Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Microsoft Flight Simulator X was for a long time the pinnacle, and also the last classic installment, of the traditional series of civilian flight simulators from Microsoft, before it was replaced years later by the new generation launched in 2020. The game offered an extensive, if by today's standards simplified, model of the entire planet's surface, with thousands of airports and a wide range of civilian and smaller sport aircraft, from small training planes up to airliners. Free flight, in which players could choose their own route, aircraft, and conditions, was complemented by a challenges mode and individual missions focused on specific flying skills.

The flight model was very credible for its time, and the game supported a broad range of control devices, from a simple gamepad up to full joysticks and simulator cockpit setups with physical switches. Another strength was its remarkably developed support for mods, add-on aircraft, scenery, and community tools, which kept the game's active player base alive long after release, in some cases right up until the arrival of the new generation of the simulator. The graphical treatment of the landscape and aircraft was at the top of the genre at launch, though it naturally aged over the years compared to newer simulators.

FSX's release was demanding on the hardware of the time for many players, sparking discussion about optimization, but it also confirmed the title's ambition to push as far as technically possible toward a detailed rendering of the entire planet, including thousands of smaller airports. After Microsoft ended its support, the fan and modding ecosystem kept caring for the game, allowing it to remain playable and expandable for many more years, including through unofficial modifications enabling it to run on newer hardware. Today, FSX is seen as the last great representative of the classic era of civilian flying on PC before the rise of modern simulators.

Why play it: For fans of the classic era of civilian flying on PC who will appreciate thousands of finely detailed airports and the active modding community that keeps FSX playable even on modern hardware.