Come over to the Dark Side, all you Darth Vader fans. LucasArts finally ported the Empire’s TIE fighters to the Mac, and now we can join the forces of evil in this latest chapter of the epic Star Wars conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Imperial Navy.
TIE Fighter Collector’s CD-ROM, the sequel to 1995’s X-Wing, is a strong addition to the growing Star Wars gaming edifice. It offers you a chance to be nasty and plants you firmly at the controls of the Evil Empire’s deadliest pursuit ship.
If you’ve flown the X-Wing series, you know how the game goes. First you fly through a variety of simulator sessions and training runs, vital if you hope to learn the complex keyboard commands that augment the joystick. Then, as you improve, you’ll receive battle assignments. In X-Wing, that puts you on the side of decency. Mess up and a wing-man will tell you gently, “Don't worry. You'll do better next time.” But if you fail on a TIE mission, a sharp voice is apt to warn, “Abort! Abort! The admiral is very angry.”
Even with all the berating from your superiors, TIE Fighter is more fun. You may not relish being on the naughty side, but you get to fly seven of the Empire’s hottest starfighters. Graphics are crisp and clean, with some eye-popping animated effects during battles. You’re not just dealing with little specks on a radar screen, either. Once you lock onto a target, you close the distance with blazing speed and fill your screen with the enemy, at times close enough to rub engine nacelles. Rebel ships explode brilliantly, and your own imperial starship can fly apart in great pieces if you’re careless.
A killer game requires killer tools: A flight stick is mandatory. You can try to maneuver with a mouse and directional keyboard, but I wouldn't advise it. (Using a mouse is kind of like trying to fly to the moon on a Frisbee.) On my Mac, a Motorola StarMax 3000/180 clone, controls were smooth and highly responsive, I tried two different joysticks, an inexpensive CH Products Jetstick and a high-end model from Gravis. Both worked without any noticeable slowdown or breakup. I’ve got to admit, the cheaper Jetstick did just as well as the Gravis on TIE Fighter. Regardless of the joystick you use, you’ll need one hand free to manipulate the many keyboard controls, from combat systems and shields to in-flight communications.
There’s even a story of sorts: revenge for the cowardly rebel attack on the Death Star, with cut scenes to keep the game moving. You’ll get some 5,000 lines of recorded dialogue, oily inducements from the emperor, and loads of medals as you work your way up the combat ladder. Mac players get 104 well-designed missions, 22 more than in the PC version. Plus memorable Star Wars music, using LucasArts’ exclusive Interactive Music and Sound Effects system, which adjusts quickly in response to player choices.
If you’re a Star Wars fan, this game is a must. Even if you aren’t, TIE Fighter is a heck of a lot of fun. Just don’t get caught helping any little old ladies across the street. The imperial admiral might get very angry.
Lee, John. (November 1997). TIE Fighter Collector's CD-ROM. MacAddict. (pg. 74).
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TIE-Fighter.sit
Emulating this? It could probably run under: 
Basilisk II
