Elite cover
Log Want to Play Collection
Loved

See more on IGDB

Elite (1984)

Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell

Acorn Archimedes, Acorn Electron, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST/STE, BBC Microcomputer System, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS, MSX, Nintendo Entertainment System, Tatung Einstein, ZX Spectrum

My Save State is where you keep a diary of the games you play.

You can't play Elite here, but you can log it, rate it, and see what other players think.

Sign up free Already a member? Sign in
Elite is a space trading video game, written and developed by David Braben and Ian Bell and originally published by Acornsoft for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in September 1984. Elite's open-ended game model, and revolutionary 3D graphics led to it being ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic … Elite is a space trading video game, written and developed by David Braben and Ian Bell and originally published by Acornsoft for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in September 1984. Elite's open-ended game model, and revolutionary 3D graphics led to it being ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. The game's title derives from one of the player's goals of raising their combat rating to the exalted heights of "Elite".

Elite was one of the first home computer games to use wire-frame 3D graphics with hidden line removal. It added graphics and twitch gameplay aspects to the genre established by the 1974 game Star Trader. Another novelty was the inclusion of The Dark Wheel, a novella by Robert Holdstock which gave players insight into the moral and legal codes to which they might aspire. Read more

Details

Developers
Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell
Publishers
Acornsoft, Digital Integration, Firebird, Hybrid Technology, Imagineer, Merlin Software U.K.
Genres
Shooter, Simulator, Strategy
Themes
Action, Business, Open world, Sandbox, Science fiction
Series
Elite

Release dates

  • Sep 20, 1984 (Europe) BBC Microcomputer System
  • 1984 (Europe) Acorn Electron
  • 1985 (Europe) ZX Spectrum, Commodore C64/128/MAX
  • 1985 (North America) Apple II
  • 1986 (Europe) Amstrad CPC
  • 1987 (Europe) MSX, Tatung Einstein
  • 1987 (North America) DOS
  • 1988 (Europe) Amiga, Atari ST/STE
  • 1991 (Europe) Acorn Archimedes, Nintendo Entertainment System

Related

Bundled in

Expanded games

Ports