1869
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Gold Games
(1996)
Description official descriptions
As a 19th-century merchant newcomer, the player needs to buy a ship, find a crew, load a few goods on the ship, and sail into the horizon, until the player reaches a port with a demand for said goods. The next step is to expand by buying more ships, creating regular trade routes, and becoming the head of a regular trading company.
1869 focuses on management and economy, rather than action. Actual sailing is done by plotting a route and then watching the days go by, interrupted only by the occasional random event. Basically, the main activities are planning routes, watching out for special assignments (that pay well if completed on time), and generally trying to steer clear of the shores of bankruptcy.
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (DOS version)
15 People (14 developers, 1 thanks)
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| Idea & Concept | |
| Artwork | |
| Music | |
| Cover Design | |
| Manual | |
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| Sound Effects | |
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 78% (based on 16 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.2 out of 5 (based on 17 ratings with 1 reviews)
No frills, no surprises, no explosions - just plain business
The Good
The economic model is actually quite good, and challenging even for the experienced player. If you like pure economic sims, this is worth a look. You can play it in a historical mode and actually learn something while you play.
The Bad
It really doesn't do anything you couldn't do in a plain boardgame or a spreadsheet. You sit there waiting for something truly exciting to happen, but it doesn't. All you can do as you get robbed or lose a ship, is shrug your shoulders and moan.
If you play it for more than an hour, I advise that you take a break with a level of Quake or similar game. Just to get the frustration out of the system.
The Bottom Line
It's a nice little game for the entire family or for playing with a few friends - but make sure those friends are REALLY into this kind of thing, or you'll be playing solitaire before you can say "shiver me timbers".
DOS · by Isak (611) · 2000
Trivia
Music routines
Chicken / Electronic Rats ripped the music replay routines from 1869, creating one of the most widely used FM music players and formats ever: the HSC format. It was used in many BBS intros, and the replay routines had interfaces in C, Pascal, and ASM.
Title translation
1869 was originally released in Germany with the sub-title "Hart am Wind" - meaning Close to the wind.
Awards
- Amiga Joker
- Issue 02/1993 – #2 Best Simulation of 1992 (Readers' Vote)
- PC Games (Germany)
- Issue 01/1993– #2 Best Economical Simulation in 1992
Additional information contributed by Mickey Gabel.
Analytics
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Related Sites +
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1869 Database
Small page with a database of traded goods and cities.
Identifiers +
Contribute
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Isak.
Amiga added by Rebound Boy.
Additional contributors: Trixter, Martin Smith, Peter Stützer, Patrick Bregger, Omnosto.
Game added July 28, 2000. Last modified June 29, 2024.