Top Gun: Combat Zones

"Not Worth Even a Rental...Unless You Love Flight Sims(Then You MIGHT Buy)"

I bought this copy used...and it's not bad. Unfortunately, I have to rate this game for the typical gamer.

Here we go:
Frankly, I think a score of 7 for this game is generous. If there was even ONE other flight sim game(i.e. not rogue leader-moderately realistic controls) for the GCN, it would be lucky to get a 6.

Graphics-8
I don't get most complaints about this game's graphics. They're actually pretty good. Clouds are nice and fluffy, you a/c looks very, very nice, afterburner could be a bit better though. The ground also looks kinda early gen GCN game like, but it's not an absolute horror.

Controls-2
An absolute frickin disaster. This is the ONE thing that really really kills this game. This is no lie, the F-14 in this game rolls about as fast as a 767. I am DEAD serious, this is NOT an exaggeration. The maneuverability of the planes are very very badly represented. Disgusting. Horrific.
In other words...slow. Unrealistically slow. For a fighter flight sim, this can kill the whole game.
Even worse is the fact that enemy a/c's maneuver much better than you. I don't mean their AI is smarter. Their planes(even in the same type of a/c) maneuver better than you.

Sound-5
Mediocre is the word here. Explosions are completely muted. The gun sound is pathetic. The afterburner is a dull roar. The dry engine sounds are non-existent. Nothing good here folks.

Music-6
There's one or two good tracks, but the rest really are nothing to write home about. Would've been smart of them to put in some rock, or even a couple of tunes from the Top Gun movie for nostalgia's stake, but no.

Overall-7
Yes, the math doesn't work. I know. But it gets bonus points for being, as of this writing, the ONLY semi-realistic flight sim for the GCN. If we had AC4 for the GCN, you could pass this over. But if you MUST get a flight sim fix for the GCN, this is all you've got.

Closing comments
It CAN be fun. It's also much more challenging than any other flight sim I've seen before. Unfortunately, a lot of the challenge comes from the fact that your plane is hard to control. Another serious flaw is that the BEST control configuration has no camera control option. In other words, situational awareness is gonna suck.
Another little oddity about this game is the ''special maneuvers system.'' Using expert controls(the real flight control system version), special moves can be executed during after burner using special button combos. I once did the airbrake maneuver from the Top Gun movie. Unfortunately, I have no freaking clue how to do it, and the manual is no help. Neither is there a tutorial. Again, don't get this game UNLESS you absolutely need a flight sim for your GCN. Otherwise, let it sit on the shelf.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/06/03, Updated 06/06/03