Pilotwings 1991 By: Nintendo

Overview:

Pilotwings, along with F-Zero, is well-known for extensive use of the Super Nintendo's Mode 7 graphics, which allows rotation, scaling, and various other effects to be used on a flat image to create a 3D effect. This made Pilotwings one of the coolest looking games to date. The sounds were pretty good too. There plenty of sound effects that add to the realness of the game. The controls are explained to you before every mission and they are responsive enough to make the flight experience a good one. The storyline is simple, become the best pilot you can and if you get good enough you'll be asked to fly a real mission. If you like flight sims, be sure to give this oldie but goodie a try.

Directions:

The game takes place in a series of training areas. In each area there is a number of events that can be tackled in any order. In these events, the player controls one of four different aerial vehicles and must complete a task (usually flying through various floating markers) within a time limit. Upon
completion or failure of the task, the player gets points and comments from the instructors. Points are awarded on criteria such as time to complete
the event, accuracy of the landing, and completion of the task. To complete the training area, the combined scores from each event must exceed a certain
threshold. Each training area can be attempted as often as necessary, and passwords allow the player to return to a stage.

After four training areas, the player is called upon to fly an attack helicopter on a mission which, if successful, will earn the Pilotwings. This leads
to harder training areas (consisting of several weather conditions and higher score requirements) and another helicopter mission. This mode is known as
Pilotwings EXPERT.


Light Plane

The Light Plane, a biplane, is featured on all training areas. Roll and pitch are
limited, meaning aerobatic maneuvers like loops and rolls are impossible. Speed can be increased and decreased with the throttle. Landing too hard or with
too much bank can wreck the aircraft.


In the Light Plane event the player must fly through a guide path of orbs, or rings of orbs, and then attempt to land on the runway. In some cases the
player starts on the runway and must take off as well as land. Points are awarded for how many of the orbs or rings are flown close to or through
respectively, the time taken, and the quality of the landing. Unlike the other events, there is no hidden bonus stage in Light Plane.


Rocket Belt
The rocket belt can be controlled with left and right yaw rotation, leaning forward and back to control speed. High and low levels of thrust allow high
speed and finer control. The character automatically returns to a vertical orientation when there is no player input. Player view can be switched to an
overhead perspective to allow for easier accuracy when landing. As with a real rocket belt, fuel is limited.


In the Rocket Belt event, the player must take off and fly through a series of rings, bars or other figures, before attempting to land in a target area.
The target is made up of a series of concentric circles, with scores marked on them, so that the closer to the center players land, the higher their
score. There may also be other separate targets, for fewer points, and a moving platform for a bonus stage. Points are awarded for where the player
lands, but also for the time taken, and for a slow (i.e. soft) landing, and are subtracted if the player lands on ground before he or she passes all
of the obstacles.


Hang Glider
Hang glider flight begins with detachment of the cable connecting the tow aircraft while in the air. If the nose is held too high, the glider will stall.
Altitude is gained by flying through thermals, represented by columns of rising white dots. Landings can be controlled with the flare button, which slows
the glider and brings the pilot's legs into position.


The objective is to catch the thermal current, ascend to the specified altitude, then land as close as possible to the center of the gray square target
over the land area of the course. Players can land on the target(s) over the water for access to the bonus stage. Points are awarded based on accuracy
(how close the player lands to the center of the target area), time taken, and speed (softness) of landing.


Skydiving
Skydiving is performed from a rope ladder hanging from a helicopter
at altitude. Maneuvering is controlled by leaning forward and back, and rotating on the horizontal axis. Once the player reaches a certain altitude,
the parachute is deployed manually. It can be rotated left and right as well as flared, like the hang glider.


In the Skydiving event, after jumping from the helicopter, the player must attempt to fly through a series of rings of orbs in the sky, before deploying
the parachute, and attempting to land in a target area made up of concentric circles, with marks indicating the points awarded. More points are awarded
the closer to the centre the player lands. There is also a moving platform, which allows access to a bonus level if landed on. Points are awarded for
where the player lands, but also for the number of rings flown through, and the speed (i.e. softness) of landing.


Helicopter

The helicopter has forward, backward, left, and right
pitch controls, rotor throttle controls that control the helicopter's altitude, and left and right missile firing controls.


After completing the certification courses from all four instructors, the player is informed that an agent (most likely a government agent) has infiltrated
an enemy base (EVIL Syndicate) on Izanu Island and has freed your instructors who are waiting to be rescued. The player's new mission is to fly an Apache
Attack Helicopter from an offshore aircraft carrier over the island, land at the helipad of the enemy base to retrieve the captives. These two rescue
missions stand out from the normal courses in that the player does more than maneuver a craft; as the player flies over the island, they must
dodge anti-aircraft fire from ground-based turrets; though the helicopter is able to fire missiles to destroy the artillery, a single hit to the craft
will bring it crashing to earth, resulting in an immediate Game Over.


Bonus Stages
In the Skydiving, Rocket Belt, and Hang Glider modes, landing on moving platforms (or sea-based, in the latter) rewards players with a perfect score
and a bonus stage for extra points, earned by falling into the water of a target area. These stages, which parody the gameplay of their counterparts,
include:


Maneuvering a diving penguin into a pool (Skydiving).

Bouncing a winged man across a series of trampolines (Rocket Belt).

Flying another winged man as far as possible (Hang Glider).