Air Combat Information Center

Ace Combat / Air Combat
The Origin of the Ace Combat Series

Air Combat, known as Ace Combat in Japan, its country of origin, was the first installment of the future Ace Combat series available on a gaming console. This game was developed by Namco which, for reasons concerning export, changed the title from Ace Combat to Air Combat. The console version of this game was released as one of the first titles on the PlayStation in 1995. There was also an arcade game released by Namco earlier in 1992, named, “Air Combat". It would later be updated and named, “Air Combat 22".

Story Background
The world’s best pilots are gathered to help a country being overrun by a terrorist force, which is on the verge of overthrowing their government and taking over the nation. In order to avoid a full scale war that could cause unacceptable civilian casualties, these pilots are sent on surgical air strikes to help even the odds between the terrorists and the terrorist forces. The pilots would be compensated for their services.

VS Mode
VS Mode makes its first appearance in this installment. This mode has only one level of play, but allows two players to fly against each other with aircraft unlocked in the campaign/story mode.

- according to the Ace Combat series this installment of Ace Combat did not take place on the world which is seen in all other installments of the game.
- Ace Combat is also a cell phone game available only in Japan.

Story
In an unnamed country, a well-organized and heavily-armed terrorist group performs a coup d'etat against the federal government.

They follow up with attacks on military installations and other strategic key points to prevent any possible resistance. During the following months, the precision and consistency of these attacks make it impossible for government-affiliated forces to counter the rebels and are thus forced to retreat to avoid total extermination.

The government and military elite of the besieged nation makes the decision to recruit the best fighter pilots around the globe. Their mission: to defeat the terrorists' coup force and to re-establish the legitimate government in the country. Their reward: a huge economical compensation and the recognition of the nation as the greatest combat aces of the world.

This peculiar assembly of mercenary top guns initiates their campaign. During the course of the following weeks, their impressive air battle abilities gain important victories and destroy key objective areas, like refineries, supply lines, military bases, etc. Advancing slowly, they recover the territory that fell into the hands of the terrorists. Eventually, the Allied forces loosen the enemy stronghold at Scorpion Island.

However, the existence of a secret superweapon was discovered: a gigantic airship armed with the missile launchers and a squadron of advanced fighter jets as escorts.

The Mercenary Aces intercept the Flying Fortress over the airspace of the Allied capital and, after an epic battle, manage to destroy it, eliminating the final wild card of the enemies.

The remaining cells of the terrorist forces finally lay down their weapons. The legitimate government is restored and the world’s Aces are proclaimed as national heroes.

SOURCES:
Ace Combat (In-game data)

*Original Article by PhantomPhanatic