I sat there in front of my television as if in a trance, watching the latest video release from operation "Desert Storm". Circles and squares swirled over a diamond shaped view of an aerial dogfight. A missile streaked out into the fray and eventually found it's target, an Iraqi jet fighter.
I'd bet most of us at some time in our lives have dreamt of soaring into enemy skies riding one of the hottest fighters in the world. If, like me, it is unlikely that you will ever become a real jet jockey, I suggest the next best thing— Falcon™ "The F-16 Fighter Simulation" by Spectrum HoloByte™.
I have owned Falcon™ for quite some time. Recent events in the Persian Gulf, however, have rekindled my interest in this game. I'm sure that most of you have at least heard of the game if you don't already own it. Still, it is one of the biggest selling games for the Mac there is.
Falcon™ is a real-time jet fighter simulation in which you pilot an F-16 through 12 different missions. These missions involve air-to-air combat with MiG-21 "Fishbed" fighters and the bombing of various enemy ground targets.
Falcon™ allows for varying player skill by providing 5 "ranks" at which you can play. At First Lieutenant level for example, you cannot run out of ammo or fuel, crash or stall. Also, enemy surface-to-air sites (SAM's) and MiG's do not shoot at you. At Colonel level, however, all the dangers of aerial combat are in full force. This includes such things as weapon weight and drag problems, as well as enemy SA-7 shoulder-fired missiles which can pop up from just about anywhere. It is my understanding that even real F-16 pilots find the highest levels very realistic.
After choosing the level at which you want to play, you then select your mission. These missions include bombing raids against SAM sites, bridges, airfields, and different types of buildings. You may also pick one of the two air intercept missions in which your goal is simply to shoot down enemy MiG's.
You may set the maximum number of MiG's you will face at any one time. The default is one, but you can change it to anything from zero to three. You have to be exceptional to take on three MiG's at once at Colonel level and come out victorious.
After deciding the skill level and your mission, you then get to request the stores you want. These include AIM-9J and AIM-9L "Sidewinder" air-to-air missiles, AGM-65B "Maverick" air-to-ground missiles, Mk 84 2000 lb low drag bombs, Durandal anti-runway bombs, ALQ-131 ECM pods, and external fuel tanks. I say "request" because you may not be able to get everything you want. Your crew chief may tell you that certain missiles are in short supply, if available at all. This usually applies to the AIM-9L's which are much more deadly than the AIM-9J's. This feature can make things interesting and challenging.
Another selection you will probably wish to make is the input device type. You may choose to move the aircraft's control surfaces with the keyboard, mouse or joystick. I strongly recommend a joystick if you can afford it. Although I find a joystick an annoyingly poor substitute for a mouse when using most Mac software, this is one of the exceptions. It adds that extra level of realism.
So, now you're set. You find yourself sitting in the cockpit of your F-16 as it waits at the end of the runway. Various instruments stare at you. These include the "heads-up-display" (HUD), radar screen, threat warning system, and several others. You can look to your left, right, and rear using key commands. Additional instruments and warning lights are on the panels of the left and right views. The graphics are very well done.
Hit the "+" key to power up. Soon you're lifting off the runway, heading out to meet destiny at supersonic speed. Enemy MiG's appear to challenge you at various intervals. If you're on a bombing mission, you may try to avoid them or you may want to take them on. If you decide to mix it up, you will soon be pulling up to nine G's in an attempt to line up your enemy for a missile or gun shot. If you're good, you'll soon be getting the 'locked on' signal from your sidewinders. Hit the trigger and it's missile away! The enemy will drop flares in an attempt to avoid being blown out of the sky. With a little luck though you'll hear the satisfying sound of an exploding enemy jet.
If you're not so lucky you may find the MiG on your tail. You dodge and weave, trying every maneuver in the book to get out of harm's way. Your threat warning system flashes the news that an enemy heat seeking missile is on the way! You turn hard and dump flares...
If you dodge or defeat the MiG's you are not home free. Radar guided and heat seeking SAM's may reach up to try and smash you down. Life in the modern air combat arena can be short indeed!
When you are done with your mission, you can review the action using the "black box" recorder. This is not an actual replay. It simply shows you the paths you and your enemies took during the battle. It is quite useful for evaluating various maneuvers employed, but not necessarily entertaining.
If you grow tired of flying against the computer (which will take some time) you can hook up with a friend's computer and go head to head. You may either direct connect with two Macs or use modems to connect not only to other Macs, but also to a variety of other computers (including you-know-who) on which Falcon™ runs. Naturally, these other computers will have had to purchase their own versions, but you need only one copy of Falcon™ if you're playing another Mac.
I have played Falcon™ over a 2400 BPS modem. It was very enjoyable, but I did notice a degradation in the number of frames drawn making the action even more choppy than it is normally. I don't know if a faster modem would improve things.
The manual that comes with Falcon™ is 140 pages long. It is comprehensive and well written. It is also well illustrated. The manual covers everything from menu commands to air combat tactics.
As good as Falcon™ is there are a few things I would like to see improved. First, I would like to have a straight up view so I could check out enemy maneuvers directly overhead. I would also like some form of rudder control. Falcon™ currently doesn't provide this, which is a shame because a rudder would make it much easier to make small course corrections without having to bank the plane. Lastly, I would like it to be easier to land the plane without crashing. It may be more realistic in it's current form, but landing is not something you want to practice in a game.
All that aside, Falcon™ is an outstanding game. Currently Falcon™ runs about $29 thru mail order. It's worth every penny. On a scale of 1 (rotten) to 10 (fantastic) I give Falcon™ a 9.
