MoonBase Commander
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Humongous Entertainment |
| Products | MoonBase Commander (video game) |
MoonBase Commander is a strategic video game released in 2002, created by Humongous Entertainment and distributed by Infogrames. Players oversee a central hub responsible for deploying structures and weaponry to grow their base, launch attacks, and defend territory. Each structure is linked to its originating hub through a cord that must not cross other cords. The title supports both solo and multiplayer gameplay and earned IGN’s accolade for "Best of 2002: The Game No One Played."
Gameplay
In MoonBase Commander, gameplay is turn-based strategy where players allocate a finite amount of energy points each turn to either construct their base or engage enemies. All units operate on land and are connected by cords that cannot intersect or be placed over water. The strength of launches depends on the duration the launch button is pressed, with wind conditions influencing shot precision. Maps are designed to wrap around their edges, removing corner spots.
There are four factions available—NiceCo, DeWulf, System7, and Team Alpha—which differ exclusively in visual design.
The Skirmish mode challenges the player against up to three AI-controlled opponents of varying skill levels, with the goal of defeating all adversaries.
Challenge Mode offers sixteen missions—four per faction—each with distinct objectives and environments. Players receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals based on how quickly they complete each mission. Challenges unlock progressively, concluding with the game's credits after all are finished.
Multiplayer
Although the game includes native LAN multiplayer support, playing over the Internet originally required external software. At first, online matches were only accessible through GameSpy. Shortly after launch, the Moonbase Commander Console was developed to circumvent this restriction and became the main platform for online play. In 2013, its source code was made publicly available under the MIT License. Additional tools such as MoonbaseIP and MBCImport facilitate online play without GameSpy and allow for custom map integration.
Development
The development of MoonBase Commander utilized the SCUMM engine, famously employed in LucasArts adventure games.
Re-release
The full version of MoonBase Commander, including all original single-player campaigns and local LAN multiplayer capabilities, was reissued on Steam in early 2014.
Reception and legacy
MoonBase Commander garnered mostly favorable reviews on GameRankings and Metacritic, receiving notable praise at the 2002 E3 from Tycho of Penny Arcade. Despite critical success, commercial performance was modest; an appraisal in 2006 valued the title between $0 and $100,000. After Atari's bankruptcy, ownership rights were sold at auction to Rebellion Developments.
The game earned multiple industry honors, including Computer Games Magazines 2002 award for "Best Budget Game" and GameSpots recognition as "Best Game No One Played on PC."