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Pilotwings 64 
Release date: 5 May 1996
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Mygamer review
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Pilotwings 64
Touching down on the N64 is Nintendo's three-dimensional sequel to the original Pilotwings. Building on what made the first game addictive, Pilotwings 64 redefines exploration and relaxed gameplay by allowing users to stray from objectives and move freely through four massive levels. Join six young pilots on a quest to earn their wings by mastering seven modes of transportation.
Gameplay is broken down into different classes: Beginner, A, B and Pilot, which become available by completing Flight Tests with the Hang Glider, Rocket Belt and Gyrocopter - a craft similar to a bi-plane. At the start of the game you have access to three events in the Beginner Class (one for each vehicle) consisting of only a single flight test to familiarize the player with the controls. As bronze, silver, and gold badges are earned, A, B and Pilot Classes are unlocked with progressively more difficult tests utilizing each craft on all four islands. Vehicle Classes are unlocked independently from one another and the player can complete tests in any order.
After selecting a Vehicle Class the Pilot Select screen then appears. Two pilots are light and fast; easily affected by wind, two are large and slow; not affected by wind at all, and the remaining two are middle ground. You'll want to choose your pilot according to the wind strength in the Flight Test you select. The Flight Test screen appears prior to playing the game and allows the user to select a test, read a hint for each test, view the breakdown of how it's scored, and access the control scheme or even a 3D map of the level. This map can also be accessed at any point during gameplay. At any time you may abort your objective and fly freely until you run out of fuel, or decide to land.
A test's objective largely depends on the vehicle you've selected. Many exams involve flying through rings and landing safely within a time limit. In addition to flying through rings, many Gyrocopter tests see you flying through balloons or shooting missiles at ground-based targets. The Gyrocopter controls well and allows for surprisingly sharp turns as you fly through canyons and beneath bridges.
The Rocket Belt's hovering ability provides extremely tight control and fast braking. Expect to maneuver through narrow areas and land on moving platforms. This mode of transportation gives you the most freedom, and the analog control stick allows the rockets to be angled - not just pointed backwards and down. Go easy on the hovering, though, as it eats up your fuel. The Hang Glider, the most difficult of the three to control due to its dependency on updrafts to remain airborne, will either have you taking pictures during the flight tests, or reaching a certain altitude prior to your landing. Pictures are saved in the photo album on the main menu for later viewing, and yes, the graphics look good enough that you'll want to view them.
Pilotwings 64 takes place across four ridiculously huge, fully explorable islands alive with varying weather, time of day, and even air traffic. The first location is Holiday Island, where all three Beginner Class events take place. This is the smallest of the levels and the easiest to navigate; there's not much here besides the airport, a golf course, and an amusement park. Crescent Island is a tropical resort with a huge beachfront hotel and several small towns. Ever-Frost Island is a snow-covered mountain range with an oil refinery and ski resort, and its snowy weather makes flying particularly difficult. Lastly is Little States, a tiny version of the continental US and approximately as large as the other three islands combined. Here you'll find numerous cities including New York, Chicago, and Seattle, as well as landmarks such as the Grand Canyon and Mt. Rushmore. This level is so large that you have a choice of three airports - though only one will count as a correct landing zone during a test.
As you earn silver and gold medals in each Vehicle Class, bonus games are unlocked including Cannonball, Skydiving, Birdman, and Jumble Hopper. Cannonball is by far the most fun as it has you blast your pilot towards a giant bull's eye…or towards anything you want to see him hit. Pilots - especially Hawk, poor fella - scream hilariously when fired from the cannon. You can even switch to a cinematic camera with the R button as the ‘pilot' rockets across the landscape.
The Hang Glider, due to its difficult controls and painful lack of speed and acceleration, is frustrating, and Jumble Hopper's boots, which allow pilots to jump great heights and distances, just isn't fun at all. You can't stop jumping and it's impossible to land on steep or vertical surfaces.
Each of the game's thirty-one musical tracks is tailored specifically to the test or event it accompanies. You'll hear circus-type music for the comedic Cannonball events, as apposed to the soothing tunes of the Birdman, a bonus event with no goals or time limits, just your pilot and a pair of wings…quite literally.
Pilotwings 64 offers an easy-going attitude and the freedom to replay any test even after completing the game. While the game is a spectacular tech demo, its slow pacing and lack of action may only appeal to the most die-hard flight simulation fans. If you're not into site-seeing and looking at stuff, then you should probably sit this one out, but if you're a fan of free-flying, and you're looking for a game to chill out with, then kill the lights and open a soft drink; your game is arriving at the gate.
Review by Dave Kaplan on 5 Oct 2004
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8 |
 Members review score: 8 |
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