Publishers Strategic Simulations | Platform of origin MS-DOS | |
Genres Ship simulation, strategy Developers IO Design Group (1–3)
Divide By Zero (4–5) First release Great Naval Battles: North Atlantic 1939-1943
1992 Latest release Great Naval Battles V: Demise of the Dreadnoughts; 1914-18 |
Great Naval Battles is a series of computer games by Strategic Simulations which simulate combat between naval vessels. It consist of five separate games, four of which depict various phases of World War II. Each game combines a wider view of the action on a fleet scale, as well as controls for individual ships. SSI covered similar themes in another naval game, Fighting Steel, which was released afterwards, in 1999.
Contents
Games in series
The game series contains the following games:
Gameplay and dynamics
Every game provides a choice between individual ship views and fleet command views. Players can choose individual stations to operate during the game.
Great Naval Battles: North Atlantic 1939-1943
When "British" is being selected for the gameplay, Rule Britannia is being played. Whereas if "German" is being selected, Unter dem Doppeladler is being played.
Reception
Computer Gaming World's reviewer in 1993 stated that North Atlantic 1939-1943 was the first computer game to replicate "that 'joy of miniatures'". He cited several flaws in the gameplay but concluded that "for all the problems ... there are a half-dozen very nice features. For every minor disappointment there seem to be several glitzy positives. Frankly, I'm spending a lot of time playing it". A 1993 review in the magazine of America in the Atlantic, Super Ships of the Atlantic, and Scenario Builder praised the latter's "infinite" replayability from the latter's random engagements, and stated that "SSI's efforts in refining and expanding this series are to be commended ... it has the potential of becoming the recognized placebo for practictioners of historical naval combat in this theater". A 1993 survey in the magazine of wargames gave North Atlantic, Super Ships of the Atlantic, America in the Atlantic, and Scenario Builder three-plus stars out of five.