Airplane Simulation Games

Opening up the wild blue yonder for players of all ages, airplane simulation games cover the width and breadth of aviation. From flying behind enemy lines in the most advanced of fighter to gliding along in a parasail, every type of aircraft in nearly every type of situation is represented somewhere in the broad scope of gaming. These games allow players from experienced pilots to those who have never seen the inside of a cockpit take flight. What off puts most gamers looking at these titles is the illusion that a great investment is needed to take part. But, what do you really need to get started flying on your PC?

To start, beyond the obvious of a computer and the program itself, airplane simulation games only really need a means of control. While these games can be played with various control set ups, there are some that are better than others in terms of control precision and realism. In the end it all comes down to how realistic you want your experience to be; as well as how much money you wish to put into shaping your experience.

The first, and most basic, you could use is one you likely already own. A staple of PC gaming, the mouse and keyboard can be used with a great number of airplane simulation games to control the various aspects of flight.The primary benefit of this set up is that most gamers already own them. So it doesn’t require an additional purchase.

Mouse and keyboard can perform most basic flight maneuvers reasonably well. The problem is that it isn’t exactly as precise as other methods. Flying with a mouse and keyboard doesn’t exactly make for the most realistic of flight experiences.

The next tier up in control would be that of the gamepad.  Game Pads come in many shapes, sizes, and price ranges, but they all follow the same basic set up.

They have one or more analog control sticks, various buttons and triggers that can be programmed to the game you are using. Buttons work much like your keyboard, they are either on or off.

On the other hand, triggers and control sticks are what makes gamepads better than the mouse and keyboard. These analog controls are viable inputs. This means that binding a control to that input allows for more degrees of control between fully on and all the way off. Using these to control the rudder, throttle, and flight surfaces of your aircraft will give you much greater precision than a mouse and keyboard would be able to. Gamepads start relatively cheap for the most basic models, but can quickly get more expensive with increased quality and added features.

The final method of control in airplane simulation games is what many people think of when a flight simulation is mentioned; the joystick or flight yolk.

These two offer the most realistic experience as they mimic the airplane’s real controls.  They offer slightly better precision than that of the gamepad due to an increase in range of motion of their analog controls.

More advanced units will also have a control for the throttle and a means to control the rudder built in or through an attached unit. While more specialized than that of the gamepad and more expensive, they offer the best in terms of realism and control of your aircraft in your airplane simulation game of choice.

There are many options to choose from to gain control your aircraft. It comes down to your personal tastes and the depth of your pockets.  While you are able to get by in airplane simulation games without making an investment on a high end gamepad or flight yolk. These may be something you will want to consider buying down the road to improve your game play or as your skill increase.