Pilotwings

Voices of: N/A
Developer: Nintendo
Directed by: Tadashi Sugiyama
Rating: E
Genre: Flight Simulation
System: Super Nintendo
1991

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: The player works to earn Pilot Licenses in various modes, leading to covert helicopter rescue missions.

Review:
Tim: I've played a lot of video games, so it's always exciting when I can be surprised. Nintendo definitely accomplished that with Pilotwings, a Super Nintendo flight simulator that is tackled with Nintendo's trademark game design. This game is so different from most other franchises, but what starts out feeling straightforward has a surprising amount of depth. I had so much fun digging into this game and exploring the different levels. It's not one of the classic SNES titles I immediately think of, but it's definitely one of the best for the system.

As you play the game, you have to achieve certain point thresholds in different modes- Light Plane, Hang Gliding, Skydiving, and a Rocket Belt. Each of these requires different skills and the game is brilliantly designed to give you opportunities to refine your skills as you master each one. I definitely wasn't interested in trying to score perfectly in each one- that blowing wind is nasty at times- but, I had a lot of fun replaying missions, trying to incrementally improve my score. Some of the challenges felt quite easy and I'd complete them on my first try. Some were challenging, requiring multiple attempts to refine my strategy to maximize the score. And, a few felt brutal, where I (in all transparency) used Load Screens on my Nintendo Switch to avoid completely replaying the level. I still accomplished everything, but on occasion, I did it in chunks. This is definitely a huge quality of life improvement for me. The light plane was probably my favorite- it was so entertaining and fun- easy to pick up, a bit more challenging to master. Hang gliding was occasionally a real pain and I definitely struggled at times. Skydiving was difficult, but that was more because of the limitations of the SNES- the visuals made that quite challenging, to see where you actually were. Rocket Belt was fun. It definitely got challenging at times, but I generally appreciated it. The ability to shift to a top-down view was a lifesaver. The real stunners, though, are the helicopter missions. You do two of them in the game and it feels like a nice break from the normal stages and it gives you a chance to put your skills to the test. The final mission was fantastic, although I definitely used a few Load Screens to get through it. The game feels simple and yet, there's real depth to the different missions. It was fun to work your way up the various licenses, continually improving your skills as you moved further into the game. I completed all the missions and I also did 3 of the Bonus Levels, which were wild and a fun challenge. I got the Golden Pilot's Wings and completed the game with that final helicopter mission.

As good as the game is, the playing experience was definitely somewhat limited by the technology. Several of the challenges were substantially harder than they otherwise would have been, primarily because it was challenging to render depth in this game. For example, some of the Rocket Belt courses were brutal, not because of the challenge itself, but because by all visual cues, it looks like you're exactly in line with where you need to be, but the game doesn't register that. You eventually learn workarounds, but there are certainly some frustrating moments when the visuals and technology limit you. I do think that's okay, though- keeping in mind the release period of this game, the limitations of technology feel true by today's standards. This game was definitely a boundary-pusher into 3D rendering and at the time, it must have felt stunningly accurate to play.

As one of the launch titles for the Super Nintendo, Pilotwings was an essential game to launch one of the all-time great systems. It also proved once again that Nintendo is endlessly innovative and has a shocking amount of depth to their library. You obviously think of Mario, Legend of Zelda, Metroid, etc. But, Pilotwings is a terrific game (and eventual franchise) in its own right. Video games offer an unlimited number of different experiences and a streamlined, accessible flight simulator was a wonderful gift to players in the early 1990s.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Pilotwings 64, 1943: The Battle of Midway