F-117A Stealth Fighter (1992-)

• Developer: Microprose

• Publisher: Microprose

• Genre: Combat Flight Simulation

• Designer: B. C. Milligan, James G. Thomas

• Composer: Ken Lagace

F-117A Stealth Fighter for the NES is a combat flight simulator developed by MicroProse and published in 1990. The game is a console adaptation of the original computer version created by MicroProse in 1988, designed to give players a taste of modern stealth aviation using the famed F-117A Nighthawk. Like the NES port of other MicroProse flight simulators, the game simplifies graphics and some control mechanics to accommodate the hardware, but it preserves the sense of tactical air operations and mission planning that defined the original. The title was also released on various computer platforms, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, and DOS systems, making it one of the more widely recognized stealth flight games of the late 1980s.

In the game, players assume the role of a U.S. Air Force pilot flying the F-117A, tasked with completing classified missions in hostile territories such as Libya, the Persian Gulf, and Central America. The design of the game draws inspiration from contemporary military aviation and the real-world development of stealth technology, emphasizing precision strikes, low radar detection, and careful fuel and weapons management. Unlike conventional combat flight games, F-117A Stealth Fighter focuses on strategy and planning, requiring players to consider approach angles, altitude, and mission timing to successfully neutralize targets without detection.

Gameplay features include cockpit instrumentation displays, radar tracking, multiple weapon types including laser-guided bombs and missiles, and a mission debriefing system that provides feedback on performance. Players must balance speed, altitude, and stealth to avoid radar detection and surface-to-air defenses, giving the experience a blend of simulation and tactical challenge. The NES version uses simplified sprite-based visuals to represent terrain and enemy units, while the soundtrack features short looping background tracks and sound effects for engine noise, weapon firing, and explosions, designed to enhance tension and highlight action moments without overwhelming the console’s audio limitations.

F-117A Stealth Fighter had no direct prequel, but it became part of MicroProse’s broader line of military flight simulators, influencing titles such as F-15 Strike Eagle II and later entries in stealth and jet combat simulations. Promotion for the NES version emphasized the novelty of piloting a stealth aircraft on a home console, highlighting the combination of realistic military strategy and action-oriented gameplay. Reception was generally positive for its ambition and mission-based design, though critics noted that the NES’s graphical and control limitations made the experience less complex than its computer counterparts. Despite these constraints, the game earned recognition as one of the early attempts to bring modern stealth aviation to the console market.

Images from MobyGames