StarCraft Battlechest: World's Bestselling PC Game Lives On

StarCraft is one of the most celebrated computer games of all time. Appealing to both casual gamers and the hard core crowd, the StarCraft real-time strategy game is easy to get started with...but very difficult to master. Even now, over ten years after its original release, StarCraft remains a favorite for many gamers and continues to be discovered by new people.

StarCraft Battlechest is a new bundle from the folks at Blizzard Entertainment that includes the original groundbreaking StarCraft game, the popular StarCraft: Brood War expansion pack, strategy guides, and access to Blizzard's online gaming service, Battle.net. Available in Target stores for under $30 and online at Amazon.com for about $20, this represents a tremendous value for any gamer.

Of course, the original StarCraft that is included has met virtually universal acclaim for its cinematic storyline, innovative race design, and its uniquely balanced gameplay. In the single player campaign or in multiplayer battles, it's possible to play as one or all of three unique races: the human Terran forces, the organic, vicious Zerg, or the technologically advanced, mysterious Protoss. Each race has its own strengths, weakness, and specific strategies for success. Although the original StarCraft has fairly basic units, I am continually impressed by the vast array of strategies that are available through the many combinations that are possible among units and structures.

The included StarCraft: Brood War expansion kit-a must-have for StarCraft players-really adds to the value of the package. Brood War includes fresh terrain environments, additional units with unique properties, and 26 additional single-player missions within a new story. Just like the original Star Craft, Brood War isplayed from the perspective of all three races.

The strategy guides included in StarCraft Battlechest are pretty basic, but are useful nonetheless. They both provided the same content in terms of general strategies and introductions to the units and structures for each race. These general tips will be great for anyone just starting out with StarCraft, or even for the seasoned player that might want to pick up a couple new ideas. Specific, winning strategies are also presented for each mission, so if you do get stuck, there's help!

Blizzard also throws in a few nice extras like a full-color fold out of the StarCraft unit and structure "trees" for quick reference, a free 14 day trial to World of Warcraft, and a fun Blizzard catalog showcasing the upcoming StarCraft II.

My only issue with this release is the fact that games still runs at a very low screen resolution, meaning that that it won't look too hot on large, widescreen monitors. There are third party applications that allow the game to run "windowed," which is a good option, but not ideal. This doesn't seem like it would be difficult for Blizzard to fix via a patch, so I'd really like to just a basic fix that makes running StarCraft on high resolution displays a little easier.

It really is a testament to the quality of the game that 10 years after its release, Blizzard can put out a bundle like this and have it sell. Even after a decade, I still enjoy the gameplay as much as any other real-time strategy game out there. StarCraft is a great choice for any gamer, regardless of skill level, and this kit is a cheap, fun way to get started with one of the best computer games ever released. It also makes a great gift! Highly recommended.