Line #30 VideoGame/Pilotwings


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-Pilotwings_logo_1167.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:250:Soaring since 1990.]]
3
4	->'''Join The Flight Club Now!'''\
5	''Do you ever dream of flying? The Flight Club offers a variety of aerial sports to thrill and challenge you. Dare to take the first step and earn your license.''
6	-->-- The introductory screen from the first game of the series.
7
8	''Pilotwings'' is a flight simulator franchise created by Creator/{{Nintendo}} for the Platform/{{Super Nintendo\|EntertainmentSystem}}, Platform/Nintendo64 and UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS. The game was developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development Division (led by Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto), and was first released in 1990 in Japan and 1991 in the United States. The European release followed in 1992.
9
10	The games feature several training missions and lessons that players must complete in order to earn pilot licenses, using several different vehicles (including a plane, hang glider, rocket belt, as well as skydiving and other secret unlockable vehicles). Players are graded based on a number of different factors, including checkpoints cleared, accuracy, time spent and completion of required (or additional) tasks. Some missions also have bonus stages that can be cleared for extra points.
11
12	''Pilotwings'' was well-received upon its release due to its overall graphical presentation and gameplay style. In 1996, ''[[SuperTitle64Advance Pilotwings 64]]'' was released as a launch title for the Nintendo 64, featuring sharper graphics, more areas to explore and a variety of bonus games. In 2011, Nintendo also released ''Pilotwings Resort'' for the handheld Nintendo 3DS.
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14	Interestingly, all three games in the series have been developed by separate companies. As mentioned before, Nintendo EAD made the first game. Creator/ParadigmEntertainment, who already made video simulation, helped with ''64''. Monster Games, who specializes in racing games, lent a hand with ''Resort''.
15	----
16	!!The series provides examples of:
17	* TheAce: Goose from ''64'' is self-described to be this.
18	* AirstrikeImpossible: One Rocket Belt mission in ''64'' requires you to fly through a cave.
19	* AnimeHair: Lark and Goose. Lark merely has some extremely messy bangs under his hat/helmet, whereas Goose hides tall, gravity-defying hair [[CompressedHair under his helmet]].
20	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: One Rocket Belt mission in ''64'' requires you to fly through a cave in under two minutes for a perfect score. Perhaps because this is already a very difficult task (colliding with walls or landing anywhere that's not a landing pad takes away points, and [[SuperDrowningSkills falling into the stream of water that runs throughout the cavern ends the mission with 0 points]]), there is no landing segment; the goal consists of a stationary ring that you simply fly through to end the mission and get your points.
21	* AwesomeButImpractical:
22	** In ''64''[='=]s Little States map, you can maneuver your Rocket Belt or Gyrocopter through gas stations to get a full refill on your fuel tank. While this is great if you're just exploring, this is not a good idea if you're trying to get a high score since the gas stations are out of the way of your objective causing you to potentially lose the time bonus and you lose points every time you make a hard (but non-lethal) landing or collision with an object. The only missions where fuel is even a concern anyway are the floating pad missions, where you start with a mostly empty fuel tank, and even then landing on each pad will give you a small refill; you ''can'' go out of your way to fly to the gas stations (with proper thruster usage, you can make it before your fuel runs out), but with how much of a detour you have to make, it will just ensure you finish with no time points (and possibly even more points lost, depending on how much you smack the floor and ceiling of the gas station canopy).
23	** The Jumble Hopper in ''64'' is the only vehicle in the game that doesn't instantly crash when you touch the water, instead landing on the surface and continuing on. This is great if you just want to explore, but it also incurs a 5-point penalty every time.
24	* BonusStage: The original game has access to bonus stages if you land on more difficult targets, such as landing on the parachute target with the rocket belt. You score a perfect 100 for the round, plus whatever bonuses you earn.
25	* BraggingRightsReward:
26	** The Birdman outfit in ''64'', which allows you to travel around in a free flight mode without crashing or needing to use fuel. While it's fairly common for players to not unlock it until the very end of the game, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4dMYwRTDwI the actual unlock requirements]] (either [[https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Pilotwings_64/Birdman finding the stars hidden throughout the maps]] or -- to permanently unlock it and have the ability to choose the time of day and weather conditions pre-flight -- earning a Silver Medal on higher on all the Beginner Class courses and Extra Games[[labelnote:*]]specifically, Beginner Class unlocks Holiday Island, Cannonball unlocks Everfrost Island, Jumble Hopper unlocks Crescent Island, and Skydiving unlocks Little States[[/labelnote]]) means players can potentially access it as early as the Class A challenges on the second island.
27	** In ''Wii Sports Resort'', you got a house built in your honor for collecting all the "i" rings. In ''Pilotwings Resort'', you get a whole castle to yourself if you collect them all.
28	* BruiserWithASoftCenter: Implied with Hawk, the heavyweight pilot from ''64'' who [[https://twitter.com/VGArtAndTidbits/status/1066827318260305922 the game manual]] describes as tough-looking but actually "[[PaperTiger a pussycat]]." Both the title screen and [[https://web.archive.org/web/20210515154827/https://giantbomb1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/8/87790/2267074-pw64pilots.png the group shot on the front of the instruction booklet]] show him carrying [[TheBabyOfTheBunch Kiwi]], suggesting he's a GentleGiant as well. This might explain why Meca Hawk runs off screaming whenever he's hit by one of the Gyrocopter's missiles and [[spoiler:why he's pulled a HeelFaceTurn between this game and ''Resort'']], assuming his personality is in any way based off of the original's.
29	* ButThouMust: In the original game, when Big Al briefs you for the helicopter missions, he gives you the option to say no, but if you do he'll just insult you until you say yes.
30	-->'''Big Al:''' I forgot, chickens cannot fly!
31	* [[CardCarryingVillain Card-Carrying Villains]]: E.V.I.L. [[FunWithAcronyms It's right there in the name.]]
32	* CerebusSyndrome: Clear the first four lessons of the original on both the Normal and Expert modes, you will be thrown into a rescue mission where you must save hostages from behind enemy lines by a terrorist organization calling itself the E.V.I.L. Syndicate.
33	* CharacterSelectForcing: Present, but only lightly {{enforced\|Trope}} in ''64''. Each class of pilot works best with a specific vehicle (Light = Rocket Belt, Medium = Hang Glider, Heavy = Gyrocopter). While it's not impossible to do well by, say, placing Lark (the lightweight male pilot) in a Gyrocopter, matching up the right character with the right vehicle ''does'' make it a fair bit easier.
34	* CheerfulChild: Both Lark and Kiwi, but more so Kiwi.
35	* CollectionSidequest:
36	** The Birdman stars in ''64''.
37	** The Free Flight mode in ''Resort'' includes this. "i" rings, balloons, rings, and trophies are scattered throughout Wuhu Island.
38	* ContinuityNod: Your reward for three-starring every mission in ''Resort'' is [[spoiler:Meca Hawk making a surprise reappearance. He can be found circling Wedge Island, with a "i" ring above him. His facts state he's mellowed out and isn't bent for destruction. He even screams if you crash into him!]]
39	* CoolShades: Big Al in the original and Goose, the mediumweight male pilot, in ''64''. [[SunglassesAtNight Neither are seen without them at any time.]]
40	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: One failure scene with Lance has him saying "Land on the land." While it isn't actually this trope (both uses of the word land have a different meaning), it's both poor wording and amusing.
41	* DifficultButAwesome: Landing on the yellow, bonus platforms in the first game. Doing so earns you a trip to the bonus stages where you can earn some "extra credit" points towards your certification, and it's possible to even skip an otherwise-mandatory exercise or two this way. However, the moving yellow platforms are often surrounded by water and in the expert stages they move ''very fast''. The yellow platforms are even more difficult to land on in the skydiving event where since you only get a very small chance to land on them.
42	* DubNameChange:
43	** The instructors' original names are Fumiya Tanaka (Tony), Ran Shirashi (Shirley), Indy Scott (Lance), and Doubei Kuroda (Big Al).
44	** Robin from ''64'' is named Hooter in Japan... and if you know what "hooter" means as a ''word'', you'll understand why her name was changed. (See ThemeNaming below.)
45	* {{Eagleland}}: Goose and Robin from ''64'' are very American in their designs, from their blond hair to the predominant use of red, white, and blue colors on their casual attire (which is combined with stars and stripes for their flight suits).
46	* EasterEgg:
47	** If you engage in some RushmoreRefacement by shooting your character into Mario's face, it will turn into Wario.
48	** If you're flying at night in ''Resort'', someone will be playing ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' in the cabins on Wuhu Island.
49	* EvilKnockoff: [[RobotMe Meca Hawk]] to Hawk. [[spoiler:No longer evil after he [[HeelFaceTurn chills out]] by the time of ''Resort''.]]
50	* ExcusePlot: In the original ''Pilotwings'' on the SNES, your instructors are kidnapped by an evil terrorist organization... for some reason. And you have to use an attack helicopter to save them. Though, the helicopter missions are ''technically'' bonus stages.
51	* {{Expy}}:
52	** Lark is basically Nester, the comic mascot of ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' magazine. [[https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/mario-mania-game-cameos-for-the-fans-complete-collection-pilotwings-64/ One promo]] states that they're actually one and the same, with "Lark" being a nickname.
53	** Perhaps unintentionally, the predominantly white color scheme and use of [[{{Eagleland}} stars and stripes]] on Goose's flight suit gives him slight UsefulNotes/EvelKnievel vibes, [[http://firsthour.net/screenshots/pilotwings-64/pilotwings-64-goose-evel-knievel-rocket-belt.jpg a similarity remarked upon]] by [[http://firsthour.net/first-hour-review/pilotwings-64 at least one player.]]
54	* EyePop: Your instructors in the original game do some variation of this if you get a perfect score a perfect 100 on any mission without going to a BonusStage in the original game. The exception is Big Al, who instead removes his sunglasses and cries long streams of ManlyTears.
55	* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: In ''64'', once you enter Birdman mode (either from the mission select or touching the star hidden on the map), there's no safe way to end the session short of quitting out of the mission; the only way to properly end is to crash. This gets a bit problematic as Birdman also gets a 6-shot camera (like the Hang Glider) and quitting from the pause menu doesn't save the photos, so you have to crash just to keep any pictures you take.
56	* FeaturelessProtagonist: The player character in the original... [[AvertedTrope up until the end credits]]. Dark hair, male, looks to be in his 20's, with about as much Japanese as Big Al.
57	* FictionalCountry: The Little States island is a miniature, but [[SceneryPorn very convincing replica]] of UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates.
58	* FreeRangeChildren: Lark and Kiwi in ''64'' are young children, and it doesn't seem like any of the adult pilots are their parents, yet they're able to hang-glide, skydive, operate rocket belts, pilot gyrocopters, and get shot incredibly long distances out of a cannon, all on their own.
59	* FunWithAcronyms: The E.V.I.L. Syndicate.
60	* GenderEqualEnsemble: ''64'' features six playable characters, three male and three female. They're also neatly divided across the three weight classes.
61	%% Before adding an example for Getting Crap Past The Radar, be sure it matches the definition first!
62	* TheGhost: The MadScientist responsible for Meca Hawk's creation.
63	* GoldenSnitch: The first game's [[BonusStage Bonus Stages]], available by landing on moving targets during Skydiving and Rocket Belt assignments. Providing a perfect 100 for the stage just for accessing them, plus extra points from the bonus, doing well in a Bonus Game can allow you to clear a tier despite failing/skipping other assignments.
64	* GustyGlade: Part of the challenge in some of the more advanced missions is having to deal with strong winds that will adversely affect your flight.
65	* HartmanHips: Robin in ''64'', as the heavy class female also has [[https://www.mobygames.com/game/n64/pilotwings-64/cover-art/gameCoverId,452902/ a very prominent set of hips and thighs]] to go with her large breasts, giving her a borderline ImpossibleHourglassFigure.
66	* HaveANiceDeath:
67	** The many snarky comments by the trainers upon failing an event.
68	** You're also often treated to your character screaming as they crash out of control.
69	** In ''64'', when you crash in Birdman mode, since there are no objectives, you don't get a score tally, just an "Oh no! You crashed!" message.
70	* HollywoodDarkness: Area 7 takes place at dusk, but the visibility is still clear. Area 8 and the final helicopter mission, by contrast, are in near-pitch darkness.
71	* HumanCannonball: The Cannonball stages in ''64''. The musical score has some fun with the scenario, playing [[SongsInTheKeyOfPanic a sped-up, more frantic version]] of the level's carnival-esque theme from the moment your helplessly screaming pilot is launched out of the cannon until they either hit their target (complete with the {{fanfare}} equivalent of a "Ta-da!") or fail miserably.
72	* HumongousMecha: ''64'' has a mission where you fight a giant robot version of Hawk, named Meca Hawk. [[spoiler:As mentioned above, he'll come to Wuhu Island in ''Resort'' after beating the game. Since he's chilled out, he won't fight you this time.]]
73	* ImpactSilhouette: Your character will leave a human-shaped silhouette in the ground if you go skydiving without opening your parachute in the original game.
74	* InASingleBound: ''64'' has the Jumble Hopper where your character can clear tall hills and buildings with a powerful jump from their spring-loaded shoes. However, jumping is the only way they can move since they can't walk.
75	* IncomingHam: Compared to their more restrained female counterparts, the male pilots in ''64'' get some pretty hammy exclamations when selected -- a "YAHOO!" from Lark, a "YEEHAW!" from Goose, and a boisterous {{Kiai}} from Hawk.
76	* InconsistentSpelling: Officially, the HumongousMecha built in Hawk's likeness is named Meca Hawk as opposed to Mec'''h'''a Hawk.
77	* ItsUpToYou: When your instructors are kidnapped by E.V.I.L., Al loads you into a helicopter to rescue them solo.
78	* LargeAndInCharge: Big Al.
79	* LighterAndSofter: ''Pilotwings 64'' and ''Pilotwings Resort'' are this when compared to the subtle militaristic undertones of the original game on the SNES.
80	* LonelyPianoPiece: The "Event Failed" music, which is a DarkReprise of the "Event Clear" music.
81	* MoodWhiplash:
82	** In the original game, the game goes with the friendly FramingDevice of you being part of a pilot's club and doing training exercises to earn new licenses. Then you have to rescue your instructors in a ''combat zone'' with enemy guns trying to shoot to ''kill'' you.
83	** ''Pilotwings 64'' has you trying to stop Meca Hawk from terrorizing the countryside of Little States and later the waters of Ever-Frost Island in the last two tiers of Gyrocopter missions, but at least Meca Hawk is a fantastic giant humanoid with comedic reactions to getting hit, as opposed to being an organization of human terrorists.
84	* MsFanservice: Robin from ''64'', who doubles as a GorgeousGaijin. She's designed with an American motif in mind ([[PhenotypeStereotype blond-haired, blue-eyed babe]]; primarily red, white, and blue colors and a purposely placed star on her left breast). [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure She's wasp-waisted, very buxom, and has the hips to match.]] She's constantly seen giving a flirty wink [[ThirdPersonSeductress that seems to be aimed at the player]] (as seen with her bio in the game manual, at the title screen, and at the character select screen), while selecting Robin as your pilot elicits from her a very sensual-sounding "Ohhhh yeah!"
85	* MusicalNod: The hang gliding music in ''Pilotwings Resort'' contains snippets of its counterpart from ''Pilotwings 64''.
86	* NebulousEvilOrganisation: The E.V.I.L. Syndicate in the first game. Their reasons for kidnapping your instructors and later Big Al's brother are unknown, and the closest we can see of them are the many turrets guarding their base and island.
87	* NoFairCheating: The cave mission in ''64'' is completed by flying through a goal ring on the opposite end of the cave. If you try to bypass the cave by flying outdoors to the goal, the goal ring will be inert (taking the form of a sphere) and you cannot tag it.
88	* NoNameGiven: The player character in the original. Also, the flight instructor in ''Resort''.
89	* NoPlotNoProblem:
90	** Aside from a few appearances from Meca Hawk, a giant robot created by [[TheGhost some random mad scientist]], ''Pilotwings 64'' doesn't have a plot whatsoever. Not that it matters...
91	** Ditto for ''Resort''.
92	* NonStandardGameOver:
93	** The original has a milder example: but get shot in the helicopter levels, and the game ends abruptly as you crash to your doom. Big Al doesn't even say anything, unlike the other levels.
94	** Crashing as a Birdman in ''64'' doesn't show a ScoreScreen like with the other vehicles, as Birdman Mode has no objectives. Instead you just get "Oh no! You crashed!"
95	* NotSoStoic: Al is moved to tears if you manage to impress him. Does it happen ''that'' rarely?
96	* OneHitPointWonder: Get hit once in the helicopter stages in the original and your helicopter crashes, abruptly ending the mission and game.
97	* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: With the exception of Lark (who per ''Nintendo Power'' [[https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/mario-mania-game-cameos-for-the-fans-complete-collection-pilotwings-64/ is their mascot Nester going by an alias]]), everyone in ''64''.
98	* OpaqueLenses: Big Al glares at you from behind aviator sunglasses.
99	* PassThroughTheRings: One of the oldest examples of the trope; the original game was one of the first video games (if not ''the'' first) to use this type of system.
100	* RemixedLevel: After completing all five missions in the original, you're paraded through them again. The weather conditions have changed, and the difficulty is ramped up.
101	* RingOut: Going too far outside of the course area earns an "OUT OF COURSE" failure, and no points.
102	* RushmoreRefacement: In ''Pilotwings 64'', one level allows you to shoot a rockface of [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] carved into the side of Mount Rushmore, which changes it into [[VideoGame/WarioLand Wa]][[VideoGame/WarioWare rio]]'s face. Crashing into it yields the same result, and doing either a second time reverts the visage back to that of Mario's.
103	* SceneryPorn: Half the fun of the entire franchise is cruising around looking at the backgrounds and islands.
104	* ShoutOut:
105	** Crescent Island in ''64'' is obviously modeled after C-Island from ''VideoGame/StarTropics''.
106	** Perhaps not-so-coincidentally, ''64'' also features a character named Goose, who just happens to be an ace pilot. [[Film/TopGun Now why does THAT sound familiar?]]
107	** Hard to tell if it was intentional or not, but one of the flight instructors in the SNES game is named [[Film/{{Airplane}} Shirley]].
108	* [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart/Distaff Counterpart]]: The [[GenderEqualEnsemble cast]] of ''64'' can be considered as such. Specifically, Lark/Kiwi, Goose/Ibis, and Hawk/Robin.
109	* StalkedByTheBell: Most missions have a bonus for finishing by a specific time.
110	* StatuesqueStunner: Ibis is tall and lanky, just like her male counterpart Goose. Despite being the second-tallest of the ''64'' cast, her bio in the game manual describes her as "small and calm."
111	* SuperDrowningSkills: If you go into the water, regardless of whether you're in a plane, hang glider, rocket belt, a bird wing construct, whatever, it's mission failed for you. [[CriticalExistenceFailure You can be right above the threshold for this to happen, with yourself partially submerged, but the moment you go one centimeter below that threshold, you basically get sucked into the water.]] The only vehicle that doesn't do this is the Jumble Hopper, in which [[WalkOnWater you land on top of the water and keep going]], albeit with a small penalty to your score.
112	* TechDemoGame: The entire franchise could be considered an example of this. The original game was mostly used to demonstrate the Mode 7 capabilities of the Super Nintendo, and was one of the first games to be released for the console, while ''Pilotwings 64'' was one of the launch titles for the Nintendo 64. ''Pilotwings Resort'' was also a launch title (this time for the Wii), carrying on in the tradition of the franchise.
113	* TearsOfJoy: Complete the second and final helicopter mission of the original game, and Big Al will be so impressed that he'll be moved to tears of pride.
114	* ThemeNaming: All the pilots in ''64'' are named after birds. In order: Lark, Kiwi, Goose, Ibis, Hawk, and Robin. Robin's original Japanese name[[labelnote:*]]Hooter[[/labelnote]] also fits the motif ("hooter" is another name for an owl) but doubles as a not-quite-StealthPun about [[BoobBasedGag the size of her chest]].
115	* ThirdIs3D: ''Resort'' is the third game in the series, and is indeed totally 3D.
116	* TimedMission: Every mission must be completed within a certain time limit in order to get the best score/move on to the next stage. The Plane and Rocket Belt sections have a fuel gauge which can't be replenished, acting as another time limit.
117	* {{Tomboy}}: Kiwi from ''64'' is aptly described to be this.
118	* UnendingEndCard: The original game stops on a generic "THE END" screen, with white text on a black background.
119	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: The original game throws this curveball midway through; it starts out with simple training exercises on various aircraft, then turns into an action game where you have to avoid anti-aircraft fire in a helicopter to rescue your instructors.
120	* UniversalDriversLicense: The original mostly avoids this by requiring you to actually practice with each of the available vehicles to earn your license. However, the helicopter missions play it straight, throwing you into a live combat scenario with absolutely no way to practice with the chopper ahead of time. Hope you can learn on the job!
121	* VectorGame: A rasterized depiction of vector graphics is used in the original game on the apparatus selection screen.
122	* VideoGameCrueltyPotential:
123	** In the original game, neglecting to open your parachute in the skydiving levels leaves a person-shaped hole in the ground. In addition, the plane and the rocket belt both explode when crashed.
124	** One of the most entertaining and hilarious things to do in ''Pilotwings 64'' is to ''intentionally miss'' when playing the Cannonball event. Shoot your poor character into a plume of fire and then watch them go into their doom as a smoking, blackened torch!
125	** Crashing in ''64'' has your pilot's vehicle tumbling around like a ragdoll as they scream, which results in them eventually landing upside down and kicking their legs. You can intentionally crash and see how far your character bounces across the terrain and watch it again on instant replay.
126	* WalkOnWater: Jumble Hopper is the only mode in ''64'' where hitting the water causes you to stand on it instead of [[SuperDrowningSKills drowning to your doom]]. However, you'll take a point penalty for doing so.
127	* WeightWoe: Possibly. Out of all of the playable characters in ''64'', Robin is the only whose bio list their weight as "?".

Context VideoGame / Pilotwings