The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces

by Xseed

Product Features

• Along with the Nunchuk/Wii Remote configuration Nintendo's Classic and GameCube controllers are also supported.
• Project Aces, the foremost developer of action-based flight simulation games and the team behind the Ace Combat series, brings their expert knowledge of intense aerial combat to Wii.
• Innovative controls place the player into the cockpit where the flight direction stick is simulated by the Nunchuk, while the Wii Remote is titled up to accelerate and down to decelerate in its role as the throttle.
• All the minor details of the aerial combatants are visible against a gorgeous landscape, while the realistic sound effects further immerse the player into an actual aerial dogfight.
• The game's deep story told through animated cutscenes and in-game sequences of a world so depraved that it needs war to thrive. This alternate reality is brought to life further through voiced in-game sequences during combat.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002HJQSQW
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches ; 4.5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: January 12, 2010
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,223 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #1 in Video Games > Wii > Simulation > Flight
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is the latest flight simulation game from Project Aces, the development team behind the Ace Combat series. Featuring an engrossing story, action-based flight simulation, aerial combat, and an innovative use of the Nintendo Nunchuk controller which mimics the use of a real-life flight stick, it is a worthy addition to the game libraries of both new and more experienced fans of aerial combat games on the Wii. Control the skies with Wii Nunchuk and Remote in hand. View larger. Story After decades of constant war and fighting, the world has finally come to a lasting peace. But with war being an integral part of their lives for so long, the citizens of the world are desperate for a solution to solve this newfound peaceful life of calm and tranquility. To ease this tension and to appease its citizens, the government has started pursuing a new round of wars. These new campaigns are not a power struggle between hostile countries, but rather sponsored events between private corporations with military-trained personnel contracted by each side to do their biding for them. It is the battles fought by these corporations such as Rostock and Lautern and the constant media reports on them that satisfy and replace the basic human instinct to fight using the war as a show. The latest rookie pilot to join the Sky Crawlers, codenamed “Lynx,” is working his way up the ranks and becomes involved in a secret new military project with the goal of making pilots immortal. Join Lynx on his journey to conquer the skies while unraveling the mystery behind the military’s covert new project. Gameplay and Controller Options A single player air combat simulation game, in The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces players utilize the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller configuration to take control of the skies in dogfights, bombing runs and more. Different from most games using this configuration, in this case the Nunchuk is held in the right hand and used as the flight control stick, while the Wii Remote in the left serves as the throttle, activated by tilting it up and down to go faster or slower. In preparation for combat pilots are provided with short tactical briefings, and success allows for upgrades in aircraft and weapons. The game supports Classic and GameCube controllers. Key Game Features New Aerial Combat Game from the Creators of Ace Combat – Project Aces, the foremost developer of action-based flight simulation games and the team behind the Ace Combat series, brings their expert knowledge of intense aerial combat to Wii. Innovative Controls Place the Player into the Cockpit – The flight control stick is simulated by the Nunchuk which is tilted to roll, pitch, and yaw, while the Wii Remote is titled up to accelerate and down to decelerate in its role as the throttle. Beautiful Landscape and Realistic Sound FX – All the minor details of the aerial combatants are visible against a gorgeous landscape, while the realistic sound effects further immerse the player into an actual aerial dogfight. Deep Story Told Through Animated Cutscenes and In-Game Sequences – A world so depraved that it needs war to thrive, this alternate reality is brought to life with animated cutscenes and voiced in-game sequences during combat. Additional Controller Configurations – Nintendo's Classic and GameCube controllers are also supported. Additional Screenshots: Wide variety of prop vehicles. View larger. Beautiful game environments. View larger. Dogfight combat scenarios. View larger. Pre-combat briefings. View larger.

Product Description

After decades of constant war and fighting, the world has finally come to a lasting peace. But with war being an integral part of their lives for so long, the citizens of the world are desperate for a solution to solve this newfound peaceful life of calm and tranquility. To ease this tension and to appease its citizens, the government has started pursuing a new round of wars. These new campaigns are not a power struggle between hostile countries, but rather sponsored events between private corporations with military-trained personnel contracted by each side to do their biding for them. It is the battles fought by these corporations such as Rostock and Lautern and the constant media reports on them that satisfy and replace the basic human instinct to fight using the war as a show. The latest rookie pilot to join the Sky Crawlers, codenamed “Lynx,” is working his way up the ranks and becomes involved in a secret new military project with the goal of making pilots immortal. Join Lynx on his journey to conquer the skies while unraveling the mystery behind the military’s covert new project. The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is the latest flight simulation game from Project Aces, the development team behind the Ace Combat series. Holding the Nunchuk in the right hand as the flight control stick and the Wii Remote in the left hand as the throttle, the unique controls of the Wii are fully utilized to simulate the controls of sitting in an actual cockpit. The somber story of a world that needs war to survive is told with a combination of animated cut-scenes and voiced in-game sequences during battle.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best flight game on the Wii, January 14, 2010

By 

NYJ (Atlantic Coast, USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Video Game)

Let me begin by saying that if you have ever played the Ace Combat franchise which was wildly popular on the PS2, you will be familiar with the format of this game. Why? Because the people who make the Ace Combat franchise, Project Aces, made this game. Therefore, if you love playing Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies, you will more than likely love this game. If you didn't like playing any of the Ace Combat series, this game may not be for you. With that said, while there are many similarities in game play, the first thing that separates the two is the flight controls. You are given three options with which to control your plane. The two "side options" are to use the Wii Classic Controller or a Official Nintendo Classic Gamecube / Wii Controller, however the primary focus is on the Wiimote and Nunchuck. The game suggests you use the nunchuck in your dominant hand, which is the reverse of most games on the Wii, so it may take some getting used to. Tilting the nunchuck up or down will make you climb or dive respectively, while titling it right or left will make you bank/turn in that direction. If you play the game on the Hard difficulty setting, you're given some extra control on pitch/yaw of your plane by tilting right or left allowing for tighter turns, but making it harder to control (as one would expect). The C button on the nunchuck allows you to cycle through your available weapons, and the Z button is for firing the selected weapon. With the Wiimote, tilting upwards results in acceleration, the B button is for braking, and the A button allows you to execute a special move called "TMC" (tactical maneuver command) which, if you're within a suitable range of your target, may allow you to get on their six and attack. It should be noted that this does not work against all enemies, and you have to be within, and maintain, close contact with the target before initiating. The control stick on the nunchuck allows for special maneuvers as well, mostly for evasion. There are eight such maneuvers in total, and you will earn them as you progress in the game.

The game comes with four main sections. There is a tutorial which allows you to learn the ropes and can be completed within 10 minutes. There is the Story Mode which is the bulk of the game, and then a Free Play mode which will allow you to play the missions again once you've unlocked them in story mode. There are initially three difficulty settings to choose from for game play: Easy, Normal, Hard. You start out with access to one plane, with others unlocking as you progress. Based on your performances, you earn points which will allow you to modify your unlocked airplanes and weaponry. When starting a mission, you are brought to the mission room where you will be shown a map of the targets and area in which the combat will take place. The mission will be explained in detail, and then you will be given free reign to scan over the map, zooming in and out to look at the positioning of you and your enemies. When you are done, you are brought to the hangar where you pick your airplane, your secondary weaponry, and then the mission begins. The HUD is fairly extensive, giving you a radar to track your enemy in the lower lefthand corner. A compass is at the top of the screen, and the upper righthand side gives you your status on the amount of secondary weapons you have remaining, as well as a mission counter to let you know if you are succeeding or in danger of failure. Speed and altitude gauges are then found in the lower righthand corner. The similarities with Ace Combat really appear at the end of the mission when, immediately upon finishing you review your kills, and given several options with which to view them. Once you are done reviewing the kills, you are shown the route you and your enemies took throughout the stage as moving colored arrows. Both of these are throwbacks to the Ace Combat system. Combat is intense, and the sky can get quite littered with friendlies and enemies. The backgrounds are detailed, and even when things get crowded the framerate does not drop, stutter, or otherwise indicate that your system is struggling to handle the load. The game is smooth throughout, and thoroughly enjoyable.

The missions are broken up by interludes which advance the original storyline of the game. While the game is inspired by the show/movie The Sky Crawlers, this is supposedly a novel story arc. These interludes are of high quality, and look like you were watching an anime show on television. You are set in a world where there is no war, but the people are restless. Companies have taken to staging life and death battles in the skies, televised (and you hear the announcers over your radio as you dogfight) for the enjoyment of the world. You are Lynx, one of the fighter pilots of the Rostock airforce, and you are introduced in the early stages to the newest recruits to your company ... all of whom are children.

Overall the game is great fun. Graphically, both in combat and with the interludes, this game excels. The combat experience is intense (even at the easier difficulty settig), and the controls while daunting at first are easy to master. It helps that Project Aces made the more difficult moves pre-set with the nunchuck and wiimote, as this cuts down on the learning curve, but is done in such a way that it won't allow you to cakewalk the game either. On a ten scale, this game is easily an 8, more likely a 9, and a 10 for people who crave flight games. It is rated Teen, but is suitable for children 9 and up. There is no profanity and the violence is limited to shooting down planes. It is a single player game, and does not have online connectivity, but they are not missed with this title. An excellent game that cannot be recommended highly enough.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Best Things Take Time to Master, January 22, 2010

By 

Carlos A. Ramos "Voltaire Tempentry" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Video Game)

No one expected Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces to be anything beyond a cheap budget title. When it was released Stateside on January, however, the game earned the unofficial title of "best crappy game" by the internet community due to being released, hyped, and marketed as one would a cheap budget game. The game surprised many with its incredibly responsive controls and surprisingly fun gameplay. At a simple $30, The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces proves to be a very worthwhile game, one blend quality and an affordable price tag, and one that any flight enthusiast should play.

The Sky Crawlers benefits from a very interesting, and effective, control scheme unlike anything else on Wii. The game has players using the Nunchuk in their dominant hand, as opposed to the Wii Remote. Regular Wii enthusiasts have thought for a long period now that the Nunchuk doesn't respond to motions anywhere near as well as the Wiimote, but low and behold, Project Aces (the game's developer) has somehow managed to create a very taxing motion control scheme, assign it to the nunchuk, aand keep the game fun and easy to control. Needless to say, the control scheme in Sky Crawlers is one that works amazingly well, but since its so realistic, it takes a while to master. The learning curve look me about 6 hours before i felt comfortable making sharp turns. While multiple control options exist (such as Classic Controller support) in game, but the nunchuk mode on Expert is the only way to play as far as im concerned. Playing on Normal mode lets you taste the controls and play reasonably well, but it was only with the Expert mode that i could made quick turns, fly upside down, and make 360 turns in precious seconds less than you regularly would.

Gameplay involves mostly destroying plane model "X", but there are other missions that spice it up. One mission had little to no air combat what-so-ever, and has you taking out various trucks and tanks on the ground. Another has you taking recon photos in enemy territory. The game allows you to personalize your plane by creating an intricate, but easy to learn, optimizations menu. You can customize you plane(s) with different parts, making them faster, have higher defensives, more mobile, etc. Those not interested in such options can have the game assign the parts in accordance to how you want your plane to generally perform (I.E. Speed over anything else; mobility over anything else) This system provides some depth while still allowing new-comers to enjoy the game. Another addition to the game is a mode called TMC, or Tactical Maneuver Command. While tailing an enemy plane, a small meter pops up at the bottom of the screen. The TMC meter takes a few seconds to fill, and once it reaches a certain point, you can execute a variety of maneuvers that position your plane directly behind the enemy, allowing you to take him down. This doesn't feel cheap, since it takes skill to position yourself close enough (and long enough) to an enemy for the TMC meter to kick in.

The story presented in Sky Crawlers isn't all that interesting. It has its moments, but rarely are the characters or plot anything beyond a predictable mess. I suppose if you saw the movie and enjoyed it, you might get a kick out of seeing the world in a new light, but for someone as myself (a nooby to Sky Crawlers), the plot wasnt very engaging. The story missions are complimented with the occasion anime-style cut scene. These are very well done and are on occasion funny or interesting in their own right, but as a whole the games plot isnt a driving force. I played the game because its fun to do so, and i cared little about the characters.

As far as graphics are concerned, the game ranges from somewhat high end to somewhat low end. It suffers from the lack of polish traditional with budget games. The game case itself has a very neat, thick, full color booklet detailing the games mechanics and characters. The slip cover is reverseable, giving way from the standard "Wii" covers to a more artistic one displaying all the characters. These are nice additions that are customary with XSEED games on Wii (the reversible cover is new), and help make the game feel like a full priced release.

But the graphics, story, and presentation dont count for anything if the game isnt fun, and thankfully, thats where Sky Crawlers is at its best. The game provided plenty of fun, and more than enough enjoyment for its price of admission. While not a perfect game (there are many, many load screens), it still manages to blow much more expensive games out of the water. I recommend The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces to any one looking into a fun Wii game, realistic flight sim, or simply a great experience, novice and experienced gamer alike.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars not quite Razgriz, January 27, 2010

By 

Rev. Otter (southeast Alaska, USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Video Game)

it's not quite the "Ace Combat for Wii" that i was hoping for, but it's darn close. it's missing some traditional elements -- no landings, for instance -- but it adds some welcome new features.

i found the story utterly un-engaging. in all fairness i have not seen the source-material film; i figured i'd look it up at some point.

game-wise, it's the best air combat experience on the Wii. i prefer more "sim" and less "shooter" but Project Aces still delivers the goods. put me in 1st-person view and give me 360 degrees of freedom and precise control, and i'm happy.

it's on the short side, and there isn't the variety of planes and weapons Ace Combat veterans might expect, but new difficulties and unlockables and achievements add replay value

more like this, please!