Zzap


Arcade Flight Simulator
By Codemasters
Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Zzap #52

Arcade Flight Simulator

Played across three separate time periods, you control either a bi-plane (WWI Germany) a WWII fighter over Pearl Harbour or an F14 (Well, that's what it looks like on the cover) in the Nineties. Whatever the situation, play is the same. As group captain, it is your task, to get into the skies, crush the enemy attackers and destroy their bases. You are assigned three planes with which to tackle the job.

The player is given a bird's eye view of the battle area, complete with enemy fighters, ground obstacles and fuel dumps (which must be swooped low onto to gain extra juice). On annihilation of the last enemy plane, you must return to base, collect a bomb and proceed back into enemy territory with the intention of dropping said explosive device onto the headquarters of each respective adversary.

Arcade Flight Simulator (yes, folks, the 'sim' cliche returns) hasn't really come a long way from the days of that Jet game on the Arai console, boasting poorly defined sprites, flat ground objects and wrap-around screens galore. Although an effort has been made to tart the whole thing up with some interesting sound effects, the dire title ditty eliminates any previous feelings of contentment. Not a potential chartbuster, I'm afraid.