F29 Retaliator
A Cold War-era flight sim with futuristic aircraft and weapons.
F29 Retaliator is a combat flight simulator developed by Digital Image Design and published by Ocean Software. It was released for Amiga and Atari ST in 1989, with later ports to MS-DOS, PC-98, and FM Towns. The game was based on speculative future aircraft designs from the late Cold War period, particularly the Lockheed Martin F-22 and Grumman X-29A.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Digital Image Design
- Publisher
- Ocean Software
- Designer
- Martin Kenwright
- Programmer
- Phillip Allsopp; Russell Payne
- Artist
- Martin Kenwright; Joanne Drury
- Composer
- Matthew Cannon
- Released
- 1989: Amiga, ST
- 1991: MS-DOS
- 1992: PC-98
- 1993: FM Towns
- Genre
- Combat flight simulator
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The cockpit of the F-22 or X-29A features three multi-function displays that can be configured in several ways. Weapons include a fighter-carried Tomahawk cruise missile, rearward-firing AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and a large cluster bomb. The four war scenarios are Arizona desert test sites, Pacific conflict, Middle East conflict, and World War III in Europe. The PC version supports head-to-head dogfighting via a null modem cable.
Reception
Dragon gave the game 4 out of 5 stars. Computer Gaming World called it a less-expensive alternative offering a solid experience with limitations, such as a small game environment, and concluded it was an enjoyable diversion for newcomers. A 1992 survey in the same magazine awarded three stars out of five, while a 1994 survey gave two stars, describing it as rather generic. Amiga Power ranked it the 36th best game of all time in 1991.
Legacy
In 1990, ZERO magazine bundled a Special Mission add-on for F29 Retaliator that pitted players against an alien ship from the upcoming game EPIC. A sequel, Retaliator 2, was announced for early 1991 but cancelled as the team prioritized finishing EPIC, which ran on an upgraded F29 engine. Digital Image Design later produced three more realistic F-22 sims: TFX (1993), F-22: Air Dominance Fighter (1997), and F-22 Total Air War (1998).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed F29 Retaliator?
F29 Retaliator was designed by Martin Kenwright.
Who composed the music for F29 Retaliator?
The music for F29 Retaliator was composed by Matthew Cannon.
Is F29 Retaliator single-player or multiplayer?
F29 Retaliator offers single-player and multiplayer play.
More in Ocean Software Games of the 1980s
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