Flight simulators stand apart from other video games: hardcore and niche, it isn’t easy to dig up real diamonds in this category. That’s why many fans of virtual flights continue to play old releases even after many years or even select alternatives instead. Some choose battle simulators, while others even switch to roulette online casino games. Here are the best flight simulators for those who love plane traveling.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

The main game in the genre, which can be safely recommended to both experienced pilots of virtual airplanes, and those who don’t know about flying machines at all. Incredibly colorful, player-friendly, and easy to control (even with a gamepad), this part of Microsoft Flight Simulator absorbed all the developments of the franchise, known since the 1980s. And modern technology has allowed it to achieve unprecedented detail of celestial craft and iconic locations around the planet. This may not be a revolution in the genre, but just objectively the best flight simulator to date.

Falcon 4.0

The game from Sid Meyer’s studio Microprose came out back in the days when it took a long time to master gameplay in flight simulators. And to switch to a new airplane, it wasn’t enough to choose a suitable model in the menu — first you had to dive head first into the multi-page manual. How else could you understand such a great variety of toggle switches, levers, buttons, and lights on the dashboard? Moreover, it would be good to know the basics of aerodynamics and basic physics. In short, a fierce hardcore that not everyone will be able to handle. But for fans of such games Falcon 4.0 remains an unrivaled masterpiece to this day.

X-Plane 12

X-Plane 12 is a fresh civil aviation simulator from the famous franchise, which traditionally emphasizes realistic physics and environment. In the 12th part, developers added such nice visual features as three-dimensional volumetric clouds and improved the system of dynamic lighting in flight, as well as completely redesigned the system of air traffic organization. Now it’s much more in line with reality. The hangar here is much more modest than in Microsoft — there are only several dozens of airplanes of different models. But each of them is controlled to the glory, fully tests the player’s skills  and makes you feel like a real pilot!

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

The newest part of the legendary Japanese series of military flight simulators skillfully balances on the edge of arcade roots and harsh realism. This is a modern sci-fi action movie: all factions and aircrafts in the game are fictional, which unleashes the authors’ hands in designing their capabilities. And Ace Combat boasts such an unusual advantage for the genre as a deep story! The single-player campaign doesn’t just offer to pass a set of missions with combat sorties but also tells a coherent story. Carefully written and brilliantly voiced characters can pleasantly surprise with expressiveness and depth of characters. All fans of unusual projects from the Land of the Rising Sun should play it!