GENRE
	3D Shooter
	DEVELOPER
	Trainwreck
	PUBLISHER
	Konami
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	Yes
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

While flight simulation games aren't unheard of on Nintendo DS, calling them scarce would in no way be an exaggeration, as there are likely less than ten individual flight-based titles currently available for Nintendo's handheld. With this in mind, Konami offers Time Ace, which features aircraft from several different eras throughout human history, including some which have yet to actually be invented. In addition to being the first time travel-themed flight game for DS, Time Ace also is one of Konami's first original IPs for the system.

visuals

Time Ace's primary engine features 3D graphics which acquit themselves admirably, especially on the varied aircraft available to the player. Each one bears a distinct look and color, and since most are completely different in design from the others (save for the two WWII-era fighters), this is appropriate. Enemy aircraft are less distinct. While there are different planes and jets in each time period, there are rarely more than one or two separate designs in each level, although there are a few ground craft as well. Backgrounds are generally well done, but occasionally the camera will interfere with perspective and cause an unintentional crash.

The lower screen serves as a radar, which displays enemy craft as red dots and is centered around the player's vehicle. During levels, the touchscreen remains fixed and is only occasionally used for dialogue boxes and menus at other times.

audio

While the musical score is mainly nonexistent, sound effects play a big role in Time Ace. The continual buzzing of a propeller or hum of a jet engine acts as the groundwork for a cacophony of noise. Individually distinct noises include the wind currents, ocean spray, enemy engines, rockets, bullets and explosions of every sort. In essence, the proliferation of fitting sounds makes the lack of an impressive score somewhat inconsequential.

gameplay

Time Ace starts off just prior to the first World War, where inventor Dr. Clock has just perfected the world's first time machine. Unfortunately, his aptly named partner, Scythe, steals the time machine in order to acquire futuristic weapons in an attempt at world domination. Reacting quickly, Dr. Clock creates another time machine and sets off after Scythe in multiple different time periods spanning almost three centuries.

The main basis of the game is flight action. Dr. Clock starts out with a simple biplane and acquires other, more advanced aircraft as the game progresses. Environments are fully 3D, but the player isn't quite free to explore them. The game shifts between on-rails progression and limited roaming within strictly enclosed areas. While each plane has a different configuration, the aircrafts essentially have the same basics: Guns/cannons, souped-up shells and three special weapons.

The game is controlled with the buttons. The Control Pad maneuvers the vehicle while the face buttons handle acceleration and weapons and the triggers initiate barrel rolls. It's an easy system to learn for anyone who's played a flight sim on a standard controller before. Touch control is only used to activate special powers from the lower screen, for menus and for repairing the aircraft between levels, which consists of welding the hull back together or soldering circuit boards. These function more as minigames than as full-fledged activities, but provide tangible in-game benefits.

multiplayer

Four players can engage in multiplayer dogfights, but each must own a copy of the game. It might have been a better idea to offer single-card download play for Time Ace, as finding four other people who own the game might be a bit of a challenge.

overall

On the whole, Time Ace isn't all rainbows and sunshine, but it has a decent amount of challenge and will certainly provide some enjoyment for flight sim fans. While the story is nothing to write home about, it mainly serves as the impetus to fly several different kinds of historical aircraft. That being the case, it seems somewhat unclear as to why the different planes aren't more distinguished from from one another. It seems logical that a late 20th Century jet would handle completely different from a biplane, but aside from sharper turning, there isn't much distinction.

Conversely, the game does offer the chance to explore interesting stages based on varying historical periods. Since it isn't a straight flight simulator, the lack of completely realistic controls isn't a huge problem. Essentially, Time Ace is a flawed, but fun 3D shooter that values action over realism, which is fortunate, since time travel isn't much of a down-to-earth concept to begin with.

6.6/10