Starcross
Starcross is an interactive fiction game written by Dave Lebling and published in 1982 by Infocom. The game was released for the IBM PC (as a self-booting disk), Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, TRS-80, TI-99/4A, and later the Atari ST and Amiga. It was Infocom's fifth game and first in the science fiction genre.
Starcross
- Date
- 1982
- Publisher
- Starcross was published by Infocom.
- Genre
- interactive fiction · science fiction video game
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Documentary summary
Starcross is an interactive fiction game written by Dave Lebling and published in 1982 by Infocom. The game was released for the IBM PC (as a self-booting disk), Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, TRS-80, TI-99/4A, and later the Atari ST and Amiga. It was Infocom's fifth game and first in the science fiction genre.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1419773
In this article
The object
The object
Starcross takes place in the year 2186, when the player's character is a lone black hole miner exploring an asteroid belt. It sold 90,315 copies.
Key facts
Key facts
• Title — Starcross • Developer — Infocom • Publisher — Infocom • Designer — Dave Lebling • Engine — Z-machine • Released — Release 15: September 1, 1982 Release 17: October 21, 1982 • Genre — Interactive fiction • Modes — Single-player • Platforms — Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, Plus/4, IBM PC, TRS-80, TI-99/4A, Amiga, Atari ST
Gameplay
Gameplay
The player's ship, the Starcross, is fitted with a mass detector to look for "quantum black holes", which are such powerful sources of energy that one could provide a wealth of riches. When the mass detector finally discovers an anomaly, however, it is not a black hole but something else entirely: a massive craft of unknown origin and composition. The player must dock with the mysterious ship and gain entry to its interior. Once inside, the player discovers a wide variety of alien plant and animal species and an array of unfamiliar technology. Starcross has an appearance in Zork: The Undiscovered Underground. Starcross has 39 ways to die.
Release
Release
The original release of Starcross was packaged in a round, plastic UFO. Besides the disk and manual, it contained some physical items: • Log of the M.C.S. Starcross, a journal of the protagonist's experiences on the ship • A letter from the "Bureau of Extra-Solar Intelligence" providing advice for any encounters with alien lifeforms • A partial space map of charted masses, including instructions on how to use the navigation computer
History of the object
Dated record
History of the object
The full dated record · 2 entries
1982
Starcross published.
1982
Starcross is recorded as published in 1982.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United States
Named but not plotted · 1
Starcross is associated with United States.
Country
Reception
Jerry Pournelle wrote in BYTE in 1983 of Starcross, "I am not fond of it as I am of Zork, but a number of science-fiction fans like it very much".
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Starcross stands. Issued for Atari 8-bit family. Issued for TRS-80 Model I. Starcross was issued for Commodore 64. Recorded as video game. Published by Infocom. Developed by Infocom. Classed in the genre science fiction video game. Classed in the genre interactive fiction. Associated with United States.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.cita Townsend p. 77 .
- 2.solo nella raccolta The Lost Treasures of Infocom del 1991
- 3.RivistaVG/Cita zzap64 7
- 4.20 settembre 2008.
- 5.Starcross.
- 6.RivistaVG/Cita efcg 11
- 7.cita Townsend p. 75 .
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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Best supported in this field
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