5. Crimson Skies High Road to Revenge
The Xbox Live flight combat game was spawned by the hit PC game, but was very well adapted for the home console crowd. The single player game, had a free-roaming GTA-like mission system and a nice mixture of planes. It would've been nice to have the PC version's aircraft customization elements when it came to hop online, but playing over Xbox Live with the planes they gave us was still super fun. You had to choose your aircraft wisely and balance toughness, speed and firepower. When you got the team games going, you could customize one hell of an air force to keep the CTF and other team games interesting.
4. Crimson Skies
For PC fans the magic of flying "period" aircraft around an alternate version of the 1930s was the major hook for the original Crimson Skies. Rocketing down the bustling streets of Chicago in an aerodynamically challenged fighter on your way to destroy a giant zeppelin armed to the teeth is what this game is all about and it all came off wonderfully. The ability to customize your aircraft's weapons before missions played out beautifully and allowed for some nice strategic options for the serious Crimson Skies player. This game proved that you can always old school for flight-combat fun.
3. Ace Combat IV: Shattered Skies
Namco's air combat title from 2001 ends up defining the genre on the console in many ways with outstanding gameplay, details and visual presentation. You're given basic things to do like destroy this or that, but there will be several obstacles in your way besides the enemy you've been instructed to attack. Ace Combat IV took a lot of authenticity of an all out sim and let you get silly with it by overloading you with weapons and giving you the greenlight to use them liberally. A nice mix of planes and weapons is the meat-and-potatoes to the tasty dessert of splendid visuals that boggle the mind. Everything a flight combat game is supposed to be.
2. MS Flight Simulator 2002
This flight simulator compelled many a serious PC gamer to head to their favorite retail outlet to upgrade their rig for some of the most immersive flying available on the personal computer. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 had serviceable Air Traffic Control radio communications, departures from the gate and cargo areas and nicely scaleable difficulties. When you're on the higher difficulties, you'll have to deal with in-air emergencies like engine failures, low fuel and (gasp) running out of coffee and peanuts! Okay well maybe not so much coffee and peanuts, but you get the idea. The top notch flight simulator of 2001.
1. MS Flight Simulator 2004
The most recent Microsoft Flight Simulator is also the best as it celebrates the century of flight as defined by the Wright Brothers fateful forty yard flight in 1903. You can even take that contraption for its 120-foot flight at Kitty Hawk, but rest assured that's one of the quicker flights in the game. Coordinating your GPS-assisted flight plans with real life weather conditions is one heck of a nice touch. For the first time, we were given real airlines and logos but somewhere along the line the "Fasten Seatbelts" and "No Smoking" buttons got lost. Oh well, you can't smoke on hardly any airlines today and you shouldn't need a sign to tell you to buckle up. Other than this, MSFS04 is the greatest way to fly the friendly skies on your computer with all the planes, all the details and all the fun.
