Up, Up and Away!

Aero Fighters features many colorful characters that could have been mentioned on this list, but it’s hard to top a heroic dolphin who becomes a fighter pilot to protect the oceans. (Rest assured, a talking dolphin is par for the course in a series that features robots, Vikings, and detective babies.) Spanky is proud to be the world’s first dolphin pilot, and his experimental planes are usually equipped with water-based weapons in lieu of traditional guns. During his mission to protect the seas, Spanky travels across the globe and beyond. He flies over lush jungles and vast cityscapes, and he’ll even venture to the moon if he needs to! That’s a pretty impressive itinerary for someone who grew up in an aquarium. Spanky is a vital member of the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Force, and he explicitly reminds us not to underestimate “the power of dolphin.”

In Pilotwings 64, you can try your hand at various forms of aviation. Gyrocopters, hang gliders, and jet packs are all included, and players can even strap on a bird suit in order to soar through the skies. There are six pilots to choose from – all of whom are named after birds – and the weight of each character affects the handling of each aircraft. Although none of the pilots are given much backstory, Goose best represents the spirit of the game. His star-spangled outfit is a perfect fit for the miniature American-themed map, for instance. The outfit also welcomes comparisons to daredevils like Evel Knievel, which is especially appropriate during the skydiving sections or the human cannonball tests. Sadly, Goose and his friends were replaced by Miis in Pilotwings Resort, and they’ve been MIA since 1996. Amelia Earhart is more likely to show up at this point.

It’s typical for fighting games to feature characters from all over the world, but have you ever stopped to wonder the participants get to their matches? The travel schedule must be a nightmare, but Edward Falcon doesn’t have to deal with airlines since he simply flies around the globe in his trusty “Hockenheim” bi-plane. On his quest to track down the seven legendary Dragon Balls Power Stones, he often has to vanquish evil with his explosive boxing skills. No matter how heated things get, he never removes his flight suit or his pilot goggles. You can tell just by looking at him that he has a busy schedule, and he’s not likely to stay in one place for an extended period. His itinerary involves flying to a new city, beating someone up, and then jumping back into his plane for another adventure. It’s no wonder they call him the Red Whirlwind.

The audacious star of the Jak and Daxter series is a prodigy when it comes to vehicles. Whether he’s racing dune buggies in the desert or piloting hoverbikes in a championship league, Jak’s driving abilities are routinely on display. (He even had his own combat racing spinoff game!) He uses countless vehicles during his adventures, and many of them are aeronautical in nature. The A-Grav Zoomer, for example, is a propeller-driven vehicle that can cross over water and other hazardous terrain. It also allows Jak to confront flying enemies and lets him travel at breakneck speeds. The Lost Frontier puts an even stronger emphasis on Jak’s piloting skills, and gives him an opportunity to partake in proper aerial missions. He can fly multiple airplanes in this outing, and he can even customize the planes to his liking!

After moving to the City of Progress, Corki was taken aback by the technological wonders that surrounded him. The flying machines were especially intriguing, so he decided to develop fantastic contraptions of his own. His single-seat flying machine – known as a Reconnaissance Operations Front Line (ROFL) Copter – is surprisingly effective, despite what its wooden impellers might imply. Any doubts about the ROFL Copter will be thrown away the moment Corki unleashes a missile barage. The “Daring Bombardier” also understands the importance of teamwork. To that end, he assembles an aerial defense force to patrol the skies around his city. Corki’s love of flying affects every aspect of his life. His vocabulary relies heavily on aviator slang and the phonetic alphabet, for example, and his flight goggles may as well be glued to his face.

Tails is an unlikely candidate for this countdown. After all, the young fox has two tails that can be used as veritable helicopter blades. This ultimately allows him to fly without the assistance of any machinery, and he can even cart his friends around if the situation calls for it. Exhaustion is always a point of concern, however, so it’s fortunate that he has other ways to fly. One of the benefits of being Sonic the Hedgehog’s best friend is that you get access to his custom biplane. The Tornado is ideal for high altitude flights, and it’s sometimes equipped with custom weapons or booster engines. Tails is a brilliant mechanic with a profound understanding of machines, so flying the Tornado is second nature. Sonic has so much faith in his friend that he often stands on top of the wings while Tails is in the pilot seat. That’s what you call a ringing endorsement.

Jeff Moreau isn’t exaggerating when he describes himself as “the best damn helmsman” in the Alliance fleet. He was at the head of his class in flight school and had already surpassed his instructors by the time he graduated. As the pilot of the SSV Normandy, he navigates through countless battles unscathed and pulls off impossible airdrops. He was initially given the nickname Joker as an ironic acknowledgement of his serious demeanor, but his cynical sense of humor eventually becomes a defining aspect of his character. Although he was born with a rare genetic disorder, Joker refused to let his illness dictate his life. When the condition prevented him from being named pilot of the Normandy, he simply stole the ship in order to showcase his skills as a pilot. His brittle bones make it difficult for him to walk, but they can’t stop him from traveling the stars.

You can’t talk about great video game pilots without mentioning Ace Combat. Mobius 1 isn’t necessarily the most obvious choice for this countdown, however. The elusive pilot acts as a silent protagonist, after all, and we never even see his face. The Independent State Allied Forces pilot is known only by his callsign and his reputation, and this ensures that he’ll be judged on his piloting skills more so than anyone else on this list. From the cockpit of his signature F-22A Raptor, Mobius 1 makes meaningful contributions to the Continental War. He’s skilled enough to navigate through narrow ravines and strategic enough to sink “invincible” fleets. When he’s not engaged in plane-to-plane combat, he’s likely targeting radar stations or weapons facilities. It’s easy to see why he already designated a flying ace after his very first assignment.

Cid Highwind is an aeronautical engineer who designed and built his own airship while under the employ of the Shinra Electric Power Company. The aptly-named Highwind was used as the company’s main flagship, but the zeppelin-like wonder didn’t even represent the height of Cid’s imagination. Since childhood, Cid dreamed of being the first man in space. This dream was ultimately unfulfilled, however, and this informed Cid’s cynical personality. At the same time, he never lost his faith in science or his potential as a pilot. Beneath his chain-smoking, foul-mouthed façade, Cid is an idealist with a heart of gold. His refusal to let go of his childhood dreams is admirable, and it’s part of the reason why he’s so good at what he does. He’s seldom seen without his flight goggles, and he’s always waiting for an opportunity to fly to the end of the universe.

It’s not uncommon for video games to put players in control of spacecrafts, but StarFox focuses on the pilots as much as the ships themselves. You never got to see the pilots in Space Invaders or Gradius, but Fox McCloud and his wingmen are prominently featured in their games. In fact, their in-game chatter is one of the defining aspects of the StarFox series. Fox is a second-generation pilot who leads a group of mercenaries collectively known as the Star Fox team. He’s known throughout the galaxy for his piloting skills and decisive thinking, and his Arwing starfighter shows remarkable versatility. Whether he’s flying through asteroid belts or partaking in interplanetary dog-fights, Fox can always find a way to barrel roll his way to victory. Although some of his adventures require him to leave the safety of his ship, Fox was clearly born to fly.