Star Trek: 25th Anniversary

PRESS START

An Introduction To Today’s Game

Star Trek is a franchise that ranks pretty high for me. While I loved the original trilogy of Star Wars, I always considered myself more of a Trek fan. The ideals, the way it made you think, the exploration of the human condition. There was just more volume and more to dive into.

My buddy Davis got into Star Trek a few years ago and hearing his reactions as he went through the first 3 shows was an amazing experience. Getting to relive that journey through fresh eyes made me appreciate the older Trek shows even more.

Other than season 3 of Picard, new Star Trek shows just haven’t hit the same. But retro Trek, from The Original Series to Enterprise, I will never get tired of. The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine remain for me, not just great Trek shows, but some of the best TV ever.

Star Trek was pretty huge in the 90’s. I don’t have the numbers to back this up, but I’m pretty sure no other video game franchise in the 90’s made more games than Star Trek. It felt like there was a new game every few months.

For this article, I decided I wanted to tackle one of the many games in the franchise and I started with one I had no idea existed until a few years ago.

Star Trek: The 25th Anniversary for the NES. While I had the PC version and it remains one of the best Trek games ever. I later learned this NES version, while having the same name, wasn’t a port. It was its own game, far different than the PC version.

BEHIND THE PIXELS

Let’s Dive Into The Game

Star Trek: 25th Anniversary on NES is an adventure game wrapped in the trappings of the original series. You control Captain Kirk as the Enterprise approaches Sigma Iotia II, only to encounter a dimensional rupture that flings the ship thousands of light years into unknown space.

The dilithium crystals fuse during the incident, leaving the crew stranded in decaying orbit. Your mission is to beam down to planets, collect dilithium, and find a way home while repairing the tear in space.

Gameplay splits between two modes. From the bridge, you navigate a star map showing 17 planets, though only four contain actual content. You can consult Spock, Scotty, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura about ship systems, hail other vessels, or engage in the game's single ship-to-ship battle. The bridge serves as your hub between planetary missions.

The real game happens during away missions. These play like overhead adventure games where Kirk and two crew members explore alien worlds, collect items, and solve environmental puzzles.

You can choose specialists (biologist, geologist, historian, security officer) to join your team, each offering unique insights and abilities. The phaser and tricorder are your primary tools, though violence is rarely the solution.

Most progress comes from finding objects and using them correctly, such as navigating a deadly bog filled with bloodworms or deciphering riddles at ancient obelisks.

The game faithfully recreates Trek's presentation and it’s one of its strongest elements. The opening sequence mimics the show's credits with the Enterprise flying across the screen and scrolling text replacing William Shatner's narration.

Character portraits during dialogue look accurate for NES standards. The soundtrack adapts music from the original series into chiptune form. References to older episodes appear throughout, with Harry Mudd even making an appearance. The game structures itself like a TV episode, complete with a cold open before the title sequence. It’s pretty cool they pulled this off on the NES.

Graphics range from impressive to crude. Planetary surfaces show animated grass and trees, but color palettes are limited and repetitive. Bridge crew members appear as cartoony caricatures.

The Enterprise herself looks appropriate when shown during navigation and combat. Audio alternates between faithful Trek themes and occasionally harsh sound effects. The presentation succeeds in feeling authentically Trek despite hardware limitations.

The major flaw is length. The game can be completed in under 90 minutes once you know the solutions. With only four meaningful locations and one combat encounter, content feels sparse.

Seventeen planets sound ambitious until you discover thirteen are empty or inaccessible. Excessive dialogue boxes interrupt gameplay constantly, and the opening Captain's Log takes several minutes to read. The lack of an in-game map makes navigation frustrating with tile-based movement.

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WHERE TO PLAY

• The original copy or emulation will be your best bet for tracking this down.

• Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)

  • Loose: $17

  • Complete: $45

  • New/Sealed: $164

GAME INFORMATION

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RETRO NEWS

Here’s a quick roundup of the latest retro gaming news we’ve dug up.

• A1200 Mini Finally Opens U.S. Orders After Long Pre-Order Mess
  The long-delayed Amiga A1200 Mini is officially available for American buyers.
  Read more at Time Extension

• Analogue 3D Returns Next Week With Limited Pre-Order Window
  Analogue’s N64-style 3D system is coming back, but with restrictions attached.
  Read more at Time Extension

• Expedition 33 Director Pushes for a Lost Odyssey Remaster
  The creator hopes Microsoft revives the cult JRPG for a modern audience.
  Read more at Time Extension

PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS

What was your favorite gaming magazine?

• Tips & Tricks - 0%

• EGM - 28.57%

• Nintendo Power - 14.29%

• Computer Gaming World - 14.29%

• GamePro - 14.29%

• GameFan - 0%

• Other (Write In) - 28.57%

Reader comments from the poll:

(Other) “Game Informer” - Ben

(EGM) “Nintendo Power would be my second favorite, but EGM was the magazine I would wind up reading every month for years and years!” - Shen

GAME OVER

Why You Should Play This

Star Trek: 25th Anniversary on NES deserves recognition for ambition rather than execution. Interplay created an original Trek story that captures the show's spirit on limited hardware. The opening credits recreation alone shows dedication to authenticity. For Trek fans, the episodic structure and series references create genuine moments of nostalgia. The adventure game format was uncommon on NES, making this title notable for even attempting the genre.

You can experience everything the game offers in a single sitting. The PC version provides a superior Trek adventure with more episodes, better puzzles, and the original cast's voice acting. This is worth playing if you're a completionist Trek fan curious about the franchise's gaming history. It works as a brief nostalgic experience when paired with original series episodes.

Just understand you're getting a short adventure that prioritizes atmosphere over substance. The game captures Trek's essence in limited form, which counts for something even if it doesn't quite reach the final frontier.

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