Play Nuclear War Online

Nuclear War is a turn based strategy game released in 1989 for MS DOS. It was developed and published by New World Computing. The game is a licensed adaptation of a satirical card game and simulates a global nuclear conflict.

Players control one of ten satirized world leaders, such as a character named Ronnie Raygun representing Ronald Reagan. Each leader commands a nation consisting of five populated cities. The objective is to be the last surviving leader by destroying all opposing cities while protecting one's own. Players take turns building their nuclear arsenals, which can include bombers and missiles, and then using these weapons to attack rivals. Alongside direct military action, players can employ propaganda to manipulate enemy populations. The game accommodates up to five participants, with any empty slots filled by computer controlled opponents.

Progression is structured through sequential turns where players manage resources, plan attacks, and respond to enemy actions. A key gameplay system involves the strategic allocation and use of different weapon types to penetrate enemy defenses. Another system introduces random events that can abruptly alter the game state, such as alien landings that increase a faction's population or bizarre occurrences like cow stampedes that cause mass casualties. The game concludes when only one leader's cities remain intact, declaring that faction the winner.