Wargames: Defcon 1

by MGM Interactive

Product Details

• ASIN: B00000DMB7
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,128 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

When I first heard that MGM Interactive had a WarGames-related game in the works, I was totally excited. I wanted to take control of Matthew Broderick and hack into NORAD on a TRS-80. I wanted to ride around on the back of Ally Sheedy's moped as she carted me from school to home. I wanted to push a button that made the guy in the missile silo pull out a pistol and shout "Turn your key, sir!" Alas, this game has none of that. It is, however, an outstanding mission-based shooter. Think EA's Strike series, but with lots of different units.

Each of the game's 30 missions (15 as NORAD, 15 as WOPR) gives you a collection of units ranging from lightly armored jeeps to monstrous tanks, helicopters, and jets, and points you at stuff that you need to blow up. You control each unit one at a time, with the ability to switch between them at will. You do have the ability to call units to your location, giving the other units AI control, but the AI is so terrible that your units will have a hard time crossing a bridge, let alone fighting the enemy. Playing the game is quite simple. You just take a tank and start towards your next objective. Shoot anything that gets in your way, taking care to back up to dodge enemy fire. This, coupled with the fact that most of your units can take loads of damage, and that it's extremely easy to replenish your units, makes WarGames pretty darn easy. Two-player mode puts the game in a diagonal split-screen and has both head-to-head and cooperative modes.

Graphically, WarGames looks really good. All the structures and units (with the possible exception of the miniscule infantry) look very nice, and the terrain is well drawn. The terrain is also damaged during firefights, resulting in forest fires and other environmental chaos. The soundtrack is very military and drives the point of the game home. The effects are very nice, and the text scroll noise is directly from the old movie. The voice of Joshua also makes a small appearance at the title screen.

While WarGames: Defcon 1 may not have allowed me to relive one of my favorite films, it is still a solid game with a fairly good back story. Dabney Coleman may be nowhere to be found here, but once you get past this slight oversight (all games should feature at least one picture of Dabney), you'll discover a great shooter. --Jeff Gerstmann
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good game!, June 18, 2001

By 

"nanaki_red_xiii" (Alice, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wargames: Defcon 1 (Video Game)

I reccomend to all who have played this game to go out and rent or just plain see the movie Wargames. There is a lot of relation and seems like you are doing the work of the computer and the other guy(can't remember his name, sorry). I like this game for the reason being that it has a good multiplayer mode. You can not only be on opposing teams, but on each others teams. This is what most games lack, but this is one that has this feature. I find that this game must seem easy, but you have to admit that there are a few stages that you have died on a few times. Like the WOPR stage 10 I belive is rather difficult. You have to save 3 sattilites while they are all being attacked by several guys, and the only way to get there is by plane while they have anti aircraft missle's and such. I still belive this game is awsome.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Fun, May 6, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Wargames: Defcon 1 (Video Game)

When I first saw War Games in the store, I thought it would be a lame Command and Conquer rip-off. I was wrong. After borrowing it from a friend, I changed my mind, and now I own it. In War Games, you control a group of vehicles in each stage, and you can play as NORAD (human) or WOPR (robots). However, it's not like Command and Conquer or other strategy games where you select a unit, then choose an action. You actually have full control, sort of like an overhead-view, strategy based Twisted Metal with a whole lot of different vehicles. Check this one out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About Co-op play, March 6, 2008

By 

S. Bazinet "Mirdala Ijaat" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Wargames: Defcon 1 (Video Game)

The reason I bought this game was the co-op play. Co-op is Wargames: Defcon 1 strongest suit, it's what's really terrific about it. It very open so you and you're friend can think up alot of tactics togehter, me and my friend were up all night playing this game together. When you really think about. there's not too many co-op video games out there today, and the few that are suck! So I highly recommend this game as a co-op game to play!