Try to run Nuclear Strike from Command line with the following switch:
c:\nstrike\nukepc -nofx (that means do not use 3dFX board)
 
Also, have you tried these patches?
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/nuclearstrike/downloads.html?mode=all
 
I hope that helps.

Ummm....he(and I) wasn't trying to run it, trying to install it...I get the same error message. Oddly enough, it's telling me I have directX version 2, when I play a new game all the time that installed I think it's directx 9? but ya I keep getting the same message when trying to install, so anyone got any ideas for installing, please post:-D

This is how I got Nuclear strike to work under WIN XP.
Load CD. Autorun immediately starts the program launcher. Exit from this, I could not get it to work.
 
Open the CD and run ins.exe. This loads the game to C:\NUKEPC.
 
Track down a glide emulator called dgVoodoo. I got version 1.4 from here http://dege.freeweb.hu/
 
Download to a spare folder & run dgVoodoosetup.exe
THis creates a new folder called dgVoodoo1.40plus
Run dgVoodoo.exe
Copy the files from this folder to C:\NUKEPC. Probably don't need them all copying but that's what worked for me
 
In C:NUKEPC run NUKEPC.exe
Works fine with keyboard or joystick ( I have MS Sidewinder and it was automatically detected & set up)
Could not get it to work with mouse.
 
 
 

or if this is the same nucler strik im thinking of for the genisis goto www.freerom.com or www.freeroms.com download the genisis emu and download the game problem solved....we want quality not piece of shit hardware