M.U.L.E.

the_wizard_666the_wizard_666
in Gamer's Gauntlet
Wow, talk about a hidden gem!  Mindscape isn't exactly known for publishing great games, or even good ones for that matter, but I was not expecting this!  For those who haven't played it, M.U.L.E. is an economic strategy game where the goal isn't necessarily to be the top performer (although that IS part of it), but rather to have all four competing players succeed in developing a self-sustaining colony by trading several resources.  Although it's kind of daunting to jump into the full game right away, there are both a simplified "beginner" game (to get used to the mechanics) and the "standard" game (which introduces a few new elements and extends the game to 12 turns from the beginner's 6).  After playing a round of each, I found it easy enough to get into the full "tournament" game without feeling like a fish out of water.  Without getting too much into it, I've been thoroughly enjoying the game, as have a few buddies (we spent the weekend playing 3 player games of M.U.L.E.).  It's a damn shame it took well over a decade for me to give it a serious go, as it's a game that is now one of my personal favorites on the NES!  Any other fans out there feel like sharing tips, strategies, or simply discussing what is probably one of the biggest undiscovered gems on the system?

Comments

  • Silent HillSilent Hill
    I've always heard people trash this game.
  • PenguinPenguin
    Holy shit it's wiz!
  • NESMASTER14NESMASTER14
    I don't think I've ever really heard anyone say anything bad about M.U.L.E. One of the greats.
  • the_wizard_666the_wizard_666
    Yeah, the only people that seem to trash it are playing it blind and not knowing what to do. It's definitely a game one needs to read the manual for...as is the case with pretty much any strategy game ever made It's not perfect, but it's a fairly simple game to get the hang of. Been playing it more in the last three days now than I've played pretty much any other game in the last 6 months, and yet it still feels like I'm learning some of the subtle nuances of the game!
  • KickmeisterKickmeister
    It's a pretty fun strategy game. I can't seem to get a better ending than the "The colony survives... barely" one, but I still whip it out every so often. Wampus hunting in your free time seems to be the key to getting rich.
  • RedRed
    I discovered it a couple years ago and have enjoyed it quite a bit. Sadly, I haven't been able to play with other people yet.
  • KickmeisterKickmeister
    Originally posted by: Red



    I discovered it a couple years ago and have enjoyed it quite a bit. Sadly, I haven't been able to play with other people yet.





    The grand irony is that it's a four-player game that you'll never get four people together to play. And I just got a Fourscore. >
  • the_wizard_666the_wizard_666
    Originally posted by: Kickmeister

     
    Originally posted by: Red



    I discovered it a couple years ago and have enjoyed it quite a bit. Sadly, I haven't been able to play with other people yet.





    The grand irony is that it's a four-player game that you'll never get four people together to play. And I just got a Fourscore. >



    I started by playing with two others, and frankly it's a completely different game with multiple human players than it is with just one human and three computer players.  That said, it's still a great game to kill an hour with a few buds, if you can get them to play with you

     
  • RetroNESNerdRetroNESNerd
    I also just recently put this in for the first time. Sadly I didon't have enough time to really dig in. But I enjoyed it and am looking for a manual to really figure it out.
  • CMRCMR
    I've always heard good things about M.u.l.e. when I actually heard things about it. Maybe I need to finally pick a copy up.
  • guillavoieguillavoie
    Well, I need to try that game and find a way to play with 3 buddies. Thanks a bunch for the heads up Wiz!
  • the_wizard_666the_wizard_666
    Don't mention it dude! It's a great game solo too, but there are some things that work in multiplayer that just don't seem to work as well solo. I'm still kicking myself for not firing it up years ago...it's been collecting dust on the shelf for the last decade or so
  • rdrunnerrdrunner
    Try the Atari 800 computer version. It's even better! Probably mostly due to the theme song. It's way more catchy than on NES.



  • WashYourFaceWashYourFace
    Yeah, I played the PC version back in the day which is pretty good.

    I've never spent much time with the NES version, but I heard it's not the best port.
  • the_wizard_666the_wizard_666
    Oh man, that makes me want an Atari 800!



    From what I see in the videos though, the computer versions have better audio, but the NES version has far better visuals. The lack of sound effects on the auction screens is a bit disappointing, but it in no way lessens the enjoyment of the underlying game, which appears to have been ported intact. It's just a shame that they didn't find a way to incorporate them into the NES version, especially with the superior visuals to go with it.
  • KHAN GamesKHAN Games
    I learned about this game from OSG at the nesathon a couple years ago. Definitely wasn't a game that interested me right away, but after learning the mechanics it is pretty awesome.



    The more exposure this game gets, the better. Next let's start a thread about how awesome Space Shuttle Project is!
  • DariaDaria
    I'll admit the title alone turned me off from this one. Didn't think it might be something I'd actually play. But now I'll have to check it out,
  • the_wizard_666the_wizard_666
    I've really been digging the intricacies of the game. I've figured out that it's more reliable to control food and energy than to try and rely on the value of Crystite, and Smithore's usefulness declines after about turn 5. I've still not broken the 90,000 plateau in a single player game though, but I feel like I'm getting there. I'm considering trying a late-game Smithore spike by preventing the store from buying any, and disposing of all the MULEs in the store by turn 10 (if there are any in store on turn 11, the price spike won't happen in time...it seems there's a turn or two delay). Still, I've managed to have food prices well over 100 on turn 12 in most games, and energy at least 50 in most of those games, while Crystite values are random (and frequently below 100) on turn 12. There's a definite balance though...starve the computer too much and they simply make their own stock, destroying the value of food and energy, so you want to keep them fairly cheap throughout the game, driving up the price in the last couple turns.



    Who would've thought that an economy simulator would be so danged fun!
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