Pilotwings
Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: Gamepad
Genre: Flight Simulator, Arcade
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1991
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
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WELCOME TO THE FLIGHT CLUB

Thank you for selecting our Flight Club over the many other aviation schools that are available. At The Flight Club you can experience and master a variety of aerial activities.

When each lesson is satisfactorily passed, we issue a license in accordance with your technical level. We hope that our students will come enjoy the free, elegant feeling of flying like a bird, that we here at the Flight Club have come to know. To achieve this, let us first begin with learning and applying some practical flight skills.

--From the SNES Pilotwings instruction manual.

Overview:

Pilotwings, along with F-Zero, is well-known for extensive use of the Super Nintendo's Mode 7 graphics, which allows rotation, scaling, and various other effects to be used on a flat image to create a 3D effect. This made Pilotwings one of the coolest looking games to date. The sounds were pretty good too. There plenty of sound effects that add to the realness of the game. The controls are explained to you before every mission and they are responsive enough to make the flight experience a good one. The storyline is simple, become the best pilot you can and if you get good enough you'll be asked to fly a real mission. If you like flight sims, be sure to give this oldie but goodie a try.

Directions:

The game takes place in a series of training areas. In each area there is a number of events that can be tackled in any order. In these events, the player controls one of four different aerial vehicles and must complete a task (usually flying through various floating markers) within a time limit.

Upon completion or failure of the task, the player gets points and comments from the instructors. Points are awarded on criteria such as time to complete the event, accuracy of the landing, and completion of the task. To complete the training area, the combined scores from each event must exceed a certain threshold. Each training area can be attempted as often as necessary, and passwords allow the player to return to a stage.

After four training areas, the player is called upon to fly an attack helicopter on a mission which, if successful, will earn the Pilotwings. This leads to harder training areas (consisting of several weather conditions and higher score requirements) and another helicopter mission. This mode is known as Pilotwings EXPERT.

Controls:

A Button - Speed up (in some activities)
B Button - Slow down (in some activities)
X Button - Not used
Y Button - Not used
L Button - Not used
R Button - Toggle between side and overhead view (in some activities)
Start Button - Pause
Select Button - Pick "Start" or "Continue"

Hints:

Birdman Bonus Level
To get to a birdman bonus level, use the hang-glider to land on the target that is normally used for skydiving or the rocketbelt. This will give you full points for your landing and allow you to play a birdman bonus game where you can earn more extra points.

Penguin Diving Bonus Level
To get to this one, land on the moving target that goes around the stationary one during the skydiving activity. This is quite difficult to do. The only way I have ever done it is by continually loading a state with the emulator right before I land, and even then it took me a while.

Bouncing Wingman Bonus Level
Do the same thing as the hint above, except during the rocketbelt activity. This ones a little easier to get to, but still difficult.

Hints:

Passwords:
985206 Lesson 2
394391 Lesson 3
520771 Lesson 4
400718 Lesson 5
773224 Lesson 6
165411 Lesson 7
760357 Lesson 8
985206 Level 02
394391 Level 03
520771 Level 04
108048 Level 05 (Helicopter Mission)
400718 Level 06
773224 Level 07
165411 Level 08
760357 Level 09
882943 Level 10 (Helicopter Mission)
108048 Secret Command Level 1
882943 Secret Command Level 2

Alternate Title Screen
In order to get the other title screen, you must complete the first 4 lessons and Secret Command 1. The new title screen is a city background at night.

Bonus Levels
Bird Fly 
Make a landing on the 'normal' Skydiving/Rocket belt platform on Hang gliding.

Lights on in secret mission
When doing the secret missions at night, hold down the X button and the screen will light up.

Reviewer: adrian
http://www.consoleclassix.com/snes/pilotwings.html
