16 min read

Stellar 7

Last updated: January 11, 2026

Overview

Stellar 7 is a futuristic tank simulation computer game inspired by the 1980 arcade game Battlezone, first released in 1983 for the Apple II before being ported to other platforms.1 Created by Damon Slye, the game places players in control of the Raven, described as “the most advanced Terran fighting vehicle,” tasked with defending Earth from an alien invasion led by the evil warlord Gir Draxon of the Arcturan Empire.2 The game represents a pivotal moment in gaming history as the first title created by the founders of Dynamix, released before the company was officially established in 1984.3

The game combines first-person perspective tank combat with vector graphics, creating what contemporary reviewers called “arcade-style excitement” with “first-rate graphics and sound effects.”4 Players traverse seven different star systems, battling various enemy units ranging from tanks to mechanical birds, culminating in a final confrontation with Gir Draxon himself in the Arcturus system.2 The title “Stellar 7” references these seven planetary battlegrounds that players must conquer to reach the final boss.5

Stellar 7 achieved significant commercial and critical success, with novelist Tom Clancy famously declaring it one of his two favorite computer games, stating “It is so unforgiving. It is just like life.”6 The game was remade in 1990 with enhanced VGA graphics, becoming notable as one of the first Sierra-published titles to support VGA graphics, beating even King’s Quest V to that distinction by a few months.5

Story Summary

Set in the year 3000, Stellar 7 depicts a galaxy transformed into a battleground where Earth faces an existential threat.10 Gir Draxon, the Supreme Overlord of the evil Arcturan Empire, has assembled an armada of his most elite forces and is preparing to launch a devastating attack on Earth.11 The galaxy is consumed by conflict, with humanity’s home planet under siege and hundreds of enemies lurking at every turn.10

As the Commander of Terran forces assigned to protect Earth, players must pilot the XCV Agl-2, codenamed “The Raven,” an armored assault tank equipped with advanced technology including an anti-gravity drive and protonic shields.10 The Raven was called into service before being fully completed, which the game’s lore uses to explain why the tank relies solely on shield protection without additional armor.1 Armed with the Bi-Phasal Thunder Cannon—making it the first video game to feature a double-cannoned tank—the Raven represents humanity’s last hope against the alien invasion.5

The mission requires players to travel from star system to star system, engaging Draxon’s forces across seven distinct planetary battlegrounds.2 In each system, players must eliminate all enemy units before a mothership arrives overhead and beams down the Guardian—a giant boss creature unique to that star system.2 The ultimate objective is to reach the Arcturus star system and destroy Gir Draxon before he can fully assemble his forces and capture Earth.11

The narrative takes an open-ended turn at the conclusion, as Gir Draxon escapes in an escape pod after his defeat, deliberately setting up the possibility of sequels.1 This narrative hook was later fulfilled with games like Nova 9: The Return of Gir Draxon and Stellar 7: Draxon’s Revenge.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Stellar 7 presents gameplay from a first-person cockpit perspective, placing players directly inside the Raven tank as they survey the battlefield.12 The interface displays crucial information including shield status, radar readings, and weapon systems. Players must prioritize targets while navigating the three-dimensional environment, making split-second decisions about which enemies to engage first.12

The game supports keyboard controls on most platforms, with the Commodore 64 version utilizing Joystick Port 2 for gameplay.13 Contemporary critics noted the control challenge, with Entertainment Weekly observing that “it’s nearly impossible to accelerate your ship and steer it at the same time, making you star chow for the relentless alien hordes.”14 This difficulty was intentional, contributing to the game’s reputation for being unforgiving.

Structure and Progression

The game features a completely linear structure across seven distinct star systems, with no customization or branching paths.15 Players must clear each star system of enemies before confronting that system’s Guardian boss:

  • Star System 1: Introduction to basic enemy types and combat mechanics
  • Star System 2-6: Progressively more difficult enemy configurations
  • Star System 7 (Arcturus): Final confrontation with Gir Draxon

The game offers three difficulty modes: Easy, Standard, and Hard, allowing players of varying skill levels to experience the campaign.16 User reviews frequently mention the memorable boss encounters, with one player recalling “freaking out at the giant robot boss at the end of level 1.”17

Puzzles and Mechanics

Rather than traditional puzzles, Stellar 7 focuses on tactical combat and resource management similar to games like Spectre.17 Players must collect power modules scattered across the battlefield, each providing different tactical advantages:10

  • Inviso Cloak Generator: Temporary invisibility (also available to enemies)
  • Eel Shield: Enhanced defensive capability
  • Super Cannon: Increased firepower
  • MP Thruster: Improved movement speed
  • Cat’s Eye: Enhanced visibility/targeting
  • RC Bomb: Remote-controlled explosive
  • Jump Thruster: Vertical mobility option

The core gameplay loop involves surveying the battlefield, prioritizing targets based on threat level, and surviving long enough to punch through to the next sector.12 Enemy AI was noted as somewhat limited, with reviewers commenting that “enemy ships could use a bit more brain.”17

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Stellar 7 received strong reviews upon its original release and subsequent remake, establishing itself as a benchmark for the tank combat genre.

Original Release (1983-1985):

  • Softline praised the game, with William Harrington writing that “combining first-rate graphics and sound effects with fast-paced, arcade-style excitement makes Stellar 7 hard to beat in every sense.”4
  • Video Magazine called it “a severe test for even the most skillful home arcaders.”1
  • Creative Computing (1984) declared “Play it once, and you are forever addicted.”1
  • Zzap!64 awarded an impressive 87%, with reviewer Julian Rignall praising the game in the July 1985 issue.8
  • Home Computing Weekly gave a perfect 5/5 in March 1985.13
  • Commodore User awarded 4/5 in April 1985, noting an 80% score.13
  • Your Commodore gave 4/5 in May 1985.13

1990 Remake:

  • Dragon Magazine awarded a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for the DOS remake in 1991.1
  • ACE Magazine gave 780/1000, with Chris Jenkins reviewing the July 1991 Amiga version.18
  • Amiga Power awarded 67%, with Mark Ramshaw noting: “Lacks action, needs one meg, and is a rewrite of a six year old game that was old-fashioned to start with. But what the hell - I like it.”19

3DO Version (Draxon’s Revenge, 1993):

  • Electronic Gaming Monthly scored 72%, noting “Fans of the PC version will be pleasantly surprised by this perspective shooter in the vein of Battlezone.”14
  • Entertainment Weekly gave 67%.14
  • Edge Magazine awarded 50%.14

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective assessments have been largely positive, recognizing Stellar 7’s historical significance while acknowledging its dated mechanics. The game holds a 4.65/5 rating on My Abandonware based on 34 votes.17 User reviews frequently describe it as “the great great grand daddy of Doom” due to its pioneering 3D gameplay when few such games existed.13

Aggregate Scores:

  • Abandonware DOS: 4.00/5.007
  • My Abandonware: 4.65/5 (34 votes)17
  • C64-Wiki: 6.36/109
  • GameFAQs: Fair rating (17 ratings)20
  • MobyGames (1990 remake): 72% critics aggregate15
  • MobyGames (Draxon’s Revenge): 68%21

Retrospective analysis frequently positions the game as an important stepping stone in 3D gaming evolution. As one user noted, “Back in the mid 80s on 8 bit computers this was a pretty good game. Basically Battlezone on acid.”18

Development

Origins

Stellar 7 emerged from the creative vision of Damon Slye, who developed the game while working at The Computer Tutor.22 Slye was deeply inspired by Atari’s Battlezone arcade game and sought to create a similar experience for home computers.9 The development occurred while Slye was living with his parents, giving him the freedom to work without external pressure—a circumstance that allowed him to meticulously craft the game’s vector graphics engine.23

Remarkably, Slye coded the entire game on notebook paper before transferring it to computer, demonstrating the methodical approach that would characterize his later career developing acclaimed flight simulators.23 The game was created for the Apple II’s modest 1 MHz CPU and 48K of memory, pushing the hardware to its limits to achieve smooth 3D rendering.23

Production

The original version was developed in approximately six months, a relatively quick development cycle that reflected both Slye’s clear vision and the simpler production requirements of early 1980s game development.9 The game was initially published by Software Entertainment Company before being picked up by Penguin Software for wider distribution, with U.S. Gold handling European releases.8

The 1990 remake represented a significant investment in updating the game for contemporary standards. Working under the Dynamix banner (now owned by Sierra On-Line), the team rebuilt the game with true polygonal 3D graphics while maintaining virtually identical gameplay and level design to the original.2 The remake added power modules, boss creatures, and full-screen cutscenes that weren’t present in the 1983 version.2

Development Credits:1518

  • Designer: Damon Slye
  • Additional Designer/Playtester: David Selle24
  • Composers: Don Latarski, Kim Nagel18
  • Additional Music: Dale Cooper15

Technical Achievements

Stellar 7 utilized the 3Space engine, a custom vector graphics rendering system that would later power numerous Dynamix titles including Red Baron, the Aces series, and Earthsiege.16 The engine enabled smooth first-person 3D graphics on hardware that typically struggled with such presentations—user reviews noted “the frame rate would put most Windows AutoCads to shame.”8

The original game featured wireframe vector graphics similar to Battlezone, creating an abstract but effective visual style.8 The 1990 remake upgraded to VGA graphics with 256 colors, using opaque colored polygon panels for 3D models, though they remained unshaded and untextured.25 This made Stellar 7 one of the first Sierra-published games to support VGA graphics.5

Technical Specifications

DOS Version (1990):2515

  • Graphics: VGA/256 colors, MCGA modes supported
  • Audio Devices: AdLib, Sound Blaster, Roland MT-32, LAPC-I, PC Speaker, Tandy 3 Voice, Tandy DAC
  • Media: 3.5” Floppy Disk, 5.25” Floppy Disk, CD-ROM
  • File Size: Approximately 1 MB (floppy), 430 MB (CD version with extras)2

CD-ROM Version:15

  • Features: Digitized voices on all cutscenes, CD audio music
  • Audio: Full voice acting, orchestral soundtrack
  • Enhanced: Different MCGA color mode support

Original Version (1983):23

  • CPU: 1 MHz
  • Memory: 48K
  • Graphics: Vector wireframe
  • Media: 5.25” Floppy Disk
  • Controls: Keyboard (Apple II), Joystick Port 2 (C64)

Amiga Version (1991):18

  • Disks: 3
  • Memory Required: 1 MB19
  • Chipsets: OCS, ECS supported

Cut Content

No significant cut content has been documented for Stellar 7. The 1990 remake was designed to faithfully recreate the original experience while adding new features rather than removing existing ones.

Version History

VersionDatePlatformNotes
1.01983Apple IIInitial release by Software Entertainment Company8
1.01984Commodore 64Port by Penguin Software8
1.01984Commodore 64U.S. Gold second edition (UK)13
RemakeSeptember 20, 1990IBM PCDynamix remake with VGA graphics16
1.01990AmigaDynamix port7
1.01990MacintoshDynamix port7
CD1991DOSCD-ROM version with voice and CD audio15
1.0July 1, 1991Amiga 500Official Amiga release date19
1.01993MacintoshLater Mac release1
Draxon’s Revenge19933DOEnhanced sequel/remake21

Technical Issues

The 1990 DOS remake suffers from speed issues on faster processors, with users reporting “Runs too fast on my pentium.”15 This was a common problem with DOS games designed for slower hardware.

The Amiga version was criticized for being a relatively direct port from the MS-DOS/VGA version with minimal optimization for Amiga hardware, requiring 1 MB of RAM which was considered excessive for the type of game.1918

Audio recording preservation efforts have noted timing issues and incomplete recordings of the game’s soundtrack.25

Easter Eggs and Trivia

  • Box Art Screenshot: The game’s cover uses an actual screenshot rather than commissioned artwork, with marketing materials boasting “That’s not simply a cover painting, but an actual screenshot of Stellar7 in progress.”20
  • Penguin Software Humor: Most Penguin Software games contained humorous remarks about penguins on the back cover. Stellar 7’s read: “Penguins have yet to defy gravity.”8
  • Double-Cannoned Tank First: The Raven’s Bi-Phasal Thunder Cannon made Stellar 7 the first video game to feature a double-cannoned tank.5
  • Tom Clancy’s Favorite: The novelist Tom Clancy named Stellar 7 as one of his two favorite computer games in 1988, using it during exercise sessions: “It is so unforgiving. It is just like life. It’s just perfect to play when I’m exercising.”6
  • Pre-Company Title: Stellar 7 was released before Dynamix was officially founded, making it a title that predates its own developer.3

Voice Cast

The CD-ROM version and 3DO Draxon’s Revenge featured voice acting:

CharacterVoice Actor
NarratorMichael Dorn21
NarratorSher Alltucker21

Michael Dorn, famous for his role as Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation, provided narration for the 3DO version, adding significant production value to the cutscenes.14

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

The original Apple II version sold approximately 8,000 copies in 1982 according to Retro Gamer magazine, a solid performance for the early home computer market.8 The game’s success established Damon Slye’s reputation and provided the foundation for what would become Dynamix.

Zzap!64 recognized the game’s quality by placing it at #22 in their inaugural “Zzap! 64 Top 64” list in May 1985, cementing its status as one of the premier Commodore 64 titles.8

Collections

Stellar 7 appeared in several compilation releases:

  • Dynamix Sample Pack (1992): A Sierra On-Line compilation containing Stellar 7 alongside A-10 Tank Killer and Heart of China, distributed on DOS.26

The game was also distributed as part of various “5 FT. 10 PAK” bundles.27

Fan Projects

While no major fan remakes have been documented, the game remains playable through emulation and DOSBox, with support confirmed for DOSBox version 0.58.17 The Internet Archive maintains multiple playable versions for preservation purposes.2

The original game included documentation and manuals providing backstory and gameplay instructions. Sierra Chest and other fan archives maintain PDF copies of original game manuals.28

Critical Perspective

Stellar 7 occupies an important position in the evolution of 3D gaming, bridging the gap between arcade vector graphics games like Battlezone and the texture-mapped 3D worlds that would emerge in the 1990s. While its gameplay was derivative of Atari’s arcade classic, Slye’s implementation demonstrated that home computers could deliver compelling 3D experiences despite severe hardware limitations.

The game’s influence extended through Dynamix’s subsequent work, with the 3Space engine powering numerous successful titles. Stellar 7 established the template that would be refined in Arctic Fox (1986), Nova 9 (1991), and other Dynamix productions. As one retrospective noted, the game was “the great great grand daddy of Doom” in how it pioneered 3D shooter mechanics on home systems.13

Mark Ramshaw’s 1991 review perhaps best captured the game’s enduring appeal despite its age: “It may have caught me in a good mood, but there’s something endearing about Stellar 7’s singlemindedness.”19 This focused design philosophy—pure arcade action wrapped in a science fiction setting—ensured the game remained playable and engaging even as graphics technology advanced far beyond its vector origins.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

Download / Preservation

Manuals & Extras

Series Continuity

Stellar 7 launched a franchise spanning multiple games and platforms over a decade. The series follows humanity’s ongoing conflict with Gir Draxon and the Arcturan Empire, with the villain’s escape at the end of the first game establishing continuity for subsequent entries. The 3Space engine developed for Stellar 7 became the technological foundation for the entire series and many other Dynamix titles.16

The series includes spiritual successors and direct sequels:

  • Arctic Fox (1986): A spiritual successor using similar mechanics in an Arctic setting

  • Nova 9: The Return of Gir Draxon (1991): Direct sequel continuing the conflict with Draxon

  • Stellar 7: Draxon’s Revenge (1993): 3DO remake/sequel with enhanced graphics and voice acting

  • Next: 1991 - Nova 9 - The Return of Gir Draxon

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia – Stellar 7 – release dates, reviews, platform information, Tom Clancy quote, plot details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  2. Internet Archive – Stellar 7 MS-DOS CD – game description, technical details, remake information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  3. Wikipedia – Dynamix – company history, pre-founding release ↩ ↩2

  4. Softline Magazine (1983) – William Harrington review quote ↩ ↩2

  5. TV Tropes – Stellar 7 – VGA graphics first, double-cannon tank, title meaning ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  6. The Digital Antiquarian – Tom Clancy quote, development history ↩ ↩2

  7. Abandonware DOS – Stellar 7 – release dates, platforms, ratings ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  8. MobyGames – Stellar 7 (1983) – publishers, sales data, Zzap review, Penguin humor ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  9. C64-Wiki – Stellar 7 – 3Space engine, development time, ratings ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  10. Lemon Amiga – Game Documentation – year 3000 setting, power modules, Raven specifications ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  11. Sierra Chest – Stellar 7 Walkthrough – plot summary, Gir Draxon description ↩ ↩2

  12. eBay – Stellar 7 – gameplay loop description, UPC ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. Lemon64 – Stellar 7 – C64 reviews, control scheme, user quotes ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  14. Dynamix Fandom – Stellar 7: Draxon’s Revenge – 3DO reviews, voice cast, EGM/Entertainment Weekly quotes ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  15. MobyGames – Stellar 7 (1990) – composers, critics aggregate, technical specs, CD version details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  16. Sierra Chest – Stellar 7 General – 3Space engine, release date, difficulty modes ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  17. My Abandonware – Stellar 7 – user ratings, reviews, DOSBox compatibility ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  18. Lemon Amiga – Stellar 7 – Amiga version, composers, ACE review ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  19. Every Game Going – Amiga Power Review – Mark Ramshaw review, 67% score, 1 MB requirement ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  20. GameFAQs – Stellar 7 – user ratings, box art screenshot trivia ↩ ↩2

  21. MobyGames – Stellar 7: Draxon’s Revenge – 3DO details, voice cast, composer ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  22. The Digital Antiquarian – development at Computer Tutor ↩

  23. Dynamix Fandom – Stellar 7 (1983) – notebook coding, technical specs, living situation ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  24. Dynamix Fandom – David Selle – additional designer credit ↩

  25. VGMPF Wiki – Stellar 7 DOS – audio devices, music analysis ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  26. MobyGames – Dynamix Sample Pack – compilation contents ↩

  27. Internet Archive – Stellar 7 DOS CD-ROM Dynamix – packaging notes ↩

  28. Sierra Gamers – Stellar 7 – manual availability ↩

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