Flight simulators are one of the most popular game genres for VR. You can get into the immersive experience of flying all sorts of different airplanes.
But it can be a tough decision to select the right option from VR flight simulators. So, in today’s post, we’ll rank various VR flight simulators along with some FAQs.
Let’s check our top 3 picks.
Winner
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft’s flight simulator is a blend of modern graphics and game engines. You can fly around in different locations with real-life aircraft controls. Moreover, you can also download new locations to explore.
Runner Up
War Thunder
War Thunder is an air combat simulator that lets you dive right into the dogfights. You can fly planes from the old and new eras. Moreover, you can unlock planes by just playing the game.
Also Great
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Capcom’s Ace Combat is a household name for flight games. Its seventh installment is a blend between PVE and PVP. You can also play it with almost any VR headset.
Best VR Flight Simulator - Top 3 Reviews
#1: Best Overall VR Flight Simulator - Microsoft Flight Simulator Review
We handpicked this VR flight sim because it lets you enjoy the calmness of flight. You can roam the skies of different famous places.
Besides that, the flight simulation pack contains various important places like The White House, Lincoln Memorial, and the Niagra Waterfalls.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Microsoft Flight Simulator
Price: You buy Microsoft Flight Simulator in the STEAM store. Currently, it has a sale and can be purchased for a lower price.
Compatibility: We noticed that this VR sim has full VR support for Valve Index and HTC Vive headsets.
File Space: Microsoft’s VR flight simulator has a bulky file size. After download and installation, it can take up to 80GB of your hard drive.
- Crystal clear image quality
- Perfect visual fidelity
- Elaborate controls
- Extensive tutorials
- Wide options of airplanes
- Quite expensive
Best Overall VR Flight Simulator
The best overall VR flight simulator is the Microsoft Flight Simulator. You can fly various airplanes for a real-life flight experience. Moreover, Microsoft has used satellite mapping to create 1:1 scale VR locations.
#2: Best Combat VR Flight Simulator - War Thunder Review
War Thunder needs no introduction when it comes to flight games. We picked this title because of the air-to-air combat it offers.
You can select planes from different eras and upgrade various aspects of them. Moreover, you can also customize your plane with different skins and stickers.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy War Thunder
Price: You can download and play this game free of cost. However, you still have to buy seasonal passes to participate in ranked games.
Compatibility: You can play this game on Index and HTC headsets. However, you might face some movement issues on other VR headsets.
File Space: The initial download is only 8GB. However, after installation, the flight sim can take up to 40GB of disk space.
- Inside-out tracking for image clarity
- High refresh rate
- Immersive flying experience
- Fast pace air combat
- Ranked and unranked modes
- Cannot play offline
Best Combat VR Flight Simulator
The best combat VR flight simulator is the War Thunder. This flight sim enables you to get into air combat with full control. Moreover, it elevates your gaming experience with fluid movements and spatial 3D audio.
#3: Best Story-Based VR Flight Simulator - Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Review
Our team chose Ace Combat 7 because it features a campaign you can play. It has an elaborate story that features various elements of flight games.
You can do intel collection, extraction, dogfights, surveillance, and a bunch of other things. Besides that, it also has a PVP mode that you can play to test your flight skills.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Price: The base game is moderately priced at the STEAM store. But you can get it for a cheap price during seasonal sales.
Compatibility: Ace combat is completely compatible with most VR headsets. Just like other flight sims, you’ll need two controllers to play it.
File Space: The base game has a file size of about 20GB. However, with all the DLCs, it can easily take up to 50GB of space.
- Easy to play
- Beginner-friendly controls
- PVE and PVP modes
- Photorealistic graphics
- 40 hours of PVE content
- Not compatible with Oculus Quest
Best Story-Based VR Flight Simulator
The best story-based VR flight simulator is the Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. This is because, unlike other VR games, you can enjoy PVE and PVP at the same time. Furthermore, it has various DLCs that you can buy to play new missions.
Buyers’ Guide
DLCs
When it comes to VR games, there aren’t many DLCs. This is mainly because VR worlds are hard to create and require a lot of time to perfect the VR landscape.
So, we suggest that before you buy any flight games, make sure it has at least 1 DLC. This way, you can enjoy more VR content once the main game is over.
Price
Next up is the price of the flight games. If you explore the genre, you’ll notice that the majority of the flight sim titles are quite expensive.
This is due to the variables involved in the creation of the flight games. However, you can purchase these titles from a sale at around 50% off.
What is the right time to buy a Flight Simulator?
We highly recommend that you wait for the Summer or Winter sale. STEAM often offers up to 70% on flight simulators.
Controls
Flight simulators are all about immersive experience. One crucial aspect of such controls is the controls.
Before you buy a flight sim, make sure to research and understand what sort of control options it has. This will help you enhance your experience a lot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is VTOL VR compatible with Valve’s VR headset?
VTOL VR is completely compatible with Valve Index and other PC VR headsets. You can play this simulator with a single or dual controller setup. Moreover, you can also pair it with Oculus Rift for an immersive VR experience.
Is X-Plane worth buying?
X-Plane from Laminar Research is a highly immersive flight simulator. It features all the real-life control of an airplane. You can fly planes from a variety of different categories like commercial aircraft, military jets, and private jets.
Can I pair a flight simulator rig with a VR headset?
Yes, you absolutely can. All you have to do is switch the controls from the VR headset controllers to the joystick. After that, you can fly your jets and do all sorts of flight maneuvers.
Is Microsoft Flight Simulator free to roam?
Microsoft’s Flight Simulator falls in the open-world sandbox genre. The game is free to roam but within the set boundaries. For example, you can fly over Washington but you can go outside the city boundaries.
What is the best VR flight simulator for beginners?
If you are just getting started with flight simulators, Ace Combat is your best option. It features a blend of immersive combat and story-driven gameplay. You can also learn a lot about flight mechanics through in-game tutorials and hone your skills.
Can I play flight simulators with a D-pad controller?
As it turns out, you can play any flight simulator with a D-pad controller. The only downside is the movements aren’t just as fluid. It might be easier for some but flight simulators are best enjoyed with a joystick.
Final Verdict
After careful comparison, we have concluded that Microsoft’s Flight Simulator is the best VR flight simulator.
You can fly different kinds of aircraft on a wide variety of photorealistic landscapes. This simulator features an immersive VR experience with 3D audio. Moreover, you can also download extra landscapes that feature places around the world like Mexico, Spain, France, and Portugal.
This brings us to the finish line of our review of the best VR flight simulator. Do let us know about your favorite flight simulator in the comment section below.