Pilotwings 64 (Japan) is the original Japanese release of Nintendo’s flight-simulation launch title for the Nintendo 64, released in 1996 alongside Super Mario 64 and developed with Paradigm Simulation. Rather than a combat or racing game, it puts players through a flight academy, earning pilot licenses by completing timed missions in a Rocket Belt jetpack, a Light Plane, a Hang Glider, and a Gyrocopter, plus a free-fall skydiving stage with a parachute.
How to Play
Your objective in each mission is to take off, hit the required checkpoints or targets, and bring your craft down for a clean landing before time runs out; clearing enough missions in a class earns you the next pilot license. The control stick (mapped to arrow keys) banks and pitches your vehicle, A (X on keyboard) throttles up, and B (C on keyboard) brakes or triggers that vehicle’s special action, such as the Hang Glider’s flaps or the Rocket Belt’s hover jets. The C buttons swing the camera for a better view of the runway or nearby targets, and Start pauses the mission.
Tips
- During a Light Plane free-flight, use the in-flight camera to photograph the hidden targets scattered across the islands — snapping the right one unlocks the secret Birdman mode, letting you soar freely with no time limit.
- A gentle, centered landing on the marked pad scores far more than just finishing quickly, so slow your approach and line up before touching down.
- Flying through the yellow rings adds bonus points, but don’t chase them at the expense of the mission’s actual objective — a fast lap with a failed landing still fails the license test.
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