''Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator: WWII Europe Series'' is the first version of all three

combat flight simulation game Combat flight simulators are vehicle simulation games, amateur flight simulation computer programs used to simulate military aircraft and their operations. These are distinct from dedicated flight simulators used for professional pilot and mil ...

s from

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...

. It was released on 28 October 1998 and it is set in the

European Theatre The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II, taking place from September 1939 to May 1945. The Allied powers (including the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union and Franc ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. This game spawned two sequels: '' Combat Flight Simulator 2'' in 2000 and '' Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe'' in 2002.

Gameplay

''Combat Flight Simulator'' features 6 modes, Free Flight, Quick Combat, Single Missions, Campaigns, Multiplayer, and Training Missions. Free Flight allows players to fly around the entirety of Europe. Quick Combat puts the player into the air against waves of AI opponents. Single Missions are missions where you have to take-off to complete tasks, before landing. Campaigns are more elaborate mission sequences. Multiplayer was a mode that allowed you to fly online with other players, fly in formations, and engage in dog-fights. Training Missions are missions that teach you dogfighting techniques and the basics of flight.

Reception

Sales

''Combat Flight Simulator'' was a commercial success. It was the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

' 19th-best-selling computer game during the first half of 1999, and totaled 260,708 sales and $10.8 million revenues in the country by that October. The game's defeat of its direct competitor, ''

Jane's WWII Fighters ''Jane's World War II Fighters'' is the 1998 combat flight simulation video game. Set in the European theatre of operations during World War II, it is part of the ''Jane's Combat Simulations'' franchise. The game was considered a commercial failu ...

'', contributed to the end of

Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by former Apple Inc., Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry ...

Jane's Combat Simulations ''Jane's Combat Simulations'' was a brand of combat flight simulators and naval warfare games published for DOS and Windows by Electronic Arts from 1995 to 2000, and later by other companies under license by Jane's Information Group. It is named ...

brand. Global sales surpassed 450,000 copies by June 2000.

Critical reviews

''Combat Flight Simulator'' was a finalist for ''

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American Video game journalism, computer game magazine that was published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 199 ...

''s 1998 "Best Simulation" award, which ultimately went to ''

European Air War ''European Air War'' is a combat flight simulator developed and published by MicroProse and published for Microsoft Windows in 1998. It is a sequel to '' 1942: The Pacific Air War''. It simulates the Battle of Britain, and the Allied Air offensi ...

''.

References

External links

Official website
via

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...

''Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator''
at

MobyGames MobyGames is a commercial website that catalogs information on video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controlle ...