Tigers in the Snow is one of the earliest computer games that included graphics, ok they weren't much, but it wasn't a text based game. SSI was great at converting old board games into a computer version and this was just like the board games.
The graphics were basically a representation of a game board. The individual units were pictographs of the unit type. In later SSI designs the units were represented by the NATO symbols. This game is one of the Battle of the Bulge and a good effort for the times.
The game is an "operational simulation" of the forces involved in the battle. The two players used semi-historical orders of battle with each unit being roughly equal. Not much quality of unit or variation in what units were capable of. The Germans start with superior number of forces, but the Allies receive reinforcements at a much higher clip. The interface was clunky, you can’t choose individual units, but the game cycles through a phasing players units three times and if you hadn't finished giving orders then too bad. The types of orders for each unit include advance, assault and move. The type of orders that each unit receive affects its movement rate and its combat effectiveness. The game itself was designed during a heyday
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of board gaming. There were dozens of board game companies competing for the war game dollar and to compete the software companies had to spend the time to design a comparable experience. I remember playing this game on my old TRS-80 III, hours and hours of fun because I could play games and I didn't have to have an opponent.
The AI was easy to beat, but it was a very early exposure to computer gaming. The quality of AI was always a downfall of the computer game designs. This particular title cheated in subtle ways, units received combat advantages to make up for the lack of a human plan in achieving the battle objectives.
Later SSI titles showed huge amounts of improvement and sophistication, but this game was a good start for what would become one of the big names in computer gaming. For a good simple and graphically unsophisticated gaming experience I would highly recommend this game. It lacks the flash and battle graphics of later titles, but it was a good simulation of a common gaming battle. There have been hundreds of Battle of the Bulge war games made, some have been better designed and more playable, but this was the earliest and it did a fine job of setting a standard that other companies have been shooting for.
