Flight Simulator II (1983 video game)

Sublogic

Industry	Video game development and publishing
Founder	Bruce Artwick
Products	Flight Simulator II

Flight Simulator II is a flight simulation title created by Bruce Artwick and distributed by Sublogic as the follow-up to FS1 Flight Simulator. Initially released in December 1983 for the Apple II, it subsequently became available in 1984 on Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64, then in 1986 for both the Amiga and Atari ST. It was also included as a bundled game for the Atari XEGS in 1987 and launched on the Tandy Color Computer 3 in August 1988. This release broadened Sublogic's footprint across various platforms, strengthening its early leadership in flight simulation software.

Development

After launching Flight Simulator on the IBM PC, Sublogic adapted its improvements back to other systems under the name Flight Simulator II. This iteration introduced solid color graphics instead of wireframe visuals and featured authentic scenery, though limited to certain regions within the United States.

The game allowed users to load extra scenery via floppy disks. Sublogic produced twelve Scenery Disks that covered different parts of the continental U.S., each including radio navigation and visual flight aids corresponding to three aeronautical sectional charts. Additional scenery packages were made available for Western Europe, Japan, Hawaii, and San Francisco.

Reception

In 1984, InfoWorld described the Apple version of Flight Simulator II as "a complicated but exhilarating game," noting it improved upon Microsoft's edition. Their Essential Guide to Atari Computers identified it as the premier flight simulator for Atari 8-bit machines, praising its authentic simulation of powered aircraft flight.

Roy Wagner from Computer Gaming World commended the software as "outstanding," highlighting its exemplary programming and comprehensive exploitation of microcomputer hardware capabilities.

By late 1985, II Computing placed it ninth in sales and market share rankings among Apple II titles. It remained Sublogic's top-selling game for the Commodore platform through late 1987.

In a 1996 retrospective, Computer Gaming World ranked Flight Simulator II as the 79th greatest computer game ever released.