I still have the CD that came with my sound blaster 16 sound card back in the day, that had about 10 games with it. This was one of them. I loved it then, still love it now. The music in Spain is still stuck in my head even after all this years. Still have the instruction manual too! Basics first: In the game you are basically Columbus and set sail to the Indies from Spain. You have 10 trips to build at least 1 Colony, 1 Mission, and 3 Forts. The game's difficulty level affects how much gold you start with on your first trip. If you manage to build those 5 settlements on time, you'll be appointed Viceroy and can continue to explore freely with patronage. In Spain you get audiences with the King and Queen and are awarded promotions. The Commissioner shows you how much of the map you've got covered and other key bits of info of what you've achieved so far. Finally, the Harbor Master lets you buy ships, hire people (soldiers, clergy, explorers and horses) and buy equipment (food, arms, animals, plants). Once you set sail, you have to do the best you can to avoid reefs and storms as you travel west. Seasons change also and it can be a bit tricky with a large fleet. Once you find land, you can start exploring the continent. Villages and gold mines are the most important things to look for. You leave people at the mines with food and they continue to mine on their own. Villages you enter to meet the chief and trade goods (or run away if they are hostile). Your walking speed and food consumption are affected by the terrain. That's the core game. I personally loved the music and how quick the pace could be if you wanted to, especially once you find mines. That said, it gets tricky balancing how many inland trips you do each time with the amount of food you have. Your expedition gets full quickly when trading at the beginning of the game as it is quite small. Interacting with chiefs is always hit or miss and does not seem to follow a logic. 4/5 in my book
