Master of Magic can best be described as Civilization with Magic instead of technology. This 1994 4X strategy title had several bugs when it was released, but a patch released later on improved the game significantly, taking it to the top of many strategy fans lists even today. Taking place on a fantasy world, players take control of one of several wizards and enlist in one of several disciplines of magic. Starting with a tribe of settlers, you colonize a randomly generated world. You research spells instead of technologies. There is a much greater focus on combat than in Civilization as you go into a turn-based strategy mode when you encounter an enemy. It’s fantasy-strategy gameplay was an inspiration for the Age of Wonders series, another classic strategy game. This classic title is only $6.00 on GOG.com, so do check it out.

A few of you Poweteers might remember a little known PC game called MAD TV. In it, you played as a TV exec who competed against other execs for TV ratings, TV/Movie licensing deals, lucrative advertising contracts, and the affections of the lovely nature show producer on the top floor. Obviously it wasn’t based on the sketch comedy show of the same name (although they were both inspired by the same satire magazine). Although it received little fanfare, it was unique and fun. Years later, Realmforge and Kalypso Media released M.U.D TV (which stands for Mad, Ugly, Dirty Television), a game that is more than inspired by the classic title, although the developers claimed they never played it. Anyway, the game is just as fun as the game it apparently isn’t based on, even if the game gets a bit too difficult at times.
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