{{Expand French|topic=cult|Carrier Strike: South Pacific|date=October 2020}} {{Short description|1992 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Carrier Strike: South Pacific 1942-44 | image = Carrier Strike 1992 video game box.png | caption = | developer = Strategic Simulations | publisher = Strategic Simulations | designer = Gary Grigsby | released = 1992 | genre = Computer wargame | platforms = MS-DOS }}
'''''Carrier Strike: South Pacific 1942-44''''' is a 1992 computer wargame designed by Gary Grigsby and published by Strategic Simulations Inc.<ref name=teaser>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030621153816/http://www.wargamer.com/articles/joel_gary_interview_teaser/ | url=http://www.wargamer.com/articles/joel_gary_interview_teaser/ | title=The Joel Billings and Gary Grigsby Interview - Teaser | author1=Zabek, Jim | author2=Wallace, Shaun | date=May 29, 2003 | work=Wargamer | archivedate=June 21, 2003 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=cgwrev>{{cite magazine | last=Emrich | first=Alan | authorlink=Alan Emrich | title=So, Exactly How Much Do Anchors Aweigh? | date=August 1992 | issue=97 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | pages=128, 129 }}</ref> It is a successor to Grigsby's earlier title ''Carrier Force''.
==Gameplay== Set in World War II, ''Carrier Strike'' is a computer wargame that simulates battles in the Pacific Theater between the Allies and Imperial Japan.<ref name=gppe />
==Development== ''Carrier Strike'' was designed by Gary Grigsby for Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI).<ref name=cgwrev /> It began development as "an offshoot" of ''Gary Grigsby's Pacific War'', which was in production at the time; the initial version of ''Carrier Strike'' was made during a week of free time on that project. Grigsby explained that ''Carrier Strike'' was his way of revisiting his early game ''Carrier Force'' (1983). He told ''Electronic Games'', "I liked the subject matter and, given the evolution in computer capability and my programming skills, I wanted to refine it."<ref name=egint />
''Carrier Strike'' was developed with a modified version of the game engine from Grigsby's games ''Second Front: Germany Turns East'' and ''Western Front''.<ref name=gppe>{{cite journal | author=Trotter, William R. | author-link=William R. Trotter | title=Reviews; ''Carrier Strike'' | volume=5 | number=4 | date=July–September 1992 | journal=Game Player's PC Entertainment | page=67 }}</ref><ref name=egint>{{cite journal | author=Dille, Ed | title=War in the Pacific | journal=Electronic Games | volume=1 | issue=3 | date=December 1992 | pages=54–56, 58 }}</ref> He noted that the biggest challenge during production was adapting the games' interface to the new setting, and that the subsequent flight-deck interface originated from "a bull session at SSI". For the game's artificial intelligence (AI), he said that the subject matter made coding relatively simple, and that he had avoided letting the AI "cheat" in ways that many of his previous games had not.<ref name=egint /> The score for ''Carrier Strike'' was composed by Donald Griffin of Computer Music Consulting.<ref name=cgwrev />
''Carrier Strike'' was launched in 1992, prior to ''Pacific War''.<ref name=egint /><ref name=teaser /> Grigsby and SSI followed the game with the ''Carrier Strike Expansion Disk'', which alters ''Carrier Strike''{{'}}s gameplay mechanics and adds new playable battles. Unlike the original game's retail release, it was launched via mail order.<ref name=expansionrev>{{cite magazine | author=Brooks, M. Evan | title=Strikingly Handsome | date=April 1993 | issue=105 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | page=148 }}</ref>
==Reception== {{Video game reviews | rev1 = ''PC Review'' | rev1Score = 6/10<ref name=pcreview>{{cite journal | author=Matthews, Robin | title=Software Review; ''Carrier Strike — South Pacific 1942–44'' | issue=10 | date=August 1992 | journal=PC Review | pages=70, 71 }}</ref> }} According to M. Evan Brooks of ''Computer Gaming World'', ''Carrier Strike'' had reached sales of 15,000 copies by September 1992.<ref name=evanflow>{{cite magazine | author=Brooks, M. Evan | title=The Evan Flow of Battle: Campaign Replay of Strategic Simulations' ''Carrier Strike'' | magazine=Computer Gaming World | issue=98 | date=September 1992 | pages=116–119 }}</ref> The game was released in competition with ''Carriers at War'' by Strategic Studies Group,<ref name=egint /> a game whose highly-anticipated status drew more attention toward ''Carrier Strike'', ''Computer Gaming World''{{'}}s Alan Emrich argued.<ref name=cgwrev />
Emrich offered ''Carrier Strike'' a positive review,<ref name=cgwrev /> and ''Computer Gaming World'' nominated the game, alongside Grigsby's ''Western Front'', for its "Wargame of the Year" prize.<ref name=cgw1991>{{cite magazine | title=''CGW'' Salutes the Games of the Year | issue=100 | date=November 1992 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | pages=110, 112 }}</ref> William R. Trotter of ''Game Player's PC Entertainment'' called it an "engrossing and handsome simulation" that he "recommend[ed] ... most enthusiastically".<ref name=gppe />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{MobyGames|/carrier-strike-south-pacific-1942-44}}
{{Gary Grigsby}}
Category:1992 video games Category:Computer wargames Category:DOS games Category:DOS-only games Category:Naval video games Category:Pacific War video games Category:Strategic Simulations games Category:Turn-based strategy video games Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games set in Oceania Category:Video games set in Papua New Guinea Category:Video games set in the Solomon Islands Category:Video games set in the United States