Editing Star Control (section)

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| rev2 = MegaTech
| rev2Score = 90% (Sega)<ref name="megatech4" />
| rev3 = Sega16 
| rev3Score = 8/10 (Sega)<ref name="sega16"/>
| rev4=Videogame & Computer World|rev4Score=8/10 (PC/C64)<ref name="vcw7" /><ref name="vcw8">{{Cite book|last=Staff|url=http://archive.org/details/VCW-1991-07|title=New Releases - Star Control|date=April 1991|publisher=Videogame & Computer World 1991-07|page=20|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>{{br}} 9/10 (Amiga)<ref name="vcw9">{{Cite book|last=Staff|url=http://archive.org/details/VCW-1991-04|title=Reviews - Star Control|date=February 1991|publisher=Videogame & Computer World 1991 Issue 04|location=Italy|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
|CGW={{rating|3.5|5}} (PC)<ref name="brooks199211"/>
| CVG=68% (Amiga)<ref name="cvg2" />{{br}} 90% (Sega)<ref name="cvg3" />
| rev5=Entertainment Weekly|rev5Score=B (Sega)<ref name="ew1" />
| rev6=Joystick|rev6Score=75% (Sega)<ref name="joystick10" />
| rev7=The Games Machine|rev7Score=88% (PC)<ref name="gamesmachine6" /> 
| rev8=Raze Magazine|rev8Score=70/100 (Sega)<ref name="raze5"/> 
| award1    = CVG Hit
| award1Pub = ''[[Computer and Video Games]]''<ref name="cvg3"/>
| award2    = Hyper Game Award
| award2Pub = ''[[MegaTech]]''<ref name="megatech4"/>
| award3    = Best Computer Science Fiction Game 1990
| award3Pub = ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|VG&CE]]''<ref name = "VGCEaward"/>
| award4    = Best Action/Arcade Program 1991
| award4Pub = [[Software Publishers Association]]<ref name="softwarepublishers"/>
}}

''Star Control'' was a commercial success at the time, reaching the top 5 on the PC sales charts by September 1990.<ref name="GDC2015"/> According to a retrospective by Finnish gaming magazine ''[[Pelit]]'', the game would go on to sell 120,000 copies, leading Accolade to request a sequel from creators Reiche and Ford.<ref name="pelit">{{cite web|author=Pelit|date=March 21, 2006|title=Star Control - Kontrollin aikakirjat|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/star-controlbrkontrollin-aikakirjat/|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Pelit}}</ref>

The game earned wide acclaim for its arcade-style combat, including its tactical depth and player-vs-player mode.<ref name="cvg3" /><ref name="ew1">{{Cite magazine |last=Strauss |first=Bob |date=May 24, 1991 |title=New Videogames - Star Control |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/05/24/new-videogames/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="gamesmachine6">{{Cite book |last=Giorgi |first=Stefano |url=http://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-italia-27 |title=Review - Star Control |date=January 1991 |publisher=The Games Machine Issue 27 |location=Italy |pages=73–74 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="megatech4">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/mt-19 |title=Star Control II (Review) |date=July 1993 |publisher=MegaTech Issue 19 |page=111 |language=en |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="vcw7">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/VCW-1990-21 |title=Review - Star Control |date=1990-11-15 |publisher=Videogame & Computer World 1990-21 |page=15 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> ''[[MegaTech]]'' enjoyed mastering the different starships, earning the game an editorial Hyper Game Award as "one of the best two-player Mega Drive games ever".<ref name="megatech4" /> Similarly, ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' chose ''Star Control'' for their editorial "CVG Hit" award, highlighting the variety of weapons, the fun of learning favorable matchups, and the overall playability of the game's two-player mode.<ref name="cvg3" /> Italian publication [[The Games Machine (Italy)|''The Games Machine'']] celebrated ''Star Control'' as a modern re-invention of ''Spacewar!,'' recommending the combat mode for its range of options, its automatic camera zoom, and its implementation of physics.<ref name="gamesmachine6" /> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' also recommended the game for evolving the ''Spacewar!'' formula with a variety of unique ships.<ref name="ew1" /> The arcade combat earned additional praise for its replayability from ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'',<ref name="brooks199211">{{cite magazine |author=Brooks, M. Evan |date=November 1992 |title=Strategy & Wargames: The Future (2000-....) |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=100 |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |page=99 |access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref> ''Digital Press'',<ref name=":10" /> ''Videogame & Computer World'',<ref name="vcw7" /> and [[Raze (magazine)|Raze Magazine]].<ref name="raze5">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/raze-magazine-12 |title=Star Control (Review) |date=October 1991 |publisher=Raze Magazine Issue 12 |pages=50–51 |access-date=October 23, 2020}}</ref>

Several publications celebrated ''Star Control'' for its artistic details, including its character designs and animations.<ref name=":10" /><ref name="cvg3" /><ref name="gamesmachine6" /><ref name="raze5" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Brian |url=http://archive.org/details/StrategyPlus |title=Star Control - Planet of the Japes |date=November 1990 |publisher=Strategy Plus |page=13}}</ref> ''Digital Press'' praised the personality of the alien ships for their portraits, and the lore behind each species.<ref name=":10" /> ''Strategy Plus'' appreciated the unique humor and personality of the aliens, highlighting the design of the Syreen and their Penetrator ship, as well as "silly" names like Chenjesu commander Bzrrak Ktazzz.<ref name=":11" />''Videogame & Computer World'' praised the unique animations of the aliens,<ref name="vcw7" /> while ''Strategy Plus'' declared the game's graphics as "truly spectacular in 256 color [[Video Graphics Array|VGA]]".<ref name=":11" /> ''The Games Machine'' celebrated the game's many graphical details, particularly the alien pilots.<ref name="gamesmachine6" /> French publication [[Joystick (magazine)|''Joystick'']] offered its strongest praise for the game's art and environment.<ref name="joystick10">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/joystick018 |title=Star Control (Review) |date=July 1991 |publisher=Joystick Issue 018 |location=France |page=180 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> The game's audio design was also highlighted by several publications.<ref name=":10" /><ref name="cvg3" /><ref name="joystick10" /> Digital Press felt that the sound effects for the Ur-Quan and Chenjesu gave their ships a "fantastic" personality,<ref name=":10" /> while ''Computer and Video Games'' praised the audio for drawing on popular science fiction.<ref name="cvg3" />

Several reviewers were more critical of the game's strategic mode.<ref name="ew1" /><ref name="brooks199211" /><ref name="raze5" /><ref name="joystick10" /> ''Computer Gaming World'' found that it lacked depth,<ref name="brooks199211" /> and Joystick compared the strategy sections unfavorably to the game's combat.<ref name="joystick10" /> Entertainment Weekly criticized the star map as difficult to see,<ref name="ew1" /> while Raze Magazine found it tedious to operate the strategy game menus on the Sega Genesis.<ref name="raze5" />

Originally released for the PC, ''Star Control'' received criticism for its porting to other platforms.<ref name="retrogamer14" /><ref name="raze5" /> [[ACE (magazine)|''Advanced Computer Entertainment'']] called the [[Amiga]] version "disappointing", denouncing the load times and "tacky two-dimensional combat sequences that look as if they've been borrowed from an early Eighties coin-op".<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_43_1991-04_Future_Publishing_GB |title=Star Control (Review) |date=April 1991 |publisher=Advanced Computer Entertainment - Issue 43 |page=67}}</ref> ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' similarly compared the Amiga version of ''Star Control'' to the "aging co-op ''Spacewar!''".<ref name="cvg2">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/computer-video-games-magazine-113 |title=Amiga Reviews - Star Control |date=April 1991 |publisher=Computer and Video Games Magazine Issue 113 |page=68}}</ref> While reviewing the Sega Genesis version, ''Computer and Video Games'' described the graphics as inferior to other titles on the console.<ref name="cvg3" /> ''Raze Magazine'' felt that it lacked the polish and depth of the original PC version, criticizing the sprites and environments, while still offering praise for the detailed portraits.<ref name="raze5" />

The year of the game's release, ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|Video Games & Computer Entertainment]]'' gave ''Star Control'' an award for "Best Computer Science Fiction Game", noting that "the two creators have put together a game that is great either as a full simulation or an action-combat contest".<ref name="VGCEaward">{{cite web |last=Staff |date=February 1991 |title=VG&CE's Best Games - Best Computer Science-Fiction Game |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/53/VG%26CE_US_25.pdf |access-date=October 20, 2020 |publisher=Video Games & Computer Entertainment |pages=93–94}}</ref> They later highlighted the game in a list of science fiction releases, proclaiming "Reiche and Ford's action-strategy tour de force is one of the most absorbing and challenging science fiction games of all-time".<ref>{{cite web|author=Katz|first=Arnie|date=April 1991|title=Games Beyond Tomorrow - A Galaxy of Science Fiction Games|url=https://archive.org/details/VGCE27Apr1991/page/n85/mode/2up?q=star+control|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Video Games & Computer Entertainment|page=86}}</ref> The game was additionally nominated for Best Action/Arcade Program at the 1991 Spring Symposium of the [[Software and Information Industry Association|Software Publishers Association.]]<ref name="softwarepublishers">{{Cite book|last=Staff|url=http://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_83|title=Celebrating Software - The 1991 Spring Symposium of the Software Publishers Association|date=June 1991|publisher=Computer Gaming World - Issue 83|pages=64–67}}</ref>

=== Legacy and impact ===
''Star Control'' has been received several retrospective awards from gaming publications.<ref name="cgw199611best">{{cite magazine |date=November 1996 |title=150 Best Games of All Time |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=64–80 |access-date=March 25, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{cite web |author=Polygon Staff |date=November 29, 2017 |title=500 Best Games of All Time |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/29/16693094/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-300-201 |access-date=October 20, 2020 |publisher=Polygon}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2001 |title=The Big 50 Most Influential Games Of All Time! |url=http://www.pcgameplay.co.uk/best50.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010404235703/http://www.pcgameplay.co.uk/best50.htm |archive-date=April 4, 2001 |access-date=2021-10-03 |website=PC Gameplay}}</ref> In 1996, ''Video Games & Computer Entertainment'' ranked it as the 127th best game, describing it as "''Space War'' enters the 90s with a touch of humor".<ref name="cgw199611best" /> In 2001, ''PC Gameplay'' ranked ''Star Control'' as the 45th most influential game of all time, based on a survey of dozens of game studios.<ref name=":14" /> In 2017, ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' ranked it as number 253 in their top 500 games of all time, arguing that "as a melee or strategic game, it helped define the idea that games can be malleable and dynamic and players can make an experience wholly their own".<ref name=":13" /> Journalist Jamie Lendino also noted ''Star Control'' among the most significant PC games of the early 1990s, for successfully combining an action game with science fiction strategy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lendino |first=Jamie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7hdlEAAAQBAJ |title=Starflight: How the PC and DOS Exploded Computer Gaming 1987 – 1994 |date=2022-03-14 |publisher=Steel Gear Press |isbn=978-1-957932-01-9 |language=en}}</ref> The game is also celebrated for the debut of the [[Ur-Quan]], as "one of the all-time villainous races in the history of computer games".<ref name="DeMaria2018" />

Years after its release, ''Pelit'' recalled the original ''Star Control'' for its polished combat system, as well as the creativity of its character designs.<ref name="pelit" /> In 2005, ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' described ''Star Control'' as "a textbook example of good game design", where "two genres were brilliantly combined, making for a finely balanced and well-rounded game experience".<ref name="retrogamer14" /> The publication further highlighted the many "elements that gave ''Star Control'' 'soul'", describing it as "the seed from which the vastly expanded narrative found in ''[[Star Control 2|Star Control II]]'' grew".<ref name="retrogamer14" /> ''[[IGN]]'' celebrated ''Star Control'' as a "special game" for "its colorful universe and superb combat system", which laid the foundation for its acclaimed sequel ''Star Control II''.<ref name="IGNfranchises2">{{Citation |last=IGN PC Team |title=The Wednesday 10: Franchises We Want Resurrected |date=December 3, 2008 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/04/the-wednesday-10-franchises-we-want-resurrected |publisher=IGN |language=en |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> In a retrospective, [[Hardcore Gaming 101]] attributed the game's legacy to its combat system, and the story and characters that would be further developed in the sequel.<ref name="HG101SC" /><ref name=":7" />

Founder of [[BioWare]], [[Ray Muzyka]], has cited the original ''Star Control'' as an inspiration for the ''[[Mass Effect]]'' series of games, stating that "the uncharted worlds in ''Mass Effect'' comes from imagining what a freely explorable universe would be like inside a very realistic next-gen game".<ref>{{cite web|author=John Gaudiosi|date=November 11, 2007|title=Critically Acclaimed Mass Effect Powered by Unreal Engine 3|url=https://www.unrealengine.com/ko/blog/mass-effect?lang=ko|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Unrealengine.com}}</ref> Former BioWare writer [[Mike Laidlaw]] praised the creativity of the ''Star Control'' ship designs, and credited the game with laying the foundation for its sequel, which influenced him as a writer on ''Mass Effect''.<ref name=":7" /> Creative producer Henrik Fahraeus has also cited the game's influence on Paradox Interactive's character designs in ''[[Stellaris (video game)|Stellaris]],'' particularly the bird-like and mushroom-like aliens.<ref name=":7" />