Ace Combat (Air Combat)

Ace Combat (released in the West as Air Combat) is the cornerstone of one of the most successful flying series of all time. With it, Namco showed in 1995 what the new PlayStation could do: smooth 3D dogfights, with the landscape flashing by beneath your wings and fighter jets chasing across the screen at a pace console players of the time had never known.

The game bets on an arcade approach — no complex simulator controls, just instant fun from chasing targets, firing missiles and handling missions of increasing difficulty. Completing tasks unlocks new aircraft, which entices you to replay and experiment with the arsenal. That right balance between accessibility and tension became a hallmark of the whole brand.

For retro players, the first Ace Combat matters above all as a herald of a great future: it laid the foundations for a series that would later add strong stories, fictional worlds and an unmistakable style. Even today it's a brisk, period-impressive ride and a fascinating look at where the legend of aerial arcades began.