Dogfight 1942

You rarely think of old-timey flight combat when you think of arcade-style action. Games like Vector Thrust and Ace Combat 7 focus on current age aircraft, weapons and tactics. Dogfight 1942, on the other hand, is an intense dogfighting game that puts you in the cockpit of WWII aircraft. On top of that, it offers a variety of modes, including the all-too coveted split-screen co-op campaign that is sorely missing from a lot of games in today’s age.

Here’s everything you need to know before you download Dogfight 1942.

Arcade-Style Action

A good dogfighting experience needs to be fast-paced and action-packed. This is why arcade-style controls are always so popular with this genre of games. In Dogfight 1942, controlling your aircraft feels intuitive and smooth.

That doesn’t mean the game sacrifices authenticity. The game’s physics engine provides ample recreation of actual flight and aerial combat without feeling like your aircraft is on rails. While Dogfight 1942 is quite accessible to get into, becoming a master pilot will take a considerable amount of time.

Split-Screen Multiplayer

It’s a shame that games have slowly abandoned the side-by-side cooperative experience. If you’ve been missing the idea of having a wingman physically by your side, Dogfight 1942 can fill the void. Its campaign can be played with a partner, making every battle feel even more authentic. There are also two other modes that can be played in split-screen, Survival and Dogfight. In Survival, you and your wingman will battle through waves upon waves of enemies to see how far you can go. Dogfight mode, on the other hand, pits you against your couch partner in head-to-head combat to see who is the supreme pilot between you.

Authentic World War II Campaigns

As the title implies, Dogfight 1942 takes place in the WWII era of warfare. Across its expansive campaign, Dogfight 1942 has tons of missions that are based on actual WWII battlefields and operations. And the authenticity doesn’t end there. Dogfight 1942’s roster of aircraft includes over 40 legendary planes from one of history’s most famed war eras. You’ll be placed in the cockpit of planes such as the British Spitfire and the Japanese Kate to partake in some of the most gruelling aerial battles mankind has ever seen.

The Bottom Line

One of the big trending gaming topics of the early 2000s was the WWII era. Gamers took to titles that touched on this era very favorably.

Pros

• Easy to learn yet hard to master arcade-style controls
• Advanced physics engine
• Couch co-op and competitive multiplayer
• WWII era campaigns and aircraft

Cons

• The game doesn’t have joystick support which could be a big dealbreaker for those looking for the full package of flight combat
• The campaign is quite short