Star Trek Combat Arena

If Star Trek Combat Arena had a motto, it would be “talk diplomacy later.” Released in 1989 for DOS, this game tossed Starfleet’s peaceful ideals right out the airlock and said, “Let’s see what photon torpedoes can do.” It’s a pure combat simulator — you, a starship, and a bunch of hostiles who didn’t read the Prime Directive. The graphics are simple wireframes, but the tension feels real as your shields drop and you pray the Klingons miss. It’s the perfect game for anyone who ever wondered what would happen if Kirk just fired first and asked Spock for advice later.