Pacific Strike

Origin Systems

Industry	Video game development
Headquarters	United States
Products	Pacific Strike
Parent	Electronic Arts

Pacific Strike is a World War II combat flight simulator created by Origin Systems and distributed by Electronic Arts for the DOS platform in 1994. The title adopts a style similar to the Wing Commander series but aligns more closely with Strike Commander, featuring modern-era scenarios and authentic aircraft models. Like these predecessors, it blends flight simulation gameplay with a narrative delivered through cinematic sequences between missions. However, unlike those games, Pacific Strike was issued solely on floppy disks, omitting the enhanced video sequences and digitized voiceovers typical of CD-ROM editions. A remake named Zero Pilot: Ginyoku no Senshi was released exclusively in Japan for the PlayStation in 1998.

Plot

The gameplay experience is reminiscent of Origin's Strike Commander, placing players in the role of an American aviator following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Objectives include conducting reconnaissance, intercepting hostile aircraft, and launching assaults against ships while operating from an aircraft carrier. Achieving mission goals enables players to defeat the Empire of Japan without resorting to atomic weaponry; failure could result in Japan capturing Hawaii.

Reception

Computer Gaming World assigned Pacific Strike a rating of 1.5 out of 5 stars, criticizing its subpar performance, graphics that were inferior compared to 1942: The Pacific Air War, and lackluster audio quality, emphasizing the necessity for "profound and fundamental improvements." In response, Origin issued an apology on CompuServe addressing these shortcomings.

James V. Trunzo, writing for White Wolf Inphobia (#50, Dec. 1994), awarded the game a score of 3 out of 5. He acknowledged its positive aspects but cautioned that it demanded a high-performance computer and had required numerous patches—nine at that time—highlighting significant initial flaws.

By 1996, Computer Gaming World listed Pacific Strike as the 17th worst computer game ever released, citing ongoing performance problems even on advanced hardware.