Ace of Aces

Overview

Players pilot a DH.98 Mosquito in this combat flight simulator set during World War II. The game was originally developed by Artech Digital Entertainment in 1986. It was released for numerous home computer systems as well as the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800.

Gameplay

Preperation

Players select either practice or mission mode. In mission mode, players can choose which type of targets they will encounter; V-1 rockets, trains, U-boats, and bombers. Players then are presented with an intelligence report; this displays the targets the player will encounter and where, weather information, available weapons, and outlines the mission orders.

After this, players pick which ammo they want to carry with them. Players can choose from bombs, rockets, bullets, and extra fuel.

Players are then presented with a short cutscene, comprised of a sequence of photos, showing the protagonist getting into the plane.

Flight

During flight, players are presented with many controls and displays: the altitude meter, a compass, a basic map, speed indicator in MPH, the damage display, and the flight stick. Players can also look left and right - this can be used to view the engines to look for damage. As well as this, the left and right views also allow the player to view additional controls and displays; these include the fire extinguisher (to put out engine fires), the RPM display, the ability to boost the engines (which uses up more fuel), individual controls for the left and right engines (if one fails, the other can work harder), the flap control, gear control, and trim control.

As players fly to their target, they can randomly encounter enemy fighters. These enemies can be dispatched by shooting them down with the weapons that the player brought on board during the preparation portion of the game.

Upon getting shot; the plane receives bullet holes, sparks appear, the dial screens can crack or break, switches can fail, and the plane becomes more difficult to control. If too much damage is taken, the pilot can die and the game will be over.

Players do not need to actively land the plane, but in order to land correctly, the plane must have the right altitude and the landing gears must be down.

Weapons Bay

In the weapons bay view, players can use bombs or rockets to target enemies below them (U-boats or trains). From this view, players can control the hatches, view ammunition supplies, and engage the extra fuel tanks.

Weather

The game includes various weather conditions. These conditions include cloudy, clear skies, darkness, and stormy weather. In cloudy conditions; players can fly above, below, or through clouds for cover. When the skies are clear, the player can be detected by enemies more easily. During stormy weather, the plane is prone to being damaged by lightning strikes.