Wing Commander
Wing Commander is a 1990 space combat simulation game developed by Origin Systems, created by Chris Roberts. Players take the role of a rookie starfighter pilot aboard the carrier Tiger's Claw in a war against the feline Kilrathi empire, flying a variety of fighters through dogfights in space between story-driven briefings, barroom conversations, and medal ceremonies.
Its cinematic presentation, branching campaign where mission success or failure altered the war's progression, and strong sense of character and narrative brought a movie-like feel to space combat that captivated players. The mix of action-packed dogfighting, wingmen with distinct personalities, and an evolving story raised the bar for production values and ambition in gaming.
Wing Commander launched a hugely influential franchise of sequels and spin-offs, and its emphasis on cinematic space combat can still be felt in later space-sim games and its own spiritual successors created by Roberts.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Wing Commander, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everspace 2 | € 49,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| Star Wars: Squadrons | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| House of the Dying Sun Indie | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC |
| Wing Commander I+II (GOG) | € 5,99 | Not on Steam | PC |
| Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger | € 5,99 | Not on Steam | PC |
Everspace 2
€ 49,99A gorgeous modern single-player space-combat adventure.
Everspace 2 runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch.
Star Wars: Squadrons
€ 39,99Cockpit-only starfighter dogfighting with power management and a proper campaign, exactly Wing Commander's formula.
Star Wars: Squadrons runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch.
House of the Dying Sun Indie
€ 19,99A sharp indie space-combat game of vengeance among the stars.
House of the Dying Sun runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Wing Commander I+II (GOG)
€ 5,99The classics bundled and configured for modern PCs.
Wing Commander I+II (GOG) runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger
€ 5,99The full-motion-video peak of the series, with Mark Hamill, running on modern Windows.
Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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