Microsoft Flight Simulator

PRICE Standard, £50 (£60 inc VAT) from the Microsoft Store or Steam

Humankind had been obsessed with taking to the skies for millennia – just think of Icarus – so it was no surprise that early programmers were quick to simulate flight. Preeminent among these was Bruce Artwick, whose work dates back to the mid-1970s. When Microsoft was looking for a product to show off the power of IBM-compatible computers, it commissioned Artwick to bring his simulator to the PC.

So, in 1982, Microsoft Flight Simulator was born. Its launch met with critical acclaim as reviewers and consumers alike sensed a purpose for PCs beyond running VisiCalc, storing recipes or playing trivial games. However, after 27 years and 12 releases, internal issues at Microsoft led it to close down its developer, Aces Game Studio, and with it seemingly end the Flight Simulator program.

Not that it ever truly died. The 11 intervening years have seen continued support from third-party add-on developers and a 2014 rerelease of on Steam. The underlying codebase also went on to become the core of . Despite this, the flight simulation scene has been weaker for Microsoft’s absence. Other simulators have their strengths, but Microsoft’s baby could be all things to all people, whether you