Three Top Gun video game series in one Substack newsletter: A tribute to Val Kilmer
(December 31, 1959 – April 1, 2025)
Hello. This newsletter pays tribute to Val Kilmer, who portrayed Lieutenant (or Leftenant if you do not live in the US or Canada) Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, the rival and later wingman of Top Gun protagonist Lieutenant (later Captain) Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (portrayed by Tom Cruise). This newsletter will have a selection of combat fight simulation games based on the film’s license. If you haven’t watched the first film and the sequel on Paramount+ — watch them, but it’s recommended that you watch the first film first.
Oh, and I recommend you listen to this song while you read this (please note that the videos may be blocked in your country when clicking on YouTube links).
Top Gun: Fire at Will!
The first order of business is Top Gun: Fire at Will!, released for the DOS and the Sony PlayStation in 1996 and the Mac OS in 1998. The plot of Fire at Will is focused on Maverick (Tom Cruise’s character in the film) as the player character, flying combat missions in Cuba, North Korea, and Libya to stop a group of mercenary pilots known as the “Cadre”. The PlayStation version of the game emphasizes action over simulation in contrast to the PC versions; take-offs and landings were removed, and the player starts each mission with enemies nearby, rather than seeking them out. The game was developed and published by (the now-closed) Spectrum Holobyte, but for the PlayStation version, the development role went to MicroProse. The game can be found on any abandonware site.
Top Gun: Hornet’s Nest
Top Gun: Hornet’s Nest was released in late 1998 for the Windows PC and was developed by (the now-closed) Zipper Interactive and published by MicroProse. Playing as Maverick from the film Top Gun, the player takes control of an F/A-18 Hornet combat jet. The game features three campaign modes, each with 10 missions. Each campaign mode and their missions must be played in order before proceeding. The first mode takes place in Siberia, where the player must stop Russian general Martikov, who has seized nuclear weapons. After stopping Martikov, the second campaign takes place in Iraq, which had purchased atomic weapons from Martikov. In the final campaign, terrorists have attacked the Panama Canal, requiring the player to travel to Colombia to prevent any further destruction. The player has a wingman throughout the missions.
The player's weapons include missiles and several fictional armaments, such as an aerial cluster bomb capable of destroying a group of close-flying targets. The game offers several perspectives, including a cockpit view with the instrument panel visible, and an external view set from behind the plane. During missions, the player can land the plane to rearm and refuel. Some missions have puzzle-solving elements. In one mission, the player must slowly sneak through an underground maze while piloting the plane, peeking around corners before proceeding.
Zipper Interactive, the game’s developer, would later be acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment’s (today Sony Interactive Entertainment) PlayStation Studios (which originally went under the name of SCE Worldwide Studios and later SIE Worldwide Studios) in 2006 before shuttering six years later.
Top Gun: Combat Zones
Released in late 2001 for the PlayStation 2 and later the GameCube in late 2002, Top Gun: Combat Zones was developed by the now-closed British studio Digital Integration and published by the now-closed Titus Interactive. The game includes the main “Game” and “Quick Start” modes. Game mode features 36 missions played across three eras, set respectively in Vietnam, the Gulf States, and the Arctic Circle. Several training missions take place at San Diego's Miramar base at the beginning of each era before the player moves on to live combat. The player begins with an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. Seven additional planes are unlocked as the game progresses: F-18 Hornet, F-22 Raptor, F-4 Phantom, X-32, YF-23, Osprey, and Harrier.
There are various mission objectives, such as destroying a target, providing air support for an evacuation, or escorting allies. Each mission includes a time limit. The player's weapons include bombs, a machine gun, and several types of missiles. A map informs the player of nearby enemies, although it does not specify their altitude. The player can view the game from within the cockpit or can choose from several exterior perspectives. Points are awarded to the player for actions such as flying close to buildings or performing certain aerial moves. Unlike Fire at Will! and Hornet’s Nest, the player does not take the role of Maverick.
And readers, I hope you’re riding into the danger zone (or take on these mighty wings). Fly high, Iceman. Goodbye for now…
