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Breakdown of Pilotwings 64's Game Elements: Graphics: 4 out of 5: After all I read about the graphics in this game, the actual thing was a bit of a let down. The graphics are well beyond anything I've previously seen in a flight game, but the graphics weren’t as detailed as I had hoped. I read that the graphics look like an SGI system in low res. Well, that would have to be very low res. By comparison, the graphics in Mario 64 are much more detailed. One more thing: for some reason the game doesn't fill the whole screen, leaving a black bar across the bottom of the screen. Music: 4 out of 5: I found the music in Pilotwings 64 to be of a higher quality than Mario 64. If you don't like off beat jazzy music, you won't like Pilotwings 64's tunes. Don't worry though, you can turn the music down on the game's option screen. Some of the tunes sound as though they're nearly Red Book quality (track 26 is especially impressive). You may want to sample the tunes on the game's option screen. Sound FX: 4 out of 5: This game's FX would rate a 5 if it weren't for the speed warning beep in the hang glider stages. That sound is very annoying! The rest of the sounds are wonderfully realistic, and help create a more intense experience. Play Control: 8 out of 10: Pilotwings 64's controls are pretty intuitive. The different characters control very differently and appropriately. The problem I had was that the "real physics" seemed to disconnect me from direct control over the game. If you fire your jets, you build momentum, which must be countered to slow down. The causes you to feel as though you're trying to prevent crashes rather than fly and enjoy the view. A friend of mine who likes flight games told me that the controls were pretty realistic, and I would agree with that (despite my limited knowledge of flight games). The analog control is more evident than in Mario 64, making it possible to make the slightest adjustments to your course. If you want realism, you'll like the control in Pilotwings 64. Frustration Factor: 7 out of 10 (10 being the worst): I found it easier to get bored by Pilotwings 64 than to get frustrated by it. The game forces you to repeat the same level over and over until you get it right, and even then you'll feel wildly inept as you attempt the next task. Each task after the beginner's level almost requires you to have previous experience with flight games. In other words, the learning curve is very steep. The tasks get more interesting as you go, but I found the game kind of dull and too repetitive. If you're a novice at flight games, you'll be frustrated trying to advance in the game.
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