Crawford stated in 1987 that he was most proud of his work on the game: "I feel has made the world a better place ... I think it has made a small number of people much more realistic in their appraisal of world affairs". In 1996 "Computer Gaming World" ranked it as the 78th best game of all time, calling it "a wonderful game of political intrigue that felt just like the Cold War and didn't require the detail of "Shadow President" or "CyberJudas"." That year it was ranked as the 75th top game of all time by "Next Generation", who commented "Although the game's premises are hopelessly outdated (U.S.S.R.? What's that?) and some disagree with the politics, the AI in "Balance of Power", combined with its unique play style, make it a classic." In 2006, "The Guardian" listed it first on its list of "The 10 political games everyone should play".