VGA Planets is a multi-player space strategy war game originally released in 1992.
VGA Planets follows the 4X game (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate) model: The players start with a home world, and have to build spaceships, explore the galaxy, colonize planets, mine minerals, build up their industry, etc.
[7] In May 2010 a new project was approved by Tim Wisseman [8] called VGA Planets Nu to rebuild the version 3 game with modern web-based technology.
At the time that the game gained popularity, LANs and the Internet were not generally available to the public, so VGA Planets was primarily played via dial-up bulletin board systems (BBS), gradually moving to email as a PBEM as it became more widely available.
Computer Gaming World in 1993 and 1994 noted VGA Planets 3.0's "clunky" interface and lack of single-player AI, but approved the "great deal Mr. Wisseman is giving the computer gaming public" for $15, and his "constant striving to improve his product".
The magazine recommended that "anyone who enjoys spaceploitation" should try the game,[4] stating that it "is very similar in feel to a play-by-mail system but without the cost and wait".
[12] A May 1994 survey in the magazine of strategic space games set in the year 2000 and later gave VGA Planets 3.0 four stars out of five, calling it "excellent ... easy to learn, tough to master".
[10] Another article in the issue described 3.0 as "a wonderful blend of Reach for the Stars, Master of Orion and Diplomacy".