How to play F-18 Hornet online
F-18 Hornet uses both joystick buttons and several console switches, so it is worth learning the keys before you take off. The arrow keys work in two ways: while you hold Z they control the throttle, and when Z is released they steer the jet.
- Steer, dive and climb: left and right arrows turn, up dives, down climbs (Z released)
- Throttle: hold Z and press up for more thrust, down for less (or reverse thrust on the ground)
- Fire a missile: X
- Landing gear up or down: F2 (Select)
- Drop bombs or supplies: F5 (left difficulty switch)
- Eject: F6 (right difficulty switch)
- Start or restart: F3 (Reset); on the title screen press Z, then choose a mission on the world map
- Pause: F4
Gameplay
You fly a Navy F-18 from the cockpit. Each mission starts with written orders, and then you have to take off, complete the main task, and land safely at the right place. The dashboard has working dials for speed, altitude, angle, fuel and thrust, a threat radar for incoming enemies, and two lights that show when a target is in range and when your missile has locked on. You carry 20 missiles per mission.
There are four missions:
- Training: a desert run from Miramar past China Lake, shooting drone tanks and finishing on a carrier deck painted on the ground
- Europe: fight enemy forces advancing across a border, then land on the carrier U.S.S. Enterprise
- Central America: fly up a river gorge and drop supplies to a jungle base, then land on the U.S.S. Nimitz
- Southeast Asia: a catapult launch from a carrier, enemy helicopters and a bombing run on an enemy headquarters
There is no time limit, and you can refuel as often as you like at the marked landing areas. After each mission you get a rank based on whether you finished it, the targets you hit, daring flying such as passing under bridges, the state of your jet and pilot, and the quality of your carrier landing. Ranks go from AWOL up to Ace. Earn Ace on all four missions in a row and you become Top Gun.
Tips for a safe landing
- Take-off: hold Z and push up to build thrust. Above Mach 0.32, let go of Z and press down to lift off. Leave enough runway.
- Carrier launch: line up on the catapult and push thrust to 99%.
- Landing: cut thrust to about 31%, lower the gear, keep the speed under Mach 0.50 and descend at a gentle angle. Slow down long before you reach a carrier.
- Turning around: the jet can only turn back while taxiing on the ground. If you miss a target, land, stop, press down to turn, and take off again.
- Never drop a bomb or eject on the ground. Both are fatal.
- Learn the dials. After one hit the digital readouts stop working and you have to fly on the needle gauges alone.
About F-18 Hornet
F-18 Hornet was published by Absolute Entertainment rather than by Atari itself. The manual credits John Van Ryzin as designer. Unlike most console games of its time, it asks you to manage throttle, landing gear and fuel and to land properly, and the manual even suggests simply exploring: flying around the desert mesas, buzzing the carrier or flying through hangars just for fun. Absolute later released a second jet game on the 7800, Tomcat: The F-14 Fighter Simulator.
