Pilotwings 64

No races, no enemies, just you, the sky and the pure joy of flight. Pilotwings 64 was one of the Nintendo 64's launch titles and became a perfect demonstration of what the new console, with its three-dimensional space, could do. Instead of adrenaline it offered calm, precision and an unexpectedly meditative pleasure in mastering flight.

The game was created by the studio Paradigm Simulation in cooperation with Nintendo and followed on from the original Pilotwings on the SNES. At your disposal you had a hang glider, a small plane and a rocket belt, each machine with its own physics and control feel. The task was to complete lessons, fly through gates, land on target pads and collect points for precision, so the game resembled pilot training more than action.

What was extraordinary about Pilotwings 64 was its expansive environment, dominated by an island with a miniature version of American landmarks, including a mountain with presidential faces. Free-roaming over the landscape, simply enjoying the view and hunting for hidden spots, foreshadowed players' later love of open worlds. It was a tech demo and a full-fledged game in one.

Culturally the title served as a showcase of the N64's possibilities at the time of its 1996 release, and alongside Super Mario 64 it showed two faces of the new dimension, one action-packed and one calm and precise. Reviewers praised the freedom of movement and the charm, though some faulted the game for its smaller scope of content.

Today Pilotwings 64 is a memory of a time when being able to land a hang glider well was enough to make a person feel true satisfaction. It is an undemanding but surprisingly timeless celebration of flight.

Why play: For calm, meditative flying and that peculiar sense of triumph when you touch down dead center in the target ring.