What would be the best flight simulator for a laptop? What is the best flight sim for Mac that doesn't need external equipment? What is the best flight simulator? What features should I look for? What is the best platform for Flight Simulator; PC, Mac, or Linux? The Best Flight Simulators For Mac. Sponsored by Atera. Flight simulator 2016 free download - Flight Simulator X 2016 Free, Airplane Flight Simulator 2016, Combat Flight Simulator 2016 Free, and many more programs. Best Video Software for the Mac.
Flight simulators and aircraft combat games serve a solid niche for those of us that like to take to the skies when we're not doing other things with our computers. Here's a roundup of the top ones you can download today, with prices from free to reasonable and the focus from arcade-style action to ultra-realistic flight sim. They're not only great games, they're some of the best Mac games you can find.
X-Plane is without peer on the Mac. Calling X-Plane a game isn't just wrong, but it's insulting: X-Plane is the definitive flight simulator for the platform. Intricately detailed, it's also incredibly scalable - X-Plane runs on mobile, oz77n home Macs and PCs, and also operates as a detailed professional-grade aviation simulator.
More than 30 aircraft are available in the default installation: You can fly everything from a single-engine Cessna 172 — the most popular airplane in the world — to a B-2 bomber. The app models fixed and rotary wing aircraft both, along with tons of atmospheric conditions that affect flight. It even simulates what'd be like to fly the Space Shuttle. More than 1,400 additional aircraft models can be downloaded online. And you can fly almost anywhere: Land at more than 33,000 airports worldwide, touch down on an aircraft carrier and more.
A free demo is available, so don't let the price tag scare you off. Given the incredible level of detail and the huge ecosystem that supports X-Plane, it's well worth the money if you take your flight simulation seriously.
FlightGear
An open source flight simulator, FlightGear is a bit more do-it-yourself than some of the other apps in this list, but it's still remarkable and definitely worth checking out. You download the central app, airplane models and scenery separately. Hundreds of aircraft models are available for download.
FlightGear's rough open source edges show, but if you're a developer or a code tinkerer, there's fun to be had here. And for everyone else, plenty of fun airplanes to fly and scenery to explore.
WarBirds
Total Sims' WarBirds flight combat game has going since 1995. Take to the skies behind the yoke of dozens of legendary World War II-era aircraft. Single player mode consists of 20 training modules, 12 instant missions, and five different Free Flight modes. What's more, you can play offline for free, for as long as you want.
But the real meat of this game is in online play, which does incur a monthly fee to continue to play. You go on raids with squadrons of other real-world players as you reenact many famous battles of World War II. Total Sims is a bit funky with their Mac support; their FAQs reference Apple's GameSprocket technology, which went out the door when Classic Mac OS gave way to OS X more than a decade ago. But it goes to show just how long WarBirds has been on the platform, too.
Falcon 4.0: Allied Force
Graphic Simulations has been making flight sims for the Macintosh since the early 1990s. Falcon 4.0: Allied Force is the latest iteration of its classic F-16 Falcon flight simulator, taking you to the Balkans and the Korean peninsula for realistic combat missions.
Arm your aircraft with realistic weapons and ordnance, then fly missions deep into hostile territory with a dynamic campaign engine that changes things every time you play.
Sky Gamblers: Storm Raiders
Atypical Games' entry is an absolute must if you want to dogfight World War II style. The game features terrific graphics and easy to understand gameplay. There are single-player missions here but where the game really shines is in multiplayer dogfighting combat, which has been the series' strength. A variety of different online game modes test your skill, like Capture The Flag and Last Man Standing.
Sky Gamblers supports iCloud and Game Center - any progress you make in game can be saved to the cloud. It also supports a joystick or gamepad, which is a must for any flight sim, as far as I'm concerned. $5 gets you plenty of game play, but there are in app purchases that let you unlock new customization features and new airplane models.
F/18 Carrier Landing II Pro
It's obviously a port of a game that originated on iOS, but it's lots of fun regardless. Take off and land from aircraft carriers and airstrips in some of the most legendary combat aircraft flying: the F-A/18 Super Hornet, F-14 Super Tomcat, F-16 Fighting Falcon and MiG-29K are all represented, along with the Harrier, F35B Lightning II and more.
RORTOS calls itself maker of the most advanced flight sims for mobile, and they're pretty snazzy on the Mac too. More than thirty missions along with a half-dozen training missions and free flight so you can buzz around on your own with no agenda.
Heads up, virtual pilots — what'd I leave out?
This is my list of favorites right now, but I'm sure I've left some off that you love too. Feel free to let me know in the comments!
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What is a flight simulator or flight sim? While you could say it's a video game, it is also so much more than just that. With so many options these days, it can be hard to decide what flight simulator, combat sim, or flying games to buy. You certainly can't always rely on advertisements. You can, however, rely on my opinion. I have nothing to gain by reviewing and recommending what I consider to be the best value flight simulators for your money that you can get right now.
Strike Fighters 2 and Expansions
Strike Fighters 2 and its expansions cover a vast period of time, and give access to the best planes on both sides of some of the major conflicts in recent history.
This small team actually deserve more publicity, so please check them out. They are supported by a wonderful community of 'modders' that create everything from scenery, to planes and entire campaigns.
Note: For a fully updated review and tons of great screen shots from the Flight Simulators series, check out my extended article on Strike Fighters 2.
SF2 Expansion Pack 1
New Features
New Aircraft
Bonus Features
If you have Strike Fighters 2 merged:
If you have Strike Fighters 2 Expansion Pack 1 merged:
Also, stop the presses! Because:
TK and the team at Thirdwire have just release the hotly awaited F-14 based Strike Fighters 2 North Atlantic combat Flight Simulator. I have not had time to buy or play this one yet, but judging from the feedback in the official forums, it's going to be pretty popular.
Player Flyable Aircraft
Player Flyable Aircraft
SF2 Vietnam
SF2 Europe
Free Flight Simulators For Mac
SF2 Israel
Flight Simulator Imac
SF2 Expansion Pack 1
Video: Strike Fighters 2 VietnamVideo: The First Day of Six Days War, Strike Fighters 2 IsraelIL-2 Sturmovik
This one is huge! With IL-2 Sturmovik, we'll go back a few years in to World War II and some that never left the prototype stage. So, it's almost entirely prop-driven planes, with a few early jet and rocket examples. Its sequels—Forgotten Battles, the Ace Expansion Pack, Pacific Fighters, and 1946—all contain 347 aircraft, with over 250 of them flyable ones.
This truly is one of the greatest flight simulators you can buy for your money.
Video: IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 TrailerIL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad / Moscow
More recently, the creators of WWI simulator Rise of Flight released IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad, closely followed by the Battle of Moscow. Cheap they are not, but the value represented is amazing!
Graphically, this is s stunning title. What I love about BOS is that it caters for newer players as much as the hardcore simmer crowd. There is a robust and lively multiplayer element as well.
As you might expect from the titles, there are predominantly German and Russian planes on offer here. Air to ground and air to air are both represented and a full mission editor is included in the deal.
The campaigns are simply brilliant in my opinion. There are so many small details that show a real love of the genre and indeed the history of these battles. Truly a next generation combat flight simulation, you owe it to yourself to jump headfirst into this great sim.
Time For a MontageIL-2 GloryLock on Flaming Cliffs 2, DCS Black Shark, DCS Black Shark 2, and DCS A-10C Warthog
Below are some brand new, up-to-date, modern sims!
DCS and Eagle Dynamics are the new ones to watch out for in the world of combat flight simulators.
Over the past couple of years, we have also been treated to DCS Black Shark, DCS Black Shark 2, and Lock on Flaming Cliffs 2.
Video: 'Edge' Black Shark, Air Combat Simulation: DCSVideo: Flaming Cliffs 2, (look how far we've come)Flaming Cliffs 3
Flaming Cliffs 3 has just been released in beta form as the follow up to Flaming Cliffs 2. It is improved in every way possible. However, this also comes at a premium to those who have tried every version.
This is now no longer a stand-alone simulator. Rather, it has been fully integrated into the DCS world. It's a full combat simulation that allows control of land and air assets, and is also in a multi-player facet! Is it worth the expense? I think so.
Video: Flaming Cliffs 3DCS World 2.0
DCS World is the latest update the the DCS series and my goodness there is a lot to cover! Think of it as a Hub of sorts, into which all the DCS modules you choose to purchase integrate. As of the time of writing there are no less than 22 modules in total, including some duplicates. Also available is the Nevada test range, adding hundreds more square miles to fly around in.
Add to this additional mission and campaign modules and you really do have a lifetime of flying to absorb yourself in.
The DCS World 1.5 edition is free and includes the Su-25T and TF-51D aircraft and a huge swathe of Georgia to fly around and blow stuff up in. That said, this is really quite hardcore, especially the additional modules. At around 50 bucks a pop, the modules are not cheap. Perhaps best to pick one or two and really learn the fly the plane and learn the systems!
Almost forgot to mention, there are different generations of warplane and helicopter here, representing the 1940's right up until modern day aircraft!
Rise of Flight
Rise of Flight is all about old school WWI bi- and tri-planes and also contains amazing damage model and graphics. There's also a feeling of really flying that many other sims are lacking and would kill to achieve. Best of all, there is a 'free to play' model in place now, so you can try it before you buy. They have recently added a career mode, field mods (think new sights and so forth), and you can buy and add on as many or extra planes as you wish, or none at all.
You do need to invest some serious time to get the most out of this sim, and, of course, a fairly powerful PC. I would also recommend a decent joystick with throttle, I personally use a Saitek X52, which is available from Amazon.
The multiplayer version is vibrant, but somewhat hardcore. A lot of practice is needed before venturing into the online battlefields.
Video: Rise of Flight: Multiplayer DogfightIL-2 Cliffs of DoverBest Flight Simulator For Mac 2016
IL-2 Cliffs of Dover, or CLOD for short from here on in. Where to start with CLOD? Well, it's a Battle of Britain era sim, raging across the southeast part of Britain—across the channel and into Northern France. You get to fly from both sides of this epic battle.
This is was a controversial title at launch. The game was released in a completely unfinished state and few if any PCs were strong enough at the time to get more that 10 frames per second, rendering the game unplayable to most folk. However, with much thanks and gratitude to the community this game has gotten a whole new lease of life. A recent patch made CLOD Windows 10 compatible and the guys over at ATAG (the air tactical assault group) have released no less than 4 community patches that completely and utterly re-invigorated the game and made it a firm favourite of mine.
It's cheap enough, available on Steam and with the free community patches and even re-written campaigns, this combat simulator finally deserves a place in every armchair pilots library!
Video: IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of DoverMicrosoft Flight Simulator For MacWings of Prey
Wings of Prey is a flight simulator set in various theaters in World War II. This is the PC version of IL-2 Sturmovik 'Birds of Prey.'
Falcon BMS
Wow! Talk about value for money. This one if a FREE add on to the existing Falcon 4 combat flight simulator. Graphically, this one is amazing, it has a great illusion of speed, and my oh my, is it chock full of complicated flight systems to learn!
I have only had it a few days, and it has already impressed me enough for me to throw my support behind it fully. Remember, these guys are the heroes of the community, doing so much, and asking nothing in return!
Only thing to bear in mind is you will need the original Falcon 4 to play.
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Falcon BMS 4.32In Closing
Thanks for reading to the bottom! There is a lot of (hopefully) useful information here, and I try my best to keep it regularly updated.
Please remember to support the people who make the magic. Flight simulators are not as popular as they used to be. I accept that. However, if those of us who like to fly support the right people, then it can continue. All I have done in this article is give my opinion on who to support, who not to support, and why they do or don't deserve it.
Please make sure you money goes to the people intent on keeping our hobby alive. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed my opinion on the best combat flight simulators!
Flight Simulators For Mac Computers
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