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If you always have your head in the clouds, you’re a fan of taking down bad guys, and you’re in possession of an Xbox One, there are plenty of games for you. Here are our picks for the 10 best air combat video games to play now on Xbox One.
#12 Red Wings: Aces of the Sky
A Dogfighting game that is so fun, that you will want to play it over and over again. The game consists of over 50 missions, so no need to worry about keeping yourself busy and entertained. The game is based on the well-known World War I air combat that took place, and it showcases both sides of the fight which is a cool twist for a game such as this.
The game has an old-timey “back in my day” type feel, and includes super neat comic-like cutscenes that show off the fighting in a whole new way. While most war games make you feel kind of dark, this game keeps it lighthearted and fun with the soothing voice of the narrator during the cutscenes and the cartoony gameplay. The graphic quality isn’t meant to be hyper-realistic, they keep it bright and cheery enough to thoroughly enjoy the game itself.
As you progress and move along through the chapters, you will acquire credits that you can use to upgrade and improve your fighter plane, which also adds to the depth and intricacy of the gameplay. While the game isn’t overly difficult, it does slowly get harder as you make progress, and definitely keeps players on their toes.
#11 Flying Tigers: Shadows over China
This combat flight sim is played in the third-person perspective, as most air combat games are. Players take on the role of a member of the Flying Tigers, a squad made up of volunteers that have been recruited by the Chinese troops.
Why are we fighting exactly? Well, China is fighting against Japan during World War II in this game, so that’s the main concept of the gameplay. The game is based on real events that took place during several different historical battles throughout history including the Invasion of Malaysia and The Bombing of Rangoon. The single-player campaign consists of around 20 missions that vary in terms of difficulty, where players will take on several different roles along the way.
There are several different objectives within the missions themselves, like dropping bombs on the opposition or launching torpedo’s at unsuspecting ships. The game also features a multiplayer mode where players can battle alongside up to 16 other players, or compete against them in other game modes that co-op has to offer.
#10 SkyDrift Infinity
Speed is at the core of SkyDrift Infinity, an action arcade game with plenty of different game modes to enjoy. Players can pilot a collection of modern airplanes with up to 6 power-ups, playing either solo, with friends, or against other players online.
Although SkyDrift Infinity focuses more on the flying experience than dogfights, it still features two air combat competitive modes: Deathmatch and Armed Race. In these modes, you can add weapons to your planes to shoot down your opponents before they can reach you.
#9 Bomber Crew
Bomber Crew is a simulation and real-time strategy game set in World War II. Players control their own crew to lead their bomber through a campaign of difficult missions.
Each crew member has a different backstory and set of skills. Once your bomber takes off, your crew has to make sure the plane doesn’t lack fuel or ammo as danger comes from every angle. The war is raging so enemy fighters will try to take you down whenever they get the chance. Bomber Crew is a complete package for any lover of air combat games, as you not only have to fly your plane through various weather conditions but must also manage your crew and tag your enemies before they kill you.
#8 War Thunder
War Thunder is a free-to-play MMO with battles on land, sea, and air. You can either pick a tank to blow up infantry, choose a naval vessel from pre-World War I, or hop on an aircraft to make death rain down on your enemies.
The game features a large number of war vehicles divided into three categories: aviation, ground, and fleet. As this list is about air combat video games, you’re probably not as interested in the available destroyers and battleships. War Thunder has a large collection of aircraft and helicopters for you to fly through three available game modes. Arcade Battles make the gameplay easier, so you can focus on killing everyone you see. Realistic Battles are slower-paced, with more realistic settings for planes like climb rate and turn rate. Simulator Battles are the slower fights of all, putting the emphasis on realism with no markers for the enemy or friendly team.
#7 The Falconeer
Just because you like air combat games doesn’t mean you require a plane. Solo developer Tomas Sala decided to replace classic jets with majestic warbirds in The Falconeer.
The game takes place in an oceanic world with a few islands emerging from the tides. Flying a warbird offers a better free-flying experience than planes and their technical constraints. Your bird can take part in various aerial dogfights as you complete one of the multiple available campaigns. In addition to the narrative mode, players can also freely explore the open world of the game and finish various side missions.
#6 Century: Age Of Ashes
This third-person shooter takes place in an eerie and dark fantasy world, riddled with dragons waiting for you to mount and ride them off into the sunset. Players have the ability to choose between three separate classes within the game, such as Marauders, Phantoms, and Windguards.
Each class comes with its own particular skill set, whether it be stealth-like approaches, a skilled hunter, or even a healer/support class that is able to heal wounded friends and allies. The game also features 6 different game modes to keep players engaged for as long as possible and each game mode has extremely fun features to boot.
The main concept is interesting and quite simple; mount your dragon and burn your enemies or even your friends to ash during an overly entertaining battle.
#5 Sky Rogue
Sky Rogue is a rogue-lite air combat simulator with low-poly graphics. The game lets you blow up various enemies on land, sea, and air, with over 12 pilotable aircraft and 30 weapons. Once you complete the game, you can unlock new secret technologies to be even deadlier.
The low-poly graphics lets you focus entirely on destroying your enemies without any bells and whistles. As you fly over an infinite number of procedurally-generated islands, you’ll come across plenty of enemies, such as giant flying aircraft carriers or battleships. They’ll try to take you down, but if you’re good enough, they should be the ones to worry. Sky Rogue supports 2-player split-screen local co-op so you can fire from the skies with a friend.
#4 Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China
Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China is an air combat game based on real events. The game follows the story of secret volunteer squadrons from the USA that defended China against Japan in the China-Burma-India battles during World War II.
As the game depicts real-life events, there are plenty of unique experiences to undertake in Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China. You can take part in various clandestine operations in fighter, bomber, gunner, reconnaissance, torpedo, and night missions. The game features over 20 Allied and Japanese planes with a slow-motion mode to increase precision firing. Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China supports multiplayer for up to 16 players with online leaderboards.
#3 Red Wings: Aces of the Sky
Red Wings: Aces of the Sky is an air combat arcade game set in World War I. You have the opportunity to either join the squadron of the Red Baron, a pilot credited with 80 victories, or lead the hunt to take him down.
The campaign includes 50 missions, depending on which side you pick. The game offers 12 different warplanes, each with a unique skin. You can play either solo, with a friend in local co-op with split-screen, or against other players in Versus Mode. The stylized 3D art of Red Wings: Aces of the Sky doesn’t take anything away from its realism, with action-packed gameplay and fast-paced aerial battles.
#2 Project Wingman
Project Wingman is the most realistic combat flight action game on this list. You play as a mercenary pilot taking part in the war between the United Cascadian Republic and Pacific Federation on an alternate version of Earth.
Project Wingman emphasizes air combat, as you’ll need to fly through hectic combat zones to take down your enemies. On top of the campaign, Project Wingman features a Conquest Mode to test your skills against waves of enemies and tough bosses. The game supports VR headsets and HOTAS joysticks, so you can fly over 20 different aircraft as if you were in the cockpit.
#1 Ace Combat Series
When it comes to air combat video games, few series are as popular or prolific as Ace Combat. Namco released the first Ace Combat title in 1993 on arcade systems. Eight mainline installments and multiple spin-offs later, the series is still a staple of combat flight simulators.
The Ace Combat games kept their arcade roots with fast-paced action and easy controls. While the first games in the series were only available on the PlayStation, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation marked the series’ debuts on Microsoft consoles. You can now play the most iconic air combat series on Xbox, including Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, the latest installment in the series.
