colony system. While Brenesal noted that Star Control 3 had lost some humor and color from the previous game, he felt this was outweighed by the game's broader changes, including its improved game engine and game balance. Italian publication PC Game Parades Davide Mascaretti also felt that the game had lost some of the novelty of Star Control II, but he still recommended the game overall, especially its combat. Star Control 3 was consistently praised for its combat, as well as its writing and character interaction. Two years later, the Mac OS version received more mixed reviews. Macworlds Michael Gowan wrote that Star Control 3 was lacking a modern feel, particularly in its action and dialog. Next Generation criticized the port as "obsolete" and rated it lower than the original release, saying that Star Control 3 falls short of other space simulation games on Mac OS. MacAddict still praised the game for its plot and character interaction, despite the game's "outdated" graphics. The game also received four out of five stars in MacHome Journal, who felt that the depth of the single-player game was complemented by an additional multiplayer mode. Legacy Ultimately, Star Control 3 is not remembered as fondly as its predecessor. Despite earning critical praise on release, the fanbase never warmed up to it and some fans do not consider it part of the series canon. In 2000, GameSpot listed Star Control 3s ending on its list of the ten most disappointing game endings, calling it "the final nail in the coffin for a game that could have continued a much-loved legacy". When IGN compiled their 2003 list of greatest games, they celebrated Star Control II while noting that Star Control 3 "paled in comparison". Upon its re-release in 2011, GOG.com noted that fans were critical of the game, despite its excellent reviews. Game developer and historian Neal Tringham suggested that Star Control 3 was not successful at reproducing the successful design of the second game. Historian Rusel DeMaria also explained that fans did not consider Star Control 3 as good as its predecessor, noting that they were developed by different teams. Writing for Kotaku, Logan Booker stated that "no one's really nailed a successor to Star Control II and an official addition to the series was killed off by the lacklustre Star Control 3." Initially, series creators Ford and Reiche had promoted Star Control 3 as a