AeroWings/Aero Dancing (series)

[+gerwin 451]

AEROWINGS/AERO DANCING (series)

This series can be considered the first true attempt of combat flight simulation on the game-console. Developed by CRI (CSK Research Institute) and published in Japan by that same company. Translated an published outside of Japan by Crave Entertainment and SEGA. All planes listed for the releases have a cockpit and are flyable.

 

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AeroWings (ENG, Dreamcast, 1999) / Aero Dancing (JAP, Dreamcast)

The first game of the series. It is focused on formation flight and aerobatics, the player being a flight team leader. The Japanese version of the game licenced the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's display team 'Blue Impulse'. Aircraft included in this game: T-4, T-2, F-1, F-2, F-86, F-4, F-15. Combined with 10 map/weather variations.

 

Aero Dancing: Special Disc (JAP, Dreamcast)

New Sky Mission Attack levels, F-104 Starfighter, two new maps, data transfer ability, Gallery mode, plus an Aero Dancing F movie and demo.

 

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AeroWings 2 (ENG, Dreamcast, 2000) / Aero Dancing F (JAP, Dreamcast+Windows)

With the title 'Airstrike' in the US, and 'Strike Force' in the UK. Features aerial combat simulation, but no ground attack. Aircraft included: F-86, F-104, F-4, F-14, F-15, F-16, F/A-18, T-2, T-3, T-4, F-1, F-2. Combined with 21 map/weather variations, some of which were already present in Aerowings. The main game mode consists of 30 fighter pilot missions. The title screen features a self rolling demo.

 

The Japanese windows version has a 'Network Battle' option, with both Host and Join. Unfortunately this version suffers from z-buffer graphics glitches, as visible on ATI graphics, but less on Intel graphics. 'VS Play' is greyed out. The windows versions supports Joystick control and larger screen resolutions with filtering.

 

Aero Dancing F 'Special Disc' 'FSD' (JAP, Dreamcast)

Titled 'Tsubas's Virgin Flight'. Contains special data such as savegames for previous games. It also contains many replays and an Aerodancing i Preview version with 3 replays. Menu is in Japanese this time.

 

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Aero Dancing i (JAP, Dreamcast+Windows, 2001)

This game was only released in Japan. The "i" stands for Internet, to emphasize the cross platform online mode. It was also the first in the series to offer air-to-ground missions. The menu and Aircraft HUD became more polished. The game contains all the aircraft from Aero Dancing F, but generally without the fantasy and air-show paintschemes and more realistic Flight Models. In addition it includes A-7, A-10, C-1 Transport, MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-27, Mirage 2000, Tornado ADV+IDS. The AV-8 Harrier was included with a special game mode focusing on its VTOL and hovering ability. All the map/weather variations of the previous release are there, and the new entries bring the total to 39.

 

The windows version has bigger aircraft textures compared to the Dreamcast version and compared to the previous windows version. It has improved z-buffer handling. The Windows version does not support the 'Network battle' as before. It contains world War 2 bonus planes: the A6M2, P-51 and Bf 109. Which also appear in Aero Dancing i 'Special Disc'.

 

Aero Dancing i 'Special Disc' 'iSD' (JAP, Dreamcast)

Titled 'Jikai Sakuma de Machite Masen' meaning 'Waiting for the next version'. This special version contains most of the previous functionality, A Su-25 bonus Plane and a green AV-8B version. The original Survival mode was replaced with a similar mode focusing on the F-14 on a Carrier. The 32 missions were not included. It contains dozens of fan replays from the 'dancing audition 2001' event.

 

Note: Cross platform Online play of all Aero Dancing i versions depended on Remote Game Servers. The service was closed down on March 31 of 2003.

Note: Japanese Official Guide books were published By Softbank. At least for the Dreamcast Aero Dancing F and i releases.

 

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Aero Elite: Combat Academy (ENG, PS2, 2003) / Aero Dancing 4 (JAP, PS2)

The series now switched to the PlayStation 2 Console. I contains the same Aircraft as Aero Dancing i Special disc, with the addition of the US-1A Amphibian Plane and three helicopters: Apache, Cobra and OH-6. The terrain engine and its terrain graphics were much improved compared to the previous efforts. More ground vehicles are included. The world war 2 aircraft are not included, neither is the self rolling demo in the title screen.

 

Development of the Series was seized After Aero Elite / Aero Dancing 4.

 

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Sources:

The games themselves

Wikipedia

ShinForce

Japanese Flight Sim Page powered by TOK2

http://www.aerodancing.jp/ and the waybackmachine archived pages of that site.

 

To be continued...

Edited February 8, 2013 by gerwin

[JediMaster 451]

The only console I owned, before the Xbox 360 I have now, was the Atari 2600...so I missed all these.

[+gerwin 451]

Some Screenshots From Aero Dancing i for Windows. Running at 1440x1080 on Windows XP. Images Scaled 50%.

Showing:

-Main Menu, with windows menu activated on top. The important things are in english but the subtitles are in Japanese.

-Loadout screen of the F/A-18C with agressor skin, selecting an Air-to-ground loadout.

-F-15 HUD without cockpit, Shooting two SRMs (Short Range Missiles) at a MiG-21.

-AV-8B Harrier on LHA Carrier, in the last of the 32 missions.

-Su-27 on afterburner in the Replay Theater, you can jump in and play at any part of the replay.

-Cockpit of Tornado IDS with CCIP. In 'proffesional' mode pulling 1G is required for releasing bombs.

Note that one cannot release weapons or rounds unless somewhat on target and in range.

Edited February 7, 2013 by gerwin

[+gerwin 451]

The only console I owned, before the Xbox 360 I have now, was the Atari 2600...so I missed all these.

You cannot check out everything, I missed all these too, until now.

And I would not care, if it was not for the Windows version of Aero Dancing i. Although in Japanese it is still worthwhile.

The earlier games in the series are lacking a bit. Even this game is still very simple in certain areas.

Like there are no wingmen, and maximum three enemies at once. Ground vehicles are usually harmless.

Weather and speed effects are actually better then Strike Fighters 2, The image shows an F-2 in a rainy map.

The game has a self rolling demo at startup with random aircraft on a random map, which is fun to watch.

I tried the game on my eee PC netbook with intel Atom processor and intel graphics, and to my surprise it ran smoothly at 640x480.

I will post more later in regard to an unofficial translation package I came across.

Edited February 7, 2013 by gerwin

[santroM 13]

aero elite still stands out in terms of combat simulation for consoles. The number of aircraft it offered and the general gameplay was fairly good.. and for those of use who could not get a PC with a decent graphics card then.. it was a life saver on the PS2.

Then came along energy fighters which did one better in air combat..and was my haunt for a long time.

It is rather disappointing(if expected) that flight sims never really went real on the consoles.

Apart from Over G fighters (which I played to the death).. there is nothing in modern consoles worth even touching.

[+gerwin 451]

Energy Fighters? shouldn't it read Energy Airforce.

Both that one and Over G fighters look excellent! But Energy Airforce appeals to me more.

As Over G fighters shows a lot of BVR killing and story-centered radio chatter.

[+Julhelm 266]

Well it's kind of noticeable how console sims (and semi-realistic console fps) went out of fad sometime back in 2007 when Modern Warfare suddenly hit and made a billion dollars.

[+gerwin 451]

Unfortunately it is not easy to get (back) into combat sim business. Like this series and many others: the first two games are just too empty and have several flaws. Only after recycling earlier efforts and combined with new efforts and additions that a sim gets really interesting.