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Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike divides players into Terrorist and Counter-Terrorist teams whose equipment, money, and round objectives matter as much as aim.
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Counter-Strike is the 2000 Windows team shooter that grew from Minh Le and Jess Cliffe's Half-Life mod into a Valve and Sierra release. Each round places Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists on opposite sides of an objective. Depending on the map, players plant or defuse a bomb, rescue or protect hostages, or protect a VIP. A round ends when a team completes its task or eliminates the other side, so surviving players carry the pressure of every decision into the next buy phase.
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The economy gives the game its rhythm. Money earned from wins, losses, kills, and objectives pays for rifles, pistols, armor, grenades, and specialist equipment. A player who spends everything on one failed push can leave the whole team with weaker options next round. Information also matters: footsteps, radio commands, map callouts, and the location of the bomb can matter more than a high individual score.
New players should learn one map at a time, memorize the bombsites or rescue zones, and stay close enough to trade with a teammate. Buy armor before expensive extras when funds are limited, and save during a planned low-spend round rather than forcing a bad purchase. Use the server browser, LAN, or a trusted online server to learn the pace of rounds and recoil.
This page is for the original 2000 GoldSrc release, not Counter-Strike: Source, Condition Zero, Global Offensive, or Counter-Strike 2.
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