The pilot
The player-controlled World War I aviator whose career and survival provide the framework for the campaign.
How it plays
The campaign is viewed primarily from the pilot's cockpit during aerial missions. Objectives vary between intercepting enemy aircraft, attacking ground targets with machine guns, and dropping bombs on designated targets.
Missions are arranged as a linear wartime tour. Performance affects the pilot's survival and campaign progress, while failure can end the current career. The game uses arcade-oriented handling rather than detailed aircraft management, so success depends on positioning, aiming, timing, and recognizing each mission's objective.
Plan your run
Conserve ammunition during dogfights and line up attacks before firing. In strafing missions, approach ground targets at a shallow angle and pull up promptly after the pass.
During bombing missions, prioritize a stable approach and release bombs only when the target is properly aligned. Avoid unnecessary risks: campaign survival is more important than pursuing every enemy aircraft.
Meet the cast
The player-controlled World War I aviator whose career and survival provide the framework for the campaign.
Before you begin
Learn the objective before engaging unrelated targets; many missions reward completing the assigned task rather than maximizing kills.
Use short bursts of machine-gun fire to preserve ammunition and improve accuracy.
Treat every campaign sortie as consequential, since pilot loss can end the run.
Wings is a World War I action flight game developed and published by Cinemaware for DOS. It combines three styles of play: cockpit dogfights, low-level strafing runs, and bombing missions. The player serves as a fictional Allied pilot, flying a sequence of historically inspired sorties while recording victories and losses in a campaign diary. Its presentation emphasizes atmosphere as much as simulation, with illustrated interludes, period-inspired music, and a strong sense of personal progression. Reviews generally praised its variety, cinematic style, and accessibility, although the simplified flight model and repetitive mission structure were less appealing to players seeking a rigorous simulator.
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