Really looking forward to this! Are you going to make it flicker-free?

The index page of FrontierAstro in September 2002. The links herein do not function.

FrontierAstro has been online for exactly 25 years today! 🎂
This is how the site looked around 18 months after launch. The look hasn't really improved but the content has expanded considerably. Probably the longest running regularly updated Frontier website in the galaxy!

The index page of FrontierAstro in September 2002. The links herein do not function.

FrontierAstro has been online for exactly 25 years today! 🎂
This is how the site looked around 18 months after launch. The look hasn't really improved but the content has expanded considerably. Probably the longest running regularly updated Frontier website in the galaxy!

I'm guessing your lucky socks have been consigned to the bin?? 😐

First Encounters - US version (Gametek, 1995) - retail box (front).

First Encounters - US version (Gametek, 1995) - retail box (back).

First Encounters - US version (Gametek, 1995) - printed artwork.

First Encounters - US version (Gametek, 1995) - advertisement.

For some reason, when #FrontierFirstEncounters was released in the US in 1995, it sported much improved box artwork compared to the UK and European versions. The Frontier wording was dropped; the game simply being known as First Encounters. A curious decision, given FE2's success!

Magazine advert for Elite, by Superior Software/Acornsoft (1987). Versions were available for the Acorn Electron (£12.95), BBC Model B cassette (£12.95), BBC Model B & BBC Master disc (£14.95) and BBC Master Compact (£19.95).

Retail box (front) for Elite by Superior Software/Acornsoft (1987). The media was a 5¼" floppy disc, with versions for the BBC Model B/B+, BBC Model B/B+ with 6502 Second Processor and BBC Master 128 or Turbo.

Retail box contents for BBC cassette Elite by Superior Software/Acornsoft (1987). Included are the tape cassette, Space Traders Flight Training manual and a function key legend.

In 1986, Superior Software acquired the rights to selected Acornsoft products. The following year they released re-branded versions of #Elite but due to the design of the new game boxes, the Dark Wheel novella and ships poster were not included.

First page of the CU Amiga magazine review of Frontier Elite 2 (November 1993).

CU Amiga magazine (November 1993) describing the rolling demo of Frontier Elite 2 on that month's cover disc.

Unlike today, in 1993 the quality of printed game artwork was still far superior to actual in-game graphics. Nevertheless, CU Amiga magazine's hype machine went into overdrive for #FrontierElite2 in the November edition. Even the rolling demo would "stun you into insanity"!

Row 1 (Top):- Acorn Electron Elite, BBC Cassette Elite, BBC Disc Elite, BBC Master Elite, IBM PC Elite, Spectrum Elite, Commodore 64 Elite, Commodore 64/128 Elite Row 2:- Tatung Einstein Elite, MSX Elite, Apple II Elite, Amstrad CPC Elite (Cassette), Amstrad CPC Elite (Disc), French Amstrad Elite, German Schneider Elite, Nintendo (NES) Elite Row 3:- BBC Cassette Elite, BBC Disc and Master Elite, Acorn Electron Elite, BBC Master Elite, Atari ST Elite, Commodore Amiga Elite, Commodore Amiga Elite (Firebird), Italian Nintendo (NES) Elite Row 4:- PC Elite Plus - UK version, PC Elite Plus - US version, Acorn Archimedes Elite, Budget PC Elite Plus, Amstrad Action Elite cassette

It's been a while since I posted my entire collection of Elite games (see the ALT text to identify each one). There have been few additions of late, due to crazy eBay prices. Rarest versions? Tatung Einstein and MSX. Still to find? Spectrum Elite Opus disc version (even rarer!)

Commodore Plus/4 Elite (unofficial) - loading screen.

Commodore Plus/4 Elite (unofficial) - attract screen, featuring a spinning Cobra Mark 3 spacecraft.

Commodore Plus/4 Elite (unofficial) - launching from space station.

Commodore Plus/4 Elite (unofficial) - Coriolis space station plus a Viper police ship.

The #CommodorePlus4 computer could not be described as much of a success commercially, but fortunately #Elite can be played on it. This conversion is identical to the #Commodore64 version, with the added benefit of Mark Moxon's flicker-free graphics. tinyurl.com/ElitePlus4

Frontier Elite 2 (Gametek, 1993) - PC retail box, including:- 1. The game manual (106 pages) 2. A Gazetteer of selected important systems within the game (39 pages) 3. Stories Of Life On The Frontier (82 pages) - a series of connected short stories, set within the FEU (Frontier Elite Universe) 4. Full colour star map, covering 180 sectors of the Frontier galaxy and including both Federation and Empire systems 5. Loading and installation instructions 6. T-shirt offer 7. Game Media (CD and/or floppy disc)

Full colour star map, covering 180 sectors of the Frontier galaxy and including both Federation and Empire systems

The 1990s really was a golden age for computer games. Big box releases complemented the games perfectly, none more so than #FrontierElite2 (1993) with its instruction manual, star systems gazetteer, game world fiction and - of course - that beautiful star map 😍

Great photo! Congrats on getting the time machine working as well! 😛

MSX Elite (Firebird, 1987) - opening screen featuring a spinning Cobra Mark 3 space ship.

MSX Elite (Firebird, 1987) - space view, showing a Coriolis space station and a Boa space ship.

MSX Elite (Firebird, 1987) - retail box (front).

MSX Elite (Firebird, 1987) - retail box contents.

In the 1980s, 3 years was a long time in the development of computer games. So when #MSXElite was released in 1987, it demonstrated a number of improvements over the originals. A fast, colourful display with all the ships and secret missions made this a top conversion.

Frontier Elite 2 (Gametek, 1993) - Portuguese retail box (front).

Frontier Elite 2 (Gametek, 1993) - Portuguese retail box (back).

Frontier Elite 2 (Gametek, 1993) - Portuguese retail box and contents.

Frontier Elite 2 (Gametek, 1993) - Portuguese manual, Stories of Life On The Frontier and Gazetteer.

Here's a rarity - a Portuguese version of #FrontierElite2 with all the printed material in Portuguese. As far as I can tell, the game is in English unfortunately. Sadly, I'm still scratching my head trying to find a way to install the game and run it through DOSBox 🤔

The artwork for Elite on the Acorn Electron home computer (1984). It was created by the renowned British airbrush artist Philip Castle (20/10/1942 - 20/02/2026).

RIP Philip Castle (20/10/1942-20/02/2026) - the British airbrush artist who, amongst his amazing catalogue of work, created the iconic artwork for Elite in 1984. This is arguably the most recognisable game art of all time.

Commodore Amiga Elite (Rainbird Software, 1988) - attract screen showing a spinning Cobra Mark 3 spaceship.

Commodore Amiga Elite (Rainbird Software, 1988) - space view, with other ships visible.

Commodore Amiga Elite (Rainbird Software, 1988) - front of retail box.

Commodore Amiga Elite (Rainbird Software, 1988) - back of retail box.

Elite for the #CommodoreAmiga improved on the original in virtually every way, with fast, colourful graphics, secret missions and exciting gameplay. Somehow though, it lacked both the x-factor and wow factor of the 8-bit versions, probably because games had moved on by 1988.

glFrontier (Tom Morton) - docked at Sirocco Station, Ross 154 system.

glFrontier (Tom Morton) - approaching Boston Base space station, Barnards Star system.

If you still enjoy playing #FrontierElite2 you might want to take a look at #glFrontier by Tom Morton. The basic game is unchanged, but the graphics are far clearer and it runs much faster than the original.
tinyurl.com/FrontierElite2

Apple II Elite (Firebird, 1986). Spinning Cobra Mark 3 attract screen.

Apple II Elite (Firebird, 1986). View of planet Lave from space.

Apple II Elite (Firebird, 1986). Approaching Dodo space station.

Apple II Elite (Firebird, 1986). Short range hyperspace chart.

The #AppleII version of #Elite attracted relatively little attention in the UK, on its release in 1986. In the USA, it was a different story, due to the machine's popularity there. It was a good, colourful conversion, with the full range of ships, space stations and missions.

Acorn Electron Elite (Acornsoft, 1984) - cassette tape loading screen.

Acorn Electron Elite (Acornsoft, 1984) - the spinning Cobra Mark 3 screen.

Acorn Electron Elite (Acornsoft, 1984) - a Viper police ship emerging from a Coriolis space station.

Acorn Electron Elite (Acornsoft, 1984) - a space battle depicting a hostile ship approaching and a screen message advising that the missile launch system has jammed.

Elite for the #AcornElectron often gets a bad press for its cut-down features, compared to the BBC and other versions. But instead of focusing on what it lacks, we should be amazed that the game was able to run on the little machine at all, thanks to David Braben & Ian Bell!

A church near Sirocco Station, on the planet Merlin, in the Ross 154 system (-1,0). This is FFED3D-AJ, an updated version of Frontier First Encounters. FFE was originally released in 1995, by Frontier Developments.

A close-up of a church near Sirocco Station, on the planet Merlin, in the Ross 154 system (-1,0). It can be seen that the time on the church clock matches that shown on the ship dashboard at the bottom of the screen. This is FFED3D-AJ, an updated version of Frontier First Encounters. FFE was originally released in 1995, by Frontier Developments.

An orbiting space station named Dublin Citadel, in the Alliance system of Gateway (-1,4), above the planet Hope. On the side of the station is what appears to be a mysterious power source (blue & green hemisphere). This is FFED3D-AJ, an updated version of Frontier First Encounters. FFE was originally released in 1995, by Frontier Developments.

An orbiting space station named Dublin Citadel, in the Alliance system of Gateway (-1,4). On the side of the station is what appears to be a mysterious power source (blue & green hemisphere). This is FFED3D-AJ, an updated version of Frontier First Encounters. FFE was originally released in 1995, by Frontier Developments.

Sometimes it's the little touches in a game that make it special. For example, in FFED3D-AJ, the church clock tallies with the local system time on the screen. Then there's the mysterious blue/green power source on the side of an orbiting space station 😍 tinyurl.com/FFED3D

Freelancer HD - main menu

Freelancer HD - space view

Freelancer HD - Manhattan city view

Freelancer HD - Manhattan bar

It's not Elite or Frontier, but I've installed Freelancer HD on my PC and I'm looking forward to spending some time on it. I played it on release in 2003 and it's amazing how the game and its characters are still familiar despite not having experienced the game for over 20 years!

Thanks! I'll have to check that out...

Good question. I think Frontier Elite 2 may have been the first, in 1993, but I'm not 100% sure on that 🤔

An Imperial Trader ship docked at Old Blackelk Spaceport, on the planet of Hope in the Gateway system (-1,4). This is the DOS version of Frontier First Encounters (FFE), released by Gametek in 1995.

An Imperial Trader ship docked at Old Blackelk Spaceport, on the planet of Hope in the Gateway system (-1,4). This is the FFFED3D-AJ version of Frontier First Encounters (FFE), modified by Andy Jones (AndyJ).

Approaching Jupiter in the Sol system (0,0). This is the DOS version of Frontier First Encounters (FFE), released by Gametek in 1995.

Approaching Jupiter in the Sol system (0,0). This is the FFFED3D-AJ version of Frontier First Encounters (FFE), modified by Andy Jones (AndyJ).

When Frontier First Encounters launched in 1995, it was a DOS-only game in 320x200 resolution. Some 30 years later, we can all enjoy the same brilliant game in much greater detail, thanks to some enterprising and talented coders. Details of FFED3D are at tinyurl.com/FFED3D-AJ

The Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 49) - 02/03/2026

Good night for imaging here, despite the almost-full moon.

Sinclair ZX Spectrum Elite - attract screen, showing a rotating Cobra Mark 3 space ship.

Sinclair ZX Spectrum Elite - space view, approaching a Coriolis space station.

Perhaps the other surprise omission from the FrontierAstro Top 5 Elites was the #ZXSpectrum version. A lot of people loved this back in the day, but to me it looked drab and ran too slowly. Somehow it lacked the magic of #BBCElite and was inferior to the #C64 version too. Sorry!

Archimedes Elite - attract screen

Archimedes Elite - space view

FrontierAstro Top 10 Elites

If you're wondering why #ArcElite didn't make it into my top 5 Elites, it's because I've had limited experience playing it and I didn't care much for the 16-bit versions anyway. Here's my complete Top 10 - from the note on my phone I used while I agonised over the final order! 😁

Yes, I only had the cassette tape version, but a friend of mine had the disc version, so I spent a lot of time there!

Acornsoft Elite (1984) - loading screen.

Acornsoft Elite (1984) - attract screen.

Acornsoft Elite (1984) - space view. Approaching a Dodo space station using the ship's docking computers.

Acornsoft Elite (1984) - cargo bay, showing some cargo cannisters.

*FrontierAstro Top 5 Elites*
1. BBC Elite (disc) - the original is still the best! Jaw-dropping graphics and gameplay made this an instant classic. It set a new standard for games, with its flawless execution and physical presentation (manual, novella etc.) It all started here!

Nintendo Elite - attract screen

Nintendo Elite (1991) - space view including a Dodo space station.

Nintendo Elite (1991) - commander status screen

Nintendo Elite (1991) - star system information

*FrontierAstro Top 5 Elites*
2. Nintendo NES Elite - often referred to as the "impossible" version, David Braben and Ian Bell wrote this masterpiece, which uses the Nintendo controller to deliver a fantastic gaming experience, with lots of nice touches as well. A genuine classic!

BBC Master Elite (1986). This image was created using the Elite Universe Editor, by Mark Moxon. This program can be downloaded from Mark's website, at https://elite.bbcelite.com/master/

BBC Master Elite (1986) - docking bay

BBC Master Elite (1986) - approaching Coriolis space station

BBC Master Elite (1986) - planet

*FrontierAstro Top 5 Elites*
3. BBC Master Elite - an amazing update to BBC Elite. Much more colour, smooth flicker-free graphics and no in-game loading. Missions to undertake as well. Those lucky enough to own a BBC Master computer had an astonishing game to play in 1986!