Shuttle Download (1992 Simulation Game)

An old, but very realistic space shuttle simulator. The package contains, in addition to two game disks, a very thick manual and a large sheet (A2 size, maybe) displaying the cockpit instruments of the shuttle. To successfully fly the missions, the player must learn a great number of dials and how to use every single instrument, located in nine different cockpit panels. The controls can be used with mouse, but keyboard shortcuts are essential for quick operation. In addition to cockpit views, there are various external views, from which you can see the shuttle e.g. in launch pad and in orbit. If you do not use time advance or time skip options during the game, playing one mission can last for days. Going through the proper pre-launch countdown takes five hours, for example.

Shuttle is a very realistic space shuttle simulation, designed for a player who wants a big challenge.

Shuttle is one of the most hardest simulations I have ever played and I am sure many people will agree with me. Your not going to get any where in this simulation unless you read the manual.

The thing that makes shuttle hard is there are so many buttons and switches to mess with, press the wrong one and the shuttle may blow up.

But once you get the hang of it shuttle is quite a fun simulation, missions range from landing the shuttle to repairing the Hubble space telescope.

Sound: 3/5 There are only a few sound in Shuttle but this is a simulation that does not need a lot of sound.

Graphics: 4/5 The graphics a quite good for 1992 but a bit fuzzy, also there is lots to look at as there are cameras all over the Shuttle.

I would say it has a good replay value because one launch can take five hours (real time) although you can speed it up if you wish.

Overall: 5/5. While Shuttle is a very hard game it is also very fun and educational as well, it's not everyone's type of game but give it a good try and see if you like it.

Shuttle is a vastly underrated and undersold simulation, probably because it is a "hard" SCI-FI game with a steep learning curve. This is the perfect game for would-be astronauts. It's a very realistic (and the only decent) simulation of the Space Shuttle. This one should not be approached by casual gamers, as this game is rock-hard. The flight model (well at least the atmospheric one) is very good, and it the glide test, the shuttle really handles like the enormous winged brick it is. I can't really comment on much of this game as I haven't been able to do everything it offers, but I can tell you what you'll have all the initial flight test of the shuttle, as well as a plethora of mission to accomplish. Avionics are very detailed, and you should get a proper manual to get to use this game effectively.

The manual accurately describes the launch and mission procedures, and unless you happen to work on the space shuttle program, you'll very likely need it. Graphics are very good for the time, sporting good old polygons in VGA resolution. Sound is somewhat limited, but decent.

This is a great game that has never really had a sequel (Microsoft Space Simulator lost itself in space), but one really needs to persist with it. Definitively recommended.

How to run this game on modern Windows PC?

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