Common Sense Note
Parents should know that the recommended age rating of "14 and older" isn't due to graphic material -- Microsoft's Flight Simulator products are family-friendly adventures with no violence, sexual content, or inappropriate language -- but this simulation is very challenging, therefore not suitable for younger kids. And for parents who are concerned about post-9/11 sensitivity, you can't crash your plane in this game -- you actually pass right through buildings (in the default setting). If you want to turn on collision detection, crashing causes the mission to start back at the beginning.
Families can talk about the challenges commercial pilots face, including poor weather conditions, busy airports, and fuel management. Because you can fly to and from more than 24,000 airports around the world, not to mention take on more than 50 specific missions, families can discuss how important it is to understand world geography if you are a pilot.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
Gamers bored with slashing orcs, carjacking vehicles, or rotating puzzle pieces can climb into a very different interactive entertainment experience with FLIGHT SIMULATOR X, the latest in the best-selling, 25-year-old franchise.
Microsoft Game Studios' ambitious title lets gamers fly two-dozen commercial aircraft –- from the giant Boeing 747-400 to the deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver floatplane and the Bell 206B Helicopter -– with incredibly lifelike graphics that include authentically recreated cockpits, airports, and scenery (even cars and livestock).
Imagine soaring over San Francisco in an Air Creation Ultralight, weaving around the bay and its famous bridges, around Alcatraz Island, and then hovering over the downtown core. Players can even choose a season, time of day, the weather conditions, and more.
And talk about attention to detail: the game lets you fly to or from more than 24,000 airports on seven continents. Yes, that's 24,000.
But be forewarned: having access to a photorealistic world at your fingertips comes at a price as players must install two full DVD-ROMs on their Windows-based machine, totaling an incredible 14-Gigabytes of hard drive space. What's more, the installation process takes about 35 minutes, and another 10 minutes to launch the first time you play because the program must load scenery and terrain data. After this, however, it's smooth sailing.
In addition to free-flight modes -- either starting in the air or working with Air Traffic Control (ATC) to follow protocol and take off from a busy airport -- players can also accept more than 50 challenging missions. These missions include successfully completing a transatlantic flight, demo-ing an Airbus A321 at the Paris Air show, dropping relief materials in the Congo, and landing a stunt plane on top of a moving school bus. This mission-based gameplay adds more depth and replayability to the simulation.
Gamers can also log in online to join other players, whereby one chooses to fly the plane while others assume the role of co-pilot, ATC, and so on -- all the while chatting via a headset.
Don't own a flight stick peripheral? No problem. While armchair pilots may balk at the idea, you can easily use a regular console-like gamepad to maneuver the various aircraft. A recommended pick is the Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows ($29.99), which can be used with both the PC and the Xbox 360.
If you want to try Flight Simulator X before you buy, visit the official Web site to download the playable 817MB demo. The full version available at your local electronics store or online costs $49.99 for the standard edition or $69.99 for the "deluxe" edition, which contains additional aircraft, scenery, and tools to create and share your own content.
Before you buy, be sure you meet the minimum system requirements listed on the back of the box or posted on the Web site.
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Educational ValueTeaches some of the mechanics of flying an airplane. |
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