Airforce Delta (video game)

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Airforce Delta, known as Deadly Skies in Europe, is a single-player combat flight game by Konami released in 1999 for the Dreamcast and later for the Game Boy Color. It is the first game in the Airforce Delta series. The Dreamcast version was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Yokohama, while the Game Boy Color version was created by Climax Studios.

Gameplay is a 3D aerial combat experience with arcade-style controls rather than a strict flight sim. Players fly jets, complete missions to earn money, and use that money to buy better aircraft. How quickly you finish a mission and how many enemies you defeat affect your earnings. With over 30 aircraft to choose from—based on real planes like the F-4 Phantom, F-14 Tomcat, A-10 Thunderbolt, MiG-29, Su-27, and F-22 Raptor—picking the right aircraft for each mission matters, as more expensive isn’t always better.

Missions involve destroying targets or escorting friendly craft across fictional maps. You play as a mercenary pilot hired by Airforce Delta to defend the Republic of Laconia from rebels from the Federated Republic of Dzavailar. The first mission is a preemptive strike against enemy fighters approaching Laconia’s capital, Naxos. The game centers on a broader story of ethnic tension and a civil war, with Laconia seeking help from Airforce Delta across more than 20 missions.

Reception was mixed: the Dreamcast version received average reviews, while the Game Boy Color version was less favorable. In Japan, Famitsu gave the Dreamcast version 31 out of 40.