriers while protecting your own; signature mechanics include turn-based strategic planning, direct control of fighters during battles, and optional two-player split-screen dogfights. The pacing shifts between thoughtful command decisions and intense, chaotic skirmishes, with a difficulty that rewards both caution and aggression. It feels like balancing a chess match with a bar fight, and the sudden shift from planner to pilot never gets old.

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