Low Cost Falcon: Falcon for the Turbo-Grafix 16 or Super Nintendo
Michael D'Alessandro
I'd like to bring to people's attention that if you want a color F-16
simulator, you don't have to spend $2000 on hardware to get Falcon on a PC
or a Mac.
Instead, you can buy a NEC Turbo-Grafix 16 videogame machine at your local
Toys R Us for $70, and then purchase Falcon TG-16 for it for $50.
Therefore, for $120 you can have a color Falcon simulator that you plug
into your TV.
I am no Falcon expert, but from what I can tell from playing it, Falcon
TG-16 is a fairly full featured implementation of Falcon. According to a
review I read, it has features of several versions of Falcon in it,
including Falcon AT and Falcon 3.0. The game consists of training
missions to teach you tactics in dogfighting, interception, SAM and AAA
suppression, and bombing. A Campaign game is included that basically
involves combat "somewhere in the Middle East." Weapons include your M61
Vulcan, AIM-9J Sidewinders, AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AGM-65 Mavericks, AGM-45
Shrikes and iron bombs. Aircraft you face include Mig-21's, Mig-29's and
Su-25's. Full HUD symbology is present.
I love this game! I did not want to shell out the bucks for a color Mac
or PC, and Falcon TG-16 will tide me over until I wish to make a big
hardware purchase. Even better, instead of buying the TG-16 video game
deck that connects to your TV, you can buy a handheld TurboExpress player
for $199 and carry Falcon TG-16 around with you! I bought the
TurboExpress and love it. Until January 31st, if you buy a TurboExpress
you get $100 in free software from NEC.
Spectrum Holobyte is also working on a version of Falcon, said to be
fairly close to Falcon 3.0, for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System,
due to be released in mid-93.
Certainly Falcon TG-16 will not appeal to the hardcore Falcon user, but to
those of us who just want to try it and don't have a color PC or Mac, it
is a very nice way to get started in Falcon. My purpose in posting this
message is to tell people about it, because the TG-16 is not a well known
video game system, and not many people know Falcon is available for it.
Enjoy!