Iron Cross

Iron Cross is a video game in the strategy genre developed by New World Computing, Inc. and published by New World Computing, Inc. originally released in 1994. It is currently playable on DOS.

Iron Cross is an ambitious but disappointing real-time war game that allows you to control infantry, artillery and armored units on various battlefields and you can play with either the Axis or the Allies.

There are twelve scenarios of progressive difficulty, from The Longest Day in Normandy, during the largest amphibious invasion in history, to Bridgehead at Remagen in Germany, where you must prevent the destruction of the last bridge over the Rhine.

In the words of M. Evan Brooks, veteran wargame reviewer: 'A 'real time' World War II tactical game, [Iron Cross] proved that 'real time' was just another name for making the player do so much in so little time that the AI seems truly inspired when in fact it was retarded. History takes a back seat in favor of fun; historical battles were determined by orders of battle that depended on your personal point purchases. If you enjoy being overwhelmed by game systems that clearly don't want you to have a valid chance of tactical success, then this was the game for you'.

The game has a few plus points, although they are all 'cosmetic': the authentic WWII imagery that appears throughout the game is well done, as are the digitized sound effects. The SVGA graphics also allow for a great view of the battlefield, although units are not as clearly represented as in SSI's classic Panzer General, so you'll probably struggle to make them out. Several units have characteristics such as reload speed, amount of ammo, speed, size, etc., although they don't seem to affect the outcome much because the enemy AI isn't too bright.

Overall, Iron Cross is a Real Dog that neither casual nor hardcore wargamers will enjoy. Avoid this game and play Clash of Steel instead.

It is possible that we have multiple downloads available when different versions exist.