In the May 1981 edition of "Ares Magazine" (Issue #8), Steve List reviewed both "Starfire" and "Starfire II", and thought that both games used "an excellent and playable system with a lot of enjoyment potential." The only fault Goldberg found was the scale of the combat, which was a half a light-second per hex, making the weapons "unbelievably effective." Goldberg commented that the game mechanics "seemed more suited to sea-going than space-faring ships, and the putative scale is ludicrous." He also disagreed with the concept of small fighters firing missiles, calling it "an overwhelming capability." However, Goldberg concluded with a strong recommendation for both games, saying, "a nice, fast, playable and non-taxing recreation at a low price."