Solar Wars

This empire-building game follows the standard simulation model, but you may find yourself lost in space. Solar Wars installs quickly and smoothly. Understanding how the program operates takes some doing. All you see when you start the game is a solar galaxy window with planets and space fleets turning around the sun. The interface looks less like a functional game and more like a planetarium. Throughout the game you see phrases such as The fleet of X is attacking the fleet of Y, then a line representing the number of spaceships destroyed runs across the screen. After that, the planets go back to circling until the next abstract battle. You can play the program online, although you have to be willing to spend hours trying to figure out the details. At least the program is free.