Bonus
options:
Successfully complete all 18 missions, then save the game. Load the saved
game to unlock the following new options at the main menu. The "Special
Continue" option allows the entire game to be replayed with new
fighters and weapons, plus the money earned in the first game. The
"Free Mission" option allows any mission to be played. The
"Trial Mission" option allows the game to be played in either
score attack or time attack modes. The "Scene Viewer" allows FMV
sequences to be played. The "Music Player" option allows any of
the 36 songs in the game to be played.
Expert
mode:
Successfully complete the game under the hard difficulty setting to unlock
the expert difficulty setting.
Ace
mode:
Successfully complete the game under the expert difficulty setting to unlock
the ace difficulty setting.
Note: There is no reward for
completing the game under the Ace difficulty setting.
All
aircraft:
Use the following steps to unlock all aircraft, including special colors.
First, acquire an aircraft by destroying it in battle. This is easy, except
for three aircraft. Forget the ground targets and dogfight instead, which is
the true nature of an ace. You can acquire three different paint schemes for
each aircraft. Two of the paint schemes can be acquired by destroying that
color aircraft in battle. To acquire the special brightly colored third
aircraft, you must find and kill the pilot flying it. On each level of the
game there is a single hidden aircraft (eighteen total hidden aircraft).
Each one of these aircraft has a specific pilot. When you see the aircraft
in front of you and lock on, it will display the pilot's name next to the
aircraft name and lock on square. For example, "S-37A SMIRNOVA".
The hidden aircraft will not show up on radar until you get nearby. On
radar, the aircraft will be marked with a red triangle instead of yellow.
Each hidden aircraft is always in the same place on their specific level.
This is always in an empty spot on the map away from the main combat zone.
The aircraft can usually be found directly behind the main combat zone. Last
but not least are the three remaining aircraft. To acquire the Yellow
Squadron fighter (SU-37) of your nemesis Yellow-13, you must kill all of the
pilots with names flying the special colored aircraft (eighteen total).
To unlock the X-02 Stealth, get
an "S" rank on all 18 missions under normal mode.
In order to get the second
X-02, finish the game getting an "S" rank under the hard
difficulty setting. This will unlock a black plane. Finish the game under
the expert difficulty setting with an "S" rank on all missions
will unlock the last X-02. This one is silver.
You can get the Tiger Striped
F-4E by completing the game once under any difficulty setting, then using
the Sp. Continue option. To unlock the second X-02 aircraft you must get an
"S" rank on all eighteen missions under the hard difficulty
setting. The third X-02 is unlocked by getting an "S" rank on all
eighteen missions under the expert difficulty setting.
Alternate
colors:
Successfully complete the game in ace mode. Note: You may also need to
obtain S-class for all missions.
Alternate
opening sequence:
To see a different plane other than the F-22 flying lead at the opening, go
into a mission or free flight and choose a different plane. Crash your plane
or quit the mission and return to the title screen. When the opening
sequence plays again, whatever plane and secondary weapon you selected will
appear instead of the F-22.
Preview
airplanes and weapons:
When you are in the hanger looking at the airplanes or weapons, hold Square.
You will be able to look all around the airplane or weapon.
New
multi-player levels:
When you complete the game in any mode, you will unlock three more
multi-player levels.
Hint:
Control view:
Hold Triangle to zoom. Use the Right Analog-stick to pan
around.
Hint:
Aces:
The following is a list of where each Ace can be found and shot down.
Shooting them down will unlock an alternate color scheme for that plane.
Ace's can only be shot down under the normal or higher difficulty setting.
Each Ace is worth 240 points and will have the name of the pilot flying it:
Mission 1: F-5, North of
Allied air base.
Mission 2: A-10, North of enemy air base.
Mission 3: F-16, South of second radar station.
Mission 4: Mirage 2000, Northwest of the westernmost radar jamming plane.
Mission 5: Mig-29, Sout of the far western pumping station on map.
Mission 6: F-14, North of northern-most group of enemies on map.
Mission 7: TND, North of solar tower.
Mission 8: F-18, After refueling during the mission, it will appear east
of the sub-station.
Mission 9: F-15C, North of the center beach combat area.
Mission 10: RF-01 Multi Role, Far upper northwest corner of map, northwest
of sub-station.
Mission 11: SU-35, Will appear with 90 seconds remainingin the mission.
Mission 12: F-2, North of Stonehenge.
Mission 13: F-15E, After balloons are destroyed, fighters will appear;
head northeast.
Mission 14: F-22, Northeast of map .
Mission 15: EF-2000, Center of map when mission starts.
Mission 16: F-117 Attacker, Northwest of western-most combat area.
Mission 17: F-15 Active, Far northwestern corner of map.
Mission 18: S-37, North of Megalith.
Hint:
Aircraft list: The following is a complete aircraft list (in order):
SU-37 (fighter)
Camo
Gray
Gray Camo with yellow wing tips (Yellow Squadron)
F-15ACTIVE (fighter)
Black
Gray Camo
White with blue andred stripes (Halley) level 17
S-37A (fighter)
Black
Gray Camo
Silver Camo (Smirnova) level 18
X-02 (multirole) (last
aircraft)
Gray Camo
Silver
Hint:
Broken Arrows: See northern lights: Look up in the night sky and you can see the northern lights.
Hint:
Breaking Arrows: XB-70: There is an XB-70 at the top left at about 30,000 ft.
The enemy XB-70 can be shot
down to earn extra points. The plane can be found all the way at the back of
the combat area at high altitude. The plane is visible on radar to the left
on the first target.
Hint:
Safe Return: Easy completion: There are about eleven balloons ahead of you, up and down and to
the side slightly. Then, turn right and go until you cross a mountain, four
to six balloons later. Then, turn right again. Blast balloons until time
runs out. It is possible to get an "S" rank under the ace
difficulty setting using this method, with just balloons, not counting the
planes.
When you start the mission,
your radar will have blinking dots all around. The dots are actually the
blimps and not the noise. This will help find the blimps' location and
hopefully increase your score.
Hint:
Shattered Skies: Shoot down SR-71: In the "Shattered Skies" mission, the fast moving plane
you are locked onto when the mission first starts is an SR-71. You can shoot
it down by heading towards the back of the combat area and climbing to about
30,000 ft. Head it off and you should be able to shoot it down.
Quickly tap the Analog-stick
Down as the mission starts. If done correctly, the SR-71 (which is the
orange triangle) should still be blinking. This is the chance to get the
Sr-71. Using the X-02 is recommended, due to its powerful speed.
Hint:
Shattered Skies: Yellows leave early: Hitting a Yellow early will not kill them, but may make him and
other Yellows leave the area early, after he gripes about being hit.
Hint:
Shattered Skies: Radio transmission: Do not bother going after the Yellow Squadron fighters. They are
nearly impossible to hit. If you do manage to get enough hits on one to
qualify as a kill, it will not go down. Instead, a red radio transmission
will appear as follows. Note: You do not get any points from it.
<Yellow>: Who was that
who shot me?
<Yellow>: It was a Ribbon fighter!
Hint:
Shattered Skies: Early giveaway: During the mission you will hear one of the fighters say the
following line:
<Sanitize the area before
the bombers arrive.>
They are referring to the B-2
bombers that appear after the mission update.
Hint:
Shattered Skies: Easy completion: You will start the level with your enemy. You can blow a plane
out of the sky if you do not move the plane at all. Use your afterburners to
get close to them. When you can see recticles and the planes is on radar.
shoot two missiles. The missiles should hit the plane that is directly on
top of your plane.
At about 15,000 feet, fly
towards where the B2 bombers come from and you will see an E-676 worth 150
points. Then, fly towards the back of the level at about 36,000 feet to
shoot down the SR-71, which is worth 200 points. Then, fly back to base
shooting down planes along the way. After restocking, fly to the right and
you will see a single plane if you are under the normal or higher difficulty
setting. Shoot it down and you should have about 800 to 1,000 points.
Afterwards, shoot down all the B2s and the rest of the planes to get an
"S" rank. This will result in about 250,000 more credits.
Hint:
Whisky Corridor: Second SR-71: There is a second SR-71 Blackbird on this mission. At any time
during the mission, fly to the southwest corner of the map at about 15,000
feet, just north of the RTB line.
Hint:
Fly Erusian planes: After you have shot down an ace on a level, highlight the plane
that he was flying in the hangar. Press Down after you have acquired
or purchased the color. If it is the correct paint job, you will see the
letters IF.I.A.IF. somewhere on the plane. The SU-37 has Yellow 13's paint
job, the X-02 is white, since there is not an Erusian version. Also, the
F-14 does not have the letters F.E.A.F., but has the Erusian symbol (an
orange triangle with a white circle inside).
Hint:
Missile dodging: Under some difficulty settings, you can only be hit with a
missile two or three times. This is different for the higher difficulty
settings. In Ace mode, you will be shot down by one missile. Immediately
when someone locks onto you and fires a missile, look at your radar. The
moment when the missile is about to hit you, barrel roll. This is a
difficult feat to perform but is quite impressive. This move only happens
very rarely. If one of the planes lock on and manages to fire a missile and
it is on your tail, you can blow a plane right out of the sky with the
enemy's missle. Rush towards an enemy that is coming at you. In the split
second it is about there, try your best to dodge it. if done correctly, the
enemy missile will hit the enemy. Another way of missile dodging happens
when you have a missile on your tail. Dive down, come to about six to seven
thousand feet, then rise up. The missile should deflect and hit the ground.
This is also successful when you have ground targets. You can save your own
missiles. Note: The X-02 stealth plane us recommended.
Hint:
Easier X-02s: There is an easier way to get the three X-02s rather than going
through the entire game. After the game is completed, the "Free
Mission" option will be unlocked. Select this option and choose a
difficulty setting (normal for the gray X-02, hard for the black X-02, or
expert for the silver X-02). Select any mission to play on that difficulty
setting. If you get an "S" rank on all the missions, the X-02
becomes available. This allows you to skip all of the missions you got an
"S" on when you went through the full game. For example, if you
got an "S" on all but three missions, you only have to play those
missions instead of the entire game.
Hint:
Easier ground battle: The best way to destroy multiple ground targets is to fly the
F-15 Active using the FREB (fuel - air explosive bomb). This will destroy
about six to ten targets if they are close together.
Hint:
Easy kills: The best way to kill is to get in the cockpit view and go to
work. When done correctly the kill will happen much faster and you will save
missiles. If done in the HUD view or where you can see the entire plane,
then chances are you will waste several missiles trying to kill enemies.
Also use your bullets wisely to cut off paths of escape; this will assist
you further.
When on a mission and are
"dog-fighting" in air-to-air combat, press Circle(2 ). When
you do this, you will fire two missiles at the same time. This destroys your
target immediately with two shots, rather than hitting it only once and
still having the risk of it shooting you and your allies.
While dogfighting in air-to-air
combat, switch to the cockpit view. Lock on to your nearest enemy and fire a
missile. Immediately after you fire the missile, shoot your guns. However,
instead of hitting the enemy fighter, aim for the air in front and around
it. The enemy fighter will try to dodge the bullets, thus steering into the
missile's path.
Hint:
Easy "Yellow" kills: Use the following trick to kill the Yellows during the final
missions. First, acquire the SU-37. Then, go into battle with the QAAM (the
SU-37's default weapon) equipped. When you engage a Yellow, immediately
lock-on and fire a QAAM at him. This weapon will travel to the ends of the
earth to hunt down its target. Even if it takes five minutes, the missile is
99% likely to hit the Yellow. With an average of five Yellows a mission
(except the last one), they will be easy. This trick also works with other
airborne targets.
Note: You may not always hear
the Yellows say that they have been shot down. Sometimes you will hear AWACS
or a friendly say "A Yellows hit and trailing smoke. Whose kill was
that?"
Hint:
Defeating Megalith: Use the following trick to defeat Megalith with an "S"
rank. First, destroy all Yellow aircraft possible. Next, fly past Megalith
until you see an red-orange triangle. Shoot that aircraft down and return to
Megalith. Go through the right tunnel and shoot the generator. Continue to
destroy the next generator in the left tunnel. Now, go to the side of
Megalith and destroy the last generator. After all generators are gone,
destroy the two missiles that appear just ahead. Turn around as fast as
possible, as the next two missiles will only remain for a minute after the
generators are destroyed. Next, destroy the big missile in the center and do
not forget to pull up.
Hint:
Dogfighting: When in a dogfight, there are some things you can do to help.
First, do not go after the Yellows. Also, choose a plane that does well in
air to air attacks. Use the machine gun if the target is close. Do not waste
your missiles, as there may be a surprise during the mission (as in the
Shattered Skies level). In this level, after the time is up and you have
enough points, six B2 bombers appear. Finally, Do not stay too low.
You must to learn how to
control every aspect of your fighter. One thing you must do is learn how to
use your airbrakes. Mastering the use of this will help you swing the tail
end of your jet around and get behind your enemy faster. Also, learn how to
do is maneuver at high speeds, close to the ground. This not only helps
evade missiles (which will crash harmlessly into the ground), but in
multi-player mode when your playing someone who is not proficient at flying
low. Even in close range, if you have a straight lock, use it. If you
definitely know that the enemy will not move in time, taking them down with
a missile is faster and more efficient than using guns. Besides, you can
reload at any point in the mission. Finally, use your radar to its full
advantage, watching for enemies not only behind you, but on your left and
right as well. If you know they are coming, then the attacks they send can
be easily avoided and have no effect on your fighting. Mastering these
things are the main ways to become a top ace at dogfighting.
Hint:
Destroying SAMs: Fly straight towards the SAM. Pitch the plane up and down when
the SAM fires a missile. Once you get a lock on the SAM. fire a missile and
continue doing the up and down maneuvers until the its missile loses track.
Hint:
Evading SAMs: In order to successfully evade a SAM, fly directly at it at full
speed. If you feel the engagement is not good, then break off. However, do
not break off until you have tried at least once. If it works, you will pass
over it and any missile fired will miss you. When you pass over the SAM, hit
the brakes, turn sharply, and head at it again, but this time fire. Pass the
SAM at about 100 feet.
Hint:
Evading AA gunfire: Barrel roll and you will only get hit with one or two bullets
maximum. Note: This trick is especially useful in Ace mode, when a good
round of bullets can get you killed.
Hint:
Losing tough enemies: Use the following tricks when you have a group of enemies on you,
or just one that will not give up. Find a very mountainous area and try to
lose your enemy in there at full speed. Zigzag in and out until the enemy
cannot find you. They will not follow you into this mountain area. If
dealing with multiple enemies, disengage, climb to 40,000 feet at full
throttle, take a breather, then re-engage and destroy the enemy. Use this
technique against the Yellow Squadron in the second part of the Siege Of
Farbanti mission.
Hint:
Dive bomb: Make sure your plane is at least 400 feet in altitude, then pull
back on the Analog-stick until you flip. When you go down, shoot at
your target then pull up to an altitude of at least 100 feet.
Hint:
Watch missile or bomb when fired: While flying any jet, lock on to a target (ground or air) and
hold Circle. This will allow you to watch your missile or bomb from
the time it leaves the jet until it hits the target. Note: You have to be
careful or your jet may crash.
Hint:
Fly with missile: Play in free flight mode with a fast jet. Flip on the
afterburners and fly up at a 45 degree angle. Get up to about 47,000 ft.
When you get up to 1120 mph, do a vertical nose dive with the afterburners
still on. Continue in the dive until you get down to 15,000 feet and level
off. If you got your speed up to at least 1375 mph, switch the view to
behind the plane and fire a missile. If you are flying fast enough, you
should see the missile flying along side your plane.
Hint:
Fly at Mach 1: It is possible to fly at Mach 1. Get any aircraft and accelerate
to 760 mph, which is Mach 1.
Hint:
Nose dive recovery: If you are in a nose dive and your speed is over 700 mph, do not
drop below 2,000 feet. There is a small chance that your plane will pull up
again because gravity will pull it down into the ground. If you are, lucky
you will escape with 98% damage.
Hint:
Eliminating ground targets: Ground targets such as SAMs have the same lock-on range as you
do. If you are targeting a SAM, as soon as you get a lock-on, so does the
SAM. Similarly, AA guns have the same firing range as your gun. If you can
hit them, they can hit you. The best way to take on SAMs is to play chicken
and fly into them head on. Do not bother using your guns or secondary
weapons, even if they are for ground targets. Most ground-based secondary
weapons are for multiple targets. As soon as you get a lock-on, fire one
missile then bank to avoid the SAMs missile. One missile is enough to
destroy targets such as SAMs, AA guns, tanks, launchers, howitzers,
watchtowers, and most ships. Ground targets such as pillboxes and batteries
take two missiles under the harder difficulty settings.
Hint:
Returning to base: If you are in a mission and you run out of ammunition or sustain
more than 70% damage , there is nothing more you can do since you can no
longer attack. Immediately fly south toward the dotted line on your map at
full throttle. If you cross this line, you will return to base to refuel and
refit your plane as well as repair all the damage you have taken. When you
cross the dotted line, you will get a message stating you are returning to
base. You will see a sequence where your plane drops its landing gear,
preparing to land. You can try to land the plane yourself or press Start
to skip the landing and go directly to sitting on the runway. Either way,
you will have a chance to change your secondary weapon. This is useful when
you get a mission update and go from taking on ground targets to dog
fighting in the middle of a mission.
Hint:
Shorter time in chases or returning to base: Players can travel a long distance when going into battle or when
returning to base in all the missions. Long distances are quickly covered by
flying below 300 feet with afterburners. Over oceans, the altimeter is safe
to trust however be careful when flying where battle missions are at high
altitude, such as at mountain elevations. If you are not sure, skim the
battlefield and read the ground elevation mark. Whiskey Trench or Broken
Arrows are both high altitudes in the desert or Arctic. Use the altimeter
instead of judging by sight. The sea is filled with icebergs, but there is a
path to fly below 300 feet to quickly reach its most northern targets.
Generally the lower you fly, the farther you will cover. Watch your
altimeter and look for canyon floors, low valleys, or the sea if nearby to
get the chance to do some low fast flying.
Hint:
Recommended aircraft: The best aircraft (non-X02) for each level are as follows. Note:
Every plane except the F-14 and F15 ACTIVE should use secondary weapons.
Glitch:
Impossible speed: This trick only works with jets that have high speed and can go
over 40,000 feet in altitude (X-02, S-37, Su-37) .Press R2 to go way
up holding down over 40,000 feet (near space). Keep going in a circle while R2
is held. Go up and down slightly until the speed reaches 1665, then dive. If
done correctly, when you dive the impossible speed should be about 1788 (if
fast enough). Actually it will be about 1725. Note: Try practicing this
trick in free flight mode.
Glitch:
Knife edge super strong wings: It is possible to dip your wing under water at high speeds. If
you fly knife edge on any water level, you can slowly dip one of your wings
into the water. This can be done at speeds up to 1200 mph. You must go to
the reverse view to see the water splashing. One combination that definitely
works is the F-15 ACTIVE on the Shattered Skies level.
Please
select the first letter of the game's title below. If the word
"The" appears at the start of a title, ignore it and search for
the second word in the title:
