S.D.I.

S.D.I. is a 1989 DOS strategy and action game inspired by the Strategic Defense Initiative, the ambitious Cold War plan better known as “Star Wars.” Players take responsibility for defending the United States against a nuclear attack, monitoring threats and responding quickly enough to prevent catastrophe. The game mixes strategic decisions with action-oriented sequences, creating a tense atmosphere in which every incoming missile feels rather more serious than your average arcade target. Its subject matter gives the game an unusual sense of urgency, while the technology of the period lends it a distinctive retro-futuristic flavor. S.D.I. is a fascinating snapshot of late-Cold War gaming, when international politics could become the basis for a computer game. There is, naturally, one small downside to the job: unlike most games, failing spectacularly here means the entire planet has a rather bad afternoon.