Simulation games are well known for allowing you to experience all kinds of unique adventures and occupations from the comfort of your own home. Casual players can get by using standard control schemes, while others can go wild with peripherals to create an even more immersive experience. Among the genre, flight simulators are some of the most popular, and understandably so.
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From the pilot’s seat, you can soar across the skies, visit other worlds, or engage in harrowing dogfights all the while emulating a sense of realism beyond what gaming normally strives for.
9 Aerofly FS 4

Simulation games can often be a daunting genre for new players. The level of detail is staggering, making it difficult to know where you should even begin. Areofly FS 4 takes this into account by offering an approachable experience in more ways than one.
A lightweight simulation, it provides an immersive VR-compatible experience that less powerful PCs can handle. Additionally, Areofly FS 4 sells itself on new user accessibility while still having realism elements for more advanced users. Although it lacks some of the details maintained by its contemporaries, Areofly FS 4 earns its place in the genre.
8 War Thunder

One of the most popular aerial combat games on the market, War Thunder takes you into the tumultuous skies of the Second World War in several era-accurate aerial vehicles. With a free-to-play model, it offers a degree of accessibility that is uncommon in this genre, since other games can get rather pricey.
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War Thunder’s variety of game modes offers a mixture of experiences, ranging from the hardcore to the more arcade-oriented. The level of detail is not quite as impressive as other games in the genre. Instead, War Thunder strives to make high-octane, exciting battles for players of all skill levels to enjoy.
7 IL-2 Stumovik: Battle Of Stalingrad

Aerial combat’s roots can be traced back to the First World War but World War 2’s impact on the realm of aerial combat has made it a popular setting for flight simulators. With a focus on taking the battle to the skies, IL-2 Stumovik: Battle Of Stalingrad represents an intensely accurate portrayal of flying World War 2-era air units from fighters to bombers. A single-player campaign exists if you're looking to put your skills to the test in historically accurate encounters, but there is also a multiplayer component that allows for both cooperative and competitive modes.
Though lacking in graphical fidelity, the setting of IL-2 Stumovik: Battle of Stalingrad more than makes up for its appearance by its size and scope. Not to mention the painstaking details placed into the planes themselves in both their exterior and their cockpits, which can be utilized in extreme detail thanks to the title’s VR support.
6 Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown strives to cover everything that has made the series such a hit. Complete with its own Hollywood-style narrative to go along with its engaging dog fights, the game mixes immersive gameplay with cinematic moments to create an unforgettable experience.
Available on consoles as well as PC, Ace Combat 7 can be an excellent gateway for new players to get a foothold in the genre. Additionally, the beautiful photorealistic graphics on display make it an easy experience to get lost in.
5 Xplane 12

Xplane 12 strives for total realism, selling itself as more of a pure simulation than a game. Xplane 12 captures several immersive elements including weather, atmospheric effects, and real-world physics to get as close as possible to true flight.
From civilian aircraft to military jets, Xplane 12 offers a comprehensive simulation experience that is primarily meant to appeal to true aviation enthusiasts. Outside the plane, the graphics of the environments can wane in quality, but from within the cockpit, it's easy for it to feel like the real thing.
4 Elite Dangerous

Player freedom is always a strong selling point for a game to have and when combined with sleek sci-fi spaceships, you have a recipe for success. Elite Dangerous markets both of these aspects, taking you into a 1:1 recreation of the Milky Way to make the universe your own. Act as a trader shipping goods, a bounty hunter taking down pirates, or an explorer seeking new worlds.
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All of this is conveyed beautifully with graphics and sound that hold up remarkably well given the game’s age. As far as simulations go, Elite Dangerous is less about creating immersion through complex, true-to-life systems and instead places its emphasis on a universe that is interacted with in endless ways.
3 VTOL VR

In the realm of immersive experiences, VR games have a definite leg up over the competition. While many different flight simulators have VR modes few are made to be experienced solely in VR like VTOL VR. A virtual reality military aircraft simulator, VTOL VR uses motion controls to offer you a chance to interact with the cockpit of an aircraft in a hands-on way, rather than requiring any peripherals or using keyboard shortcuts.
It is amazing just how much more engaging this level of hands-on interactivity makes the experience, but VTOL VR has more to offer. Not only does the game come with single-player and multiplayer components, but the extensive roster of fan-made material on the Steam Workshop ensures that there is no shortage of content available.
2 Digital Combat Simulator

When those unfamiliar with the world of simulators think of the genre, something like Digital Combat Simulator likely comes to mind. A game with multiple layers of purchases, extremely in-depth controls, and highly advised external hardware. To call a title like Digital Combat Simulator daunting would be a hefty understatement, which asks the obvious question. Why would someone go through hoops to learn everything?
The answer to that is simple. Digital Combat Simulator offers an unparalleled level of simulation and customization. The planes within are carefully crafted to emulate the authentic systems of real-world planes encompassing eras from World War 2 to the Cold War to modern-day aircraft. For those willing to brave the steep learning curve, there is a flight simulation experience truly unlike any other.
1 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
Any discussion of the flight simulator genre would be incomplete without the Microsoft Flight Simulator series. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is one of the most technically and visually impressive simulator games of all time. An achievement in the genre, it manages to bridge the gap between amateurs and enthusiasts remarkably well.
Capturing the wonder of soaring through the air, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is a standout title in both the genre as well as gaming as a whole. The immersion offered combined with the level of detail both in and out of the vehicles is truly a sight to behold.
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