A number of computer games have been based on Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune:

Table of contents
1 Dune
2 Dune II
3 Dune 2000
4 Emperor: Battle for Dune

Dune

(Cryo, 1992)

Mixture between adventure and strategy game, fairly simple and not very successful. You played Paul Atreides, who learns the ways of the Desert Planet and tries to establish a Fremen army to reclaim his father's fief.

Dune II

(Westwood Studios, 1992)

aka

  • Dune II: The Battle for Arrakis
  • Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty

The world's first real-time strategy game, complex and fun to play, was a huge success. You played a commander for one of three parties at war, the Atreides, the Harkonnen or the Ordos (which were invented for the game). Your objective is to wipe out all resistance and to conquer Arrakis.

Some of the key-elements that first appear in this game:

  • Resource-gathering (spice)
  • Construction of buildings
  • Buildings construct units
  • Certain buildings allow the construction of further building types
  • Different factions (the Houses), each with their own unit-types

Dune 2000

(Westwood Studios,
1998)

Based around the game engine for Red Alert from Westwood Studios, the game is a remake of Dune 2 using then-current technologies. The AI of this game is better than any other game made by Westwood Studios until today.

Emperor: Battle for Dune

(Westwood Studios, 2001)

PC.IGN preview 3D engine utilised. Gameplay similar to Command and Conquer series.