I have spent the last two days trying to figure out how to play this game, and I've come to the conclusion that this port is terrible. I thought it was because it was old, but nope, it's just a really bad version. Controls are slow and frustrating, which makes combat intolerable, which makes any hope of actually doing well at the game hopeless. I just got the version on an NES emulator and it is superior in every way, and I can play in on a controller :) As much as I want to support Sid Meiers, I warn you, don't get this version of the game.
