''Wolfpack'' is a World War II

submarine simulator A submarine simulator is usually a computer game in which the player commands a submarine. The usual form of the game is to go on a series of missions, each of which features a number of encounters where the goal is to sink surface ships and to ...

published by Broderbund in the 1990s, for

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...

Atari ST The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...

, DOS, and Macintosh. It simulates combat actions between

wolf pack A pack is a social group of conspecific canines. Packs aren't formed by all canines, especially small sized canines like the Red fox. The number of members in a pack and their social behavior varies from species to species. Social structure is v ...

s of German U-boats and convoys of Allied destroyers and merchant vessels in the

Battle of the Atlantic The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, ran from 1939 to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, covering a major part of the naval history of World War II. At its core was the Allied naval blockade ...

Gameplay

The player can choose to command either side, the wolfpack or the convoy, with the computer controlling the enemy vessels. At any time the player may take command of any vessel in their group, including of the

tankers Tanker may refer to: Transportation * Tanker, a tank crewman (US) * Tanker (ship), a ship designed to carry bulk liquids ** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk ** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanke ...

and freighters which each carry a single gun. Each vessel can be set to remain on course or at rest, or to act under computer control while the player controls another vessel. This feature helped pave the way for many modern day real-time strategy video games. The game allows the player to choose between different levels of tactical complexity. The player can simply command one submarine, or one a time, or issue orders and command the operations of the entire group. They can order a vessel to patrol a certain path, laid out using the

mouse A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

with the map screen, or to anchor at a certain point, or take other actions. The user can also create new missions, choosing initial locations, orders, and patrol routes for vessels on both sides. The player can choose to run the simulation in real-time, or increase the speed by up to 64 times, allowing the ships to cross large distances in a reasonable time. The simulation automatically slows to real-time at important times such as when shots are fired.

Technology

The game reflects a number of advances in technology that occurred during the course of World War II. Each mission takes place during a particular year of the war. In later years new submarine classes are available to the player, with advances such as greater underwater speed. Destroyers gain radar and active sonar for detection of submarines, and hedgehog antisubmarine weapons, to supplement the

depth charge A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive Shock factor, hydraulic shock. Most depth ...

s, guns and passive sonar of the earlier destroyers.

Reception

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' gave the game two stars out of five. The magazine stated that its claim of being a "precise simulation" with "unprecedented realism" was false, as was the claim that it supported

VGA Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a video display controller and accompanying de facto graphics standard, first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, which became ubiquitous in the PC industry within three years. The term can now ...

graphics beyond the opening screen. The magazine concluded, "this reviewer does not consider ''WolfPack'' to have any real long-term sustainability", albeit enjoyable as a game. The magazine stated in February 1994 that the CD version was compelling because of "intriguing soundtrack", mission editor, and ease of play for newcomers, but in April 1994 said that poor graphics made ''

Silent Service II ''Silent Service II'' is a submarine simulation game developed and published by MicroProse for MS-DOS in 1990 and for the Amiga in 1991. It is a sequel to 1985's '' Silent Service'', also set in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Tommo pur ...

'' "much preferable to this depth-charged offering". In 1994, '' PC Gamer US'' named ''Wolfpack'' the 34th best computer game ever. The editors wrote, "There are more complicated sub sims around, but if you're looking for nail-biting excitement and an interface that lets you experience the visceral tension of the Battle of the North Atlantic, look no farther than ''Wolfpack'' on CD-ROM."

References

External links

Subsim.com review & screenshots
{{NovaLogic 1990 video games Broderbund games Submarine simulation video games Video games developed in the United States Amiga games Atari ST games Classic Mac OS games DOS games World War II video games NovaLogic games