F-16 Falcon Strike

F-16 Falcon Strike is a combat flight simulator created by Jarosław 'Roeoender' Wosik, released between 2023 and 2025. The game allows players to take on the role of an F-16 pilot in the Polish Air Force, defending the borders of the European Union and Poland against the fictional aggression of B.A.R.F. (Belarus and the Russian Federation) in the "Kaliningrad Campaign," consisting of 15 varied missions.

Gameplay Overview

Players engage in strategic planning to defeat enemy air and ground forces, adapting to a dynamically changing battlefield in a simulated 3D environment. The game pays homage to the golden era of computer flight simulators from the 1980s and 1990s.

Key Features

Campaign

• 15 missions with diverse objectives, including air combat, bomber interception, ground support, and bombing raids.
• Scenarios based on real-world cities and airstrips located at their actual coordinates.
• Progress in the campaign is saved after each flight.

Flight Model

• An advanced flight model accounting for angle of attack, lift, and drag.
• Aircraft maneuverability depends on the amount of mounted weaponry and fuel tanks.
• Damage impacts various systems, such as the HUD and engine.
• Simulation difficulty is customizable with seven adjustable settings.

Weaponry

• Equip the F-16 with a range of weapons, including a cannon, unguided rockets, bombs, and guided air-to-air (AIM-9L Sidewinder, AIM-120 Amraam) and air-to-ground missiles (AGM-65 Mavericks, AGM-88 HARM).
• A dedicated screen for weapon configuration shows the aircraft's current loadout.

3D Engine

• Includes 17 detailed 3D objects, such as fighters, bombers, tanks, radars, and bridges.
• Missions take place at different times of day and under varying weather conditions, including sunrise, noon, sunset, night, and overcast skies.
• Both terrain and sky colors change depending on the altitude.

World Simulation

• Ground units can move, and enemy fighters launch from airstrips once the player is identified as a threat.
• Players must distinguish between friendly and enemy targets, as the game world includes friendly structures and vehicles.

Cockpit

• A detailed cockpit with a HUD and two multifunction displays (MFDs) that can switch between various modes.
• Radar features adjustable scales for air and ground modes and includes a large navigation map.

System Requirements

• Tested on an actual Atari 65XE PAL with an SDrive Mini but should also work on other Atari XL/XE variants.
• The ATR image is a 130 KB disk with an XBOOT and XBIOS loader, allowing automatic loading and startup.
• Campaign progress is saved on the disk, which must not be write-protected.
• The in-game menu cursor is controlled via a joystick in port 1.
• Also tested on the Altirra 4.20+ emulator.

F-16 Falcon Strike is a unique flight simulator combining elements of classic games from the 1980s and 1990s with modern features, providing players with an immersive F-16 pilot experience.