Deck & Conn is a cat-and-mouse MicroProse homage to a 55-year-old Star Trek game that might not be chunky enough for today’s simulation sickos
Deck & Conn is a new simulation game paying homage to MicroProse’s classic simulation library and a 55-year-old Star Trek game. The game emphasizes technical, procedural gameplay where players must methodically work through spacecraft systems before beginning their mission.
Gameplay requires activating systems in specific sequence—starting with the auxiliary power unit (APU), then the reactor, and eventually helm and sensors systems. Each step involves waiting periods as systems come online, creating an immersive, realistic simulation of pre-flight procedures that echo vintage space simulation design.
The reviewer questions whether the game delivers sufficient mechanical complexity for dedicated simulation enthusiasts, noting it might lack the ‘chunkiness’ expected by hardcore simulation players who crave intricate, demanding systems. With a PICO-8 prototype mentioned during development, Deck & Conn draws inspiration from decades-old Star Trek games and the MicroProse simulation legacy, continuing a long-standing gaming tradition focused on technical authenticity and complex systems management over action-oriented gameplay.