Genre: Flight Simulation
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Dynamix

The 80s saw not only the inception and birth of the IBM PC, but intrepid programmings doing mind-bending things with its non-game specific hardware. Dynamix' first flight sim, A-10 Tank Killer, is one such example; its rudimentary polygonal scenery and game objects still give the game an imagination-capturing aesthetic, although it's a shame the simulation renderer is such a poor resolution. A fully digitized cockpit, and actual A-10-related war photographs in the menus round out the package. Version 1.5 of the game even introduced a floating camera, which can be swung around the outside of the plane during flight!

The original release had a single PC speaker tune, and mere beeps and boops for sound effects. But then the 1.5 version came along, and behold: a full synth soundtrack! It only has a few songs, but each of them successfully captures a mix of imminent danger and Tom Clancy-like political intrigue. The game's various engine, missile, and explosion sounds are clear and functionally distinguishable during gameplay.

As became the standard course for such games during the DOS era, Tank Killer straddles the line perfectly between realism and accessibility. Reckless flying will certainly stall the air craft and get you killed; not paying attention to the mission map and straying into anti-aircraft missile range will likewise get you killed; but at the same time, the player doesn't need to worry about fuel mixtures, complex radio tower calls, or anything not core to the experience.

Unlike later flight simulators, Tank Killer focuses on a singular aircraft-- the game's namesake, the A-10 Warthog-- and the experience of being a pilot of such a craft. It's fun to watch actual, real-life A-10 pilot camera footage on YouTube, then observe just how believably the plane flies in the game! The downside to Tank Killer is that there isn't much content: 24 missions, no free flying mode, no mission recorder, and a simplistic campaign feature, which merely strings the missions together in linear order. And yet, Tank Killer and its engine set the stage for Dynamix' later classics, while still flying as an addicting and fulfilling game in its own right.