Stars! is a complex turn-based computer game based around the management of planets and fleets of spaceships following the 4X game model (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit & eXterminate). The game has been around since 1995, and still has a strong following. Developer and publisher Stars! was developed by Jeff Johnson and Jeff McBride ("the Jeffs") for their own use, and initially released as shareware. A retail version was later produced for, and published by Empire Interactive, although the shareware version continued. More recently the game has been sold as part of the Xplosiv budget games ...

In the Gameplay of Stars!, each player begins the game with a small fleet of starting ships and one planet (or occasionally two, depending on Primary Racial Trait and universe size.) From these beginnings they develop their empire until they come into contact with the races of other players. Players initially send scouts out to scan the planets around their homeworld. These scouts determine the environment and also the mineral concentrations. When a planet with a suitable environment (one that matches the environment settings defined in the race wizard) is found, coloniser ships are co...