1980s Simulation games

10 Simulation classics first released 1980 to 1989, in release order, and 23 games looking back to them.

Games looking back to them

• Elite-A: Extended Elite variant for the BBC Micro, documented on bbcelite.com.
• Elite: The New Kind: PC rebuild of Elite from the BBC source on its own site.
• Escape Velocity: Mac shareware space trading game sold from Ambrosia's own site.
• Escape Velocity Nova: Third Escape Velocity, sold as shareware from Ambrosia's site.
• Escape Velocity Override: Shareware sequel to Escape Velocity.
• Frontier 1337: Enhanced Frontier: Elite II port from the author's own site.
• GLFrontier: OpenGL port of Frontier: Elite II.
• Oolite: Open-source space trading game remaking Elite, with a large mod scene.
• Pioneer Space Simulator: Free open-source space sim inspired by Frontier: Elite II, downloaded from its own site.
• Starsector: Top-down space fleet RPG sold DRM-free only from the developer's own site, never on Steam.
• F-15 Strike Eagle II reconstruction: Ongoing source reconstruction of F-15 Strike Eagle II, blogged on the author's site.
• BattleTech (2018): Kickstarted turn-based BattleTech game led by franchise co-creator Jordan Weisman.
• MechCommander 2 Omnitech: Community build of the released MechCommander 2 source.
• Citybound: Open-source city builder with large-scale simulation.
• Lincity: Free city simulation game in the spirit of SimCity.
• LinCity-NG: Updated isometric version of Lincity.
• Micropolis: Open-source release of the original SimCity code under a new name.
• micropolisJS: Browser port of Micropolis, the open-source SimCity.
• OpenCity: Free 3D city simulator in the style of SimCity.
• OpenSC2K: Open reimplementation of SimCity 2000.
• Pocket City: Mobile city builder in the classic SimCity style by a two-person studio.
• TheoTown: Retro pixel city builder in the style of SimCity 2000.
• TinyCity: Tiny SimCity clone for the Thumby handheld.

The classics

• Microsoft Flight Simulator (1982)
• Elite (1984)
• F-15 Strike Eagle (1984)
• Little Computer People (1985)
• Silent Service (1985)
• Alter Ego (1986)
• Gunship (1986)
• Falcon (1987)
• MechWarrior (1989)
• SimCity (1989)