Dogfight (video game)
Aerial combat simulator spanning biplanes to jets.
Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare is a combat flight simulator from 1993, developed by MicroProse Leeds (the studio formerly known as Vektor Grafix, which originally worked on the game under the title Air Glory) and published by MicroProse for MS-DOS, Atari ST, and Amiga. In North America, it was marketed as Air Duel: 80 Years of Dogfighting. The game lets players pilot aircraft from World War I biplanes all the way to modern fighter jets. Modes include one-on-one dogfights, missions set in various battle theaters, and a sandbox mode. Players can switch between first- and third-person views, and the gameplay incorporates strategy elements like resource management and mission planning.
Upon its release, Computer Gaming World criticized Air Duel in 1993 for its low framerate, "generic and unrealistic" avionics, the absence of a Constantly Computed Impact Point, buggy AI, and poor replay value. The magazine noted it would have been better received in 1991, concluding that while the game wasn't bad, it was neither new nor improved. In a 1994 survey of wargames, the same publication gave it two stars out of five, remarking that the aircraft "do not seem historically correct" and calling it "a great idea with mediocre execution."
Quick Facts
- Title
- Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare
- Developer
- MicroProse Leeds
- Publisher
- MicroProse
- Producer
- Peter Moreland
- Designer
- Ciaran Gultnieks / Ian Martin / Dominic Robinson
- Artist
- Derrick Austin
- Composer
- John Broomhall
- Released
- March 1993
- Genre
- Combat flight simulator
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- MS-DOS, Atari ST, Amiga
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare was developed by MicroProse Leeds, a studio formerly known as Vektor Grafix, and originally conceived under the working title Air Glory. Published by MicroProse in 1993, the game was released on MS-DOS, Atari ST, and Amiga platforms, with a North American retitling as Air Duel: 80 Years of Dogfighting. The game simulates aerial combat from World War I biplanes through to modern fighter jets, offering multiple game modes including 1-on-1 dogfights, missions in various theatres of battle, and a sandbox mode. Players can choose between first or third person perspectives to pilot aircraft, and the gameplay incorporates strategy elements such as resource management and mission planning.
Reader's Guide
The game's significance lies in its inclusion of a sandbox mode, which allowed players freedom to engage in aerial combat without structured mission objectives, a feature that was relatively uncommon in flight simulators of the era. However, its legacy is tempered by critical reception. Computer Gaming World in 1993 criticized Air Duel's framerate, describing the avionics as 'generic and unrealistic,' and noted the lack of a Constantly Computed Impact Point, buggy AI, and low replay value. The magazine stated it would have been better received in 1991, concluding that 'Air Duel isn't bad, but it certainly isn't new or better.' In a 1994 survey of wargames, the same publication gave the title two stars out of five, remarking that aircraft 'do not seem historically correct' and calling it 'A great idea with mediocre execution.' Thus, while the sandbox mode was a forward-thinking feature, the game's technical and design shortcomings limited its impact.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally developed under the working title Air Glory.
- In North America, the game was retitled Air Duel: 80 Years of Dogfighting.
- Computer Gaming World criticized the game's framerate and described its avionics as 'generic and unrealistic.'
- The game includes a sandbox mode alongside 1-on-1 dogfights and mission-based gameplay.
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