Computer Bismarck - Reception and Legacy

Reception and Legacy

Computer Bismarck was well received by critics. Neil Shapiro of Popular Mechanics praised the game's detail and ability to recreate the complex maneuvering involved in the real battle. He referred to it as unique and "fantastic". Navy defense researcher Peter Perla considered war games like Computer Bismarck a step above earlier war-themed video games that relied on arcade-style action. He praised the addition of a computer controlled opponent that such games provide to solitaire players. Perla attributes SSI's success to the release of its early wargames, specifically citing Computer Bismarck. Computer Gaming World's Bob Proctor echoed similar statements about SSI's success, commenting that the title earned the company a good profit. He also stated that it spurred game enthusiasts to submit their own games to SSI, which he believed helped further the company's success. Proctor credits SSI's release of Computer Bismarck with helping to legitimize war games and computer games in general. He stated that the professional packaging demonstrated SSI's seriousness to produce quality products; prior to Computer Bismarck, most computer games were packaged in zipper storage bags. Saekow's work on the box art earned him a permanent position with the company, and he designed artwork for most of its products. In 1983, Avalon Hill took legal action against SSI for copying game mechanics from its board games; Computer Bismarck, among other titles, was involved in the case. The two companies settled the issue out of court. The game was later re-released as part of the company's "SSI classics" line of popular games at discounted prices. One of SSI's later games, Pursuit of the Graf Spee, uses an altered version of Computer Bismarck's core system.