Aces High has been flying the gaming skies since 2000, and during that time we have been tinkering with our combat flight simulator game, making multiple versions of it over the years, updating it yearly, and taking steps, each year, to make it the best combat simulator on the market.

One thing you will notice, if you take advantage of our free two-week download of Aces High, is that we have multiple aircraft available for our players. Which leads to this question: why so many? Is it necessary to have so many aircraft? You can only fly one at a time, so why have close to one-hundred options to choose from?

You will find the answer, to that question, below.

Our mission statement at HiTech Creations.

When we began this flight sim journey, we wrote out our mission statement, as any good business owners should. That mission statement has served as our North Star for twenty-four years. It states, and we are paraphrasing now, to make one game, and one game only, and to make that game the best flight simulator on the market.

We had no desire to tinker around with other gaming genres. We loved everything about World War 2, and we wanted our game to be an extremely accurate depiction of World War 2 in every way possible.

And that meant, in part, an accurate depiction of as many aircraft as possible.

Why so many planes?

Why close to one-hundred airplanes on our combat simulator game? Simply because there were close to one-hundred makes and models of airplanes flown during World War 2. And our reason was as simple as that!

Could we have slid by with, say, fifty aircraft? Of course, very few gamers would have been the wiser. Maybe even forty, or thirty. The action is what is of utmost importance to most games; surely they wouldn’t care if we shortchanged them a few dozen options. A plane is just a plane, right, when it is flying missions in an online game? The quality of the game, the response time of the joystick and the player, those are the things to concentrate on; not the number of planes you COULD fly . . . but, remember our mission statement. We wanted to be the best flight simulator game of all-time, and that meant not taking shortcuts.

And that, right there, is the reason why Aces High offers so many options, because you would expect nothing less from THE BEST!

Bottom line regarding Aces High.

We mentioned earlier, in this article, our free two-week download of Aces High. When we say free, we mean free. No credit card is asked for. You simply download our game and you have full access to the entire game for two weeks. If, at the end of two weeks, you feel Aces High is not the game for you, fair enough, fair well, and have a good life. If, at the end of two weeks, you enjoy our game, we then ask you to sign up for a monthly subscription, and we welcome you into our fold with open arms.

Aces High . . . simply the best!

So many new PC games to choose from.

The holidays are rapidly approaching, Black Friday is a few days from now, and Christmas shopping will be in full swing. Which means, of course, that millions of PC games will be purchased for friends and loved ones.

Honestly, and we’re in the industry and we still find it amazing, how anyone can choose from all of the games available well, it’s quite amazing.

Which is the prompt for this article, by HiTech Creations, makers of Aces HIgh flight simulator, some guidelines to follow, some questions to ask, which hopefully will make choosing a PC game easier for you shoppers.

Questions to ask before buying.

• Price: Price is something that's usually at the top of most people's list when they are looking to purchase a game, especially at the time of holiday sales.
• Publisher: This is an interesting factor to consider especially in the age of microtransaction-heavy gaming. Does the manufacturer/developer have a good reputation in the industry?
• Update Cadence: It's unrealistic to expect a game to be perfect upon release. Truth is, gaming developers should always be updating their games. This allows them to work out the kinks, so to speak, and to improve upon some features which have fallen short of expectations.
• Genre: The genre of a game is very important and is not always apparent from the name of the game and promotional content released for it. Sometimes, promotional content can mislead the public.
• Reviews: Take the time to research and read reviews on the games you are considering. It is quite easy to find reviews on practically every game being sold, and oftentimes they are quite revealing.
• Specifications: Make sure the game is compatible with the PC which will be operating it. The specs should be apparent somewhere on the packaging.
• Age rating: Important factor for parents, aunties, uncles, grandparents who are purchasing games for their little loved ones. Games are required to have an age rating on their website, so take the time to find it out.
• Platform: Single platform or multiple platforms? As a general rule, games which are multiple platform perform better and are more satisfying to play.

Take them for a test drive.

This is the best word of advice you will find in this article. Sample the games you are considering. For example, our own Aces High offers a free two week download of our game, with no credit card information asked for or required. We think this is very reasonable. These games can be costly, and before we can expect customers to pay for our game, the least we can do is allow them to test it to see if they want to spend their money on it. Quite frankly, if a free version of a game is now available, it is our opinion that there is something the manufacturer wants to hide. Steer clear of those games.

A final word about Aces High.

We have been producing our combat simulator since 2000. For twenty-four years we have made one game, and one game only, is our quest to make the best combat flight simulator on the market. Take our game for that test drive we suggested. See for yourself what a great flight sim game looks like.

Some of us here at HiTech Creations, makers of the combat simulator, Ace High, are parents, so we understand the concern many parents have over the length of time their children spend on video games. It is a valid concern. Too much gaming can be harmful. On the flip side of that discussion, a reasonable amount of gaming can actually be beneficial for children.

Let’s take it a step further.

The positive effects of gaming.

The main positives derived from playing video games are as follows:

• Improved cognitive abilities
• Improved problem-solving skills and logic
• Increased hand-to-eye coordination
• Greater multi-tasking ability
• Faster and more accurate decision-making
• Enhanced prosocial behaviors
• Better eyesight (attention to detail)
• More physical activity with games that promote physical activity (VR, mobile games)

The harmful effects of gaming.

We can summarize the negative effects of gaming, according to medical and psychological professionals, this way:

• Repetitive stress injuries
• Vision problems
• Sleep deprivation
• Depression
• Possible addiction
• Poor mental health
• Relationship issues
• Social disconnection

What the pros say.

We turn to the academics and medical professionals for their opinions:

• American Academy of Pediatrics: No more than two hours per day of screen-based entertainment.
• Oxford University: 1 hour of gaming every day is considered better than no gaming at all for personal well-being and mental health. Beyond 3 hours, the benefits don’t necessarily improve.
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non-school days.
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Children under 2 should have no screen time, and kids ages 2 to 5 should get an hour or less of screen time per weekday and three hours on the weekend days.
• San Diego State University: The safe limit for teens is one to two hours daily.

Obviously, there is a bit of disagreement about the length of time a child should spend gaming, the range being from one to three hours, with a low of thirty minutes on school nights.

Even though we have “a dog in this race” as a game designer, we really do not have the expertise to form an opinion. From the information above, we would err on the safe side and say one to two hours per day is a comfortable amount of time set aside for playing.

How do you, the parent, monitor it? That is a topic for another article on another day, but we definitely suggest, and endorse, some sort of parental guidance/control.

A final word about Aces High.

Back in 1999, we sat down and wrote out our mission statement. It said we wanted to create one game, and one game only, and we wanted that game to be a combat flight simulator. Here we are, twenty-four years after releasing Aces High, and we feel pretty darned good about the outcome and where we are at.

Have you played our flight simulator game? We offer a free two-week download of Aces High, a way for you to try it out before you pay for a monthly subscription. Strap on your flight helmet and fly the skies with Aces High, for free, for two weeks.

Which to choose?

The debate has been going on for as long as online gaming has existed. Should you play the free onlie games or should you pay for online games like our own Aces High, the leading combat simulator?

We have two points worth considering, and we present them to you in an attempt to show no bias whatsoever, despite our pay for flight sim game.

In-game Purchases

One factor that sets apart online free games from their paid counterparts is the presence of in-game purchases. Free games often rely on microtransactions to generate revenue by offering cosmetic upgrades or additional content for purchase within the game.

While this freemium model allows players to enjoy the core game without spending money upfront, it can sometimes lead to an imbalanced playing field. Some players may choose to spend real money to gain an advantage over others, which can affect the overall gaming experience.

Paid games, on the other hand, typically offer a complete and balanced experience without the need for additional purchases. This can be appealing to players who prefer a fair playing ground and want to avoid any pay-to-win scenarios.

Community and Multiplayer Experience

The social aspect of gaming is often a significant factor in deciding between online free games and paid options. Free games usually have a large player base, resulting in a vibrant community with active forums and discussions. This can enhance the multiplayer experience as you can easily find opponents or teammates to play with.

Paid games tend to attract more dedicated gamers who are willing to invest their time and money into their hobby. As a result, these games often offer more robust multiplayer features, including competitive leagues or tournaments that attract skilled players looking for challenging gameplay.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice between online free games and paid options depends on your personal preferences and priorities. If you’re on a budget or looking for casual entertainment, online free games provide an excellent avenue for enjoyment without breaking the bank. However, if you seek high-quality graphics, exclusive titles, and balanced gameplay experiences, investing in paid options might be more suitable for you. It’s important to consider factors such as cost-effectiveness, game selection, in-game purchases, community engagement, and multiplayer experiences before making your decision.

Our opinion?

Obviously, we wish you would subscribe to Aces High. We do, after all, offer a free two-week download of Aces High, a gift from us to you, allowing you to experience our game before paying money for it. But, having said that, we are more than willing to admit that many free games are well-worth playing.

A final word about Aces High

The year was 1999, the year our creators and founders sat down and developed Aces High, one of the first combat flight simulator games on the market. Our goal was to create one game, and one game only, and make that game the best in the genre.

After twenty-five years, we believe we have achieved our goal, and we invite you to try Aces High and see for yourself what a truly great flight simulator game is like. Strap on your flight helmet and fly the skies with Aces High.