199: Falcon

Number 199
(9.3 points)
Falcon
1991: 8

A notable entry in the list for the simple reason that it's the highest-ranked game in the 1991 list that was never brought back in any way (Kick Off 2 was one higher, but that was replaced by its predecessor). Did this 3D flight simulator date itself quicker than expected?

Most flight sims from the time specialised in a particular aircraft: so far we've seen the MiG-29, the AH-73M and the F-19, so now it's the turn of the F-16, a fighter jet. In some ways this can be seen as the companion to MiG-29 Fulcrum, as that was essentially the Soviet equivalent to this US Air Force plane. You have similar missions to deal with here, too: shooting down MiGs, blowing up buildings, destroying SAM sites. They all take place on the same map, which might seem limiting, but there are a variety of missions and skill levels to keep things interesting.

Yet again I have to wade through a manual just to take off and shoot a building, but I can still see the potential here. There are lots of missions, and even two mission disks should you tire of those. Apparently it gets very complex on higher difficulty levels, but the beginner's level is very forgiving. I can only guess that it didn't feature on later levels because it was already a bit old by the time the 1991 list arrived, and other games had surpassed it. We'll have to see as the list progresses.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
Falcon v1.20 (1989)(Mirrorsoft)(Disk 1 of 2)[cr Angels - Defjam]
Falcon v1.20 (1989)(Mirrorsoft)(Disk 2 of 2)
Falcon v1.1 - Mission Disk Volume 1 - Operation Counterstrike (1989)(Mirrorsoft)[data disk]
Falcon v1.3 - Mission Disk Volume II - Operation Firefight (1990)(Mirrorsoft)[cr PDX][data disk]