F29 Retaliator

{{about|the 1989 flight simulator|the undeveloped Fokker airplane|Fokker F.29}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = F29 Retaliator

| image = F29 Retaliator Coverart.png

| caption = Amiga cover art

| developer = Digital Image Design

| publisher = Ocean Software

| designer = Martin Kenwright

| programmer = Phillip Allsopp
Russell Payne

| artist = Martin Kenwright
Joanne Drury

| composer = Matthew Cannon

| released = 1989

| genre = Combat flight simulator

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

| platforms = Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, FM Towns, NEC PC-9801

}}

F29 Retaliator is a combat flight simulator video game developed by Digital Image Design and published by Ocean Software in 1989 for the Amiga and Atari ST, 1991 for the PC, and for the FM Towns and NEC PC-9801 in 1992-1993. Its working title was just Retaliator. The game was developed during the end of the Cold War, based mostly on speculations on then-future aircraft that were expected to be in use by the year 2002, in particular based on the design of the Lockheed Martin F-22 and the Grumman X-29A.

Gameplay

The graphics were detailed by the standards of the period, featuring cities, bridges, roads, islands, mountains and moving vehicles. The cockpit of either the F-22 or the X-29A has three multi-function displays available to set up in a number of configurations. The fantastic "future" weapons to choose from include a fighter-carried Tomahawk cruise missile, rearward-firing AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and a gigantic cluster bomb.[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/185824/features/f29-retaliator/ PC Feature: F29 Retaliator - ComputerAndVideoGames.com]

The game includes four war scenarios (Arizona desert test and training sites, Pacific conflict, Middle East conflict and the World War III in Europe) each with several missions, with the total number of those adding up to 99. The last mission of the game can be any of three, and completion of each one leads to different game endings. The PC version allowed head-to head dogfighting using a null modem cable.

Reception

The game received 4 out of 5 stars in Dragon.{{cite journal|title=The Role of Computers|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk|name-list-style=amp|journal=Dragon|issue=174|date=October 1991|pages=57–64}} Computer Gaming World described F29 as a less-expensive alternative which "still offers a solid game-playing experience, with limitations". While noting limitations such as a small game environment, the magazine concluded that "despite its limitations, F-29 is an enjoyable diversion" for those new to flight simulators.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=87 | title=F-29 Retaliator / Or the ATF on a Budget | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=October 1991 | accessdate=18 November 2013 | last=Case | first=Loyd Jr. | pages=64, 66 | issue=87}} A 1992 survey in the magazine of wargames with modern settings gave the game three stars out of five,{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=95 | title=The Modern Games: 1950 - 2000 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=June 1992 | accessdate=24 November 2013 | author=Brooks, M. Evan | pages=120}} and a 1994 survey in the magazine gave it two stars out of five, describing it as "rather generic in nature".{{Cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=M. Evan |date=January 1994 |title=War In Our Time / A Survey Of Wargames From 1950-2000 |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=114 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=194–212}} Retaliator was ranked the 36th best game of all time by Amiga Power in 1991.Amiga Power magazine issue 0, Future Publishing, May 1991.

Reviews

Zzap! (January 1990){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-057/page/n67/mode/2up | title=ZZap!64 Magazine Issue 057 | date=January 1990}}
Computer and Video Games (January 1990){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-098/page/n39/mode/2up | title=CVG Magazine Issue 098 | date=January 1990}}
The Games Machine (January 1990){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-26/page/n19/mode/2up | title=The Games Machine Issue 26}}
The One (December 1989){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-15/page/n56/mode/2up | title=TheOne Magazine Issue 15 | date=December 1989}}
Zero (January 1990){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/zero-magazine-03/page/n23/mode/2up | title=Zero Magazine Issue 03 | date=January 1990}}
Amiga Format (June 1990){{cite web | url=http://amr.abime.net/review_1965 | title=F-29 Retaliator review from Amiga Format 11 (Jun 1990) - Amiga Magazine Rack}}
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (June 1990){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-33/page/n53/mode/2up | title=ACE Magazine Issue 33 | date=June 1990}}
Amiga Joker (May 1990){{Cite web |url=http://amigareviews.classicgaming.gamespy.com/f29retal.htm#f29retaliatoraj |title=Amiga Reviews: F-29 Retaliator |access-date=2022-03-22 |archive-date=2009-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227174857/http://amigareviews.classicgaming.gamespy.com/f29retal.htm#f29retaliatoraj |url-status=dead}}
ST Format (January 1994)https://archive.org/stream/ST_Format_Issue_054_1994-01_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n75/mode/2up
ST Format (August 1990)https://archive.org/stream/ST_Format_Issue_013_1990-08_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n44/mode/2up
Computer Gaming World (June 1991)
Computer and Video Games (CVG) (August 1990)https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-105/CVG105_Aug_1990#page/n57/mode/2up
Jeux & Stratégie nouvelle formule #8{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/jeux-et-strategie-nf-8/page/22/mode/2up | title=Jeux & stratégie NF 8 | date=July 1990}}

Legacy

A "Special Mission" add-on was released with ZERO magazine in 1990, featuring a battle against the alien spacecraft from the then-upcoming space combat game EPIC.Zero 12 (October 1990) Retaliator 2, announced in 1990 to be released in the first quarter of 1991,Advanced Computer Entertainment 37 (October 1990), p.22-23 was never released as the team concentrated on finishing EPIC (released in 1992 and using an improved engine of F29). DID would later create three further, much more realistic F-22 simulators: TFX (1993), F-22: Air Dominance Fighter (1997), and F-22 Total Air War (1998).