Flight Control HD has touched down on Sony PlayStation Network in Europe, Asia and Australia. It is one of the first games to support the PlayStation Move motion controller and is an adaptation of the global hit that has sold over 3 million copies.
The highly addictive gameplay in Flight Control HD casts players in the role of an air traffic controller in charge of an increasingly busy airport. Players are challenged to direct aircraft to their correct landing zone while avoiding collisions. The game starts gradually, but builds to a frantic paceonce planes and helicopters of varying speeds start to arrive thick and fast. A fast-forward setting can speed everything up even more, for complete chaos that will challenge even the most advanced players.
Flight Control HD’s distinctive retro graphics also soar to new heights on the PlayStation 3, with upgraded art and effects in glorious 1080p resolution. Flight Control HD also supports an optional stereoscopic 3D mode throughout the game, with aircraft appearing to float over the landscape (requires compatible 3D television and 3D glasses).
Players have the option to fly solo or play collaboratively with friends, in a party-style multi-player mode for up to four people. New players can join in the game at will in drop-in, drop-out style while aircraft continue to arrive. “Multi-player is insanely fun, you can never be quite sure whether a new player is going to help or hinder your efforts so there tends to be a lot of laughing and jeering,” commented Firemint’s CEO, Rob Murray. “It’s turned Flight Control HD into an extremely social game.”
In classic “just one more go” style, Flight Control HD challenges players to beat their personal best scores. Multiple local profiles and extensive online leaderboards and PSN integration also mean players can compete against their friends or the best in the world, and collect numerous trophies to display on their PSN profile.
Players can control 16 different aircraft types including jets, sea planes and helicopters, across 9 maps, with 4 super-sized maps including the PlayStation® exclusive “Metropolis” map which cycles through day and night, with running lights on planes and street lighting turning on at night. Other maps include an Australian outback landscape, where emergency air ambulances take precedence over player-controlled aircraft; an aircraft carrier that slowly rotates while a range of fast military aircraft attempt landings; and a windy winter wonderland, where drifting snow and a windsock indicate the prevailing wind direction and runways close and reopen accordingly.
Flight Control HD is available as a digital download via the PlayStation Store for play on the PS3 system. The game can be played using the DUALSHOCK 3 Wireless Controller, SIXAXIS Wireless Controller or PS Move motion controller together with the PlayStation Eye camera. The PS Move navigation controller is not required. Multiplayer games can use any combination of the supported controllers.
Flight Control HD is available now in the UK (GBP 3.99), Europe (EUR 4.99), Asia (USD 5.99) and Australia (AUD 8.45), and will land in Japan on 21 October 2010.