Taipan

The Good
Despite graphics based firmly in the early 1980's, this game has an addictive quality about it that has nothing to do with opium. I enjoyed buying low and selling high. I enjoyed the fact that you have to pay off criminal enterprises for "protection"; failure to do so can result in an attack on your ship by a vast fleet of pirates. But most of all, I was astonished that a 35-year old game can be this much fun.

The Bad
There are a few bugs that can detract from your enjoyment. For example, a bug in the moneylender Wu character can result in your accumulation of vast sums of money. This is technically a cheat, so using it is up to the user. I also didn't like how you could be attacked by Li Yuen's pirates while on your way to make a protection payment. Come on, give me a chance to make it to Hong Kong!

Battles can also be tedious. I recommend running your Apple emulator at 4X or 5X speed to make the battles go faster.

The Bottom Line
Don't let the primitive graphics and text-based command-input scheme deceive you - this is a solid, if basic economic simulation. Since the game is for the Apple II, you need to have an Apple II emulator to play it on a PC. If you're lucky enough to have a working Apple II computer, bonus for nostalgia.