Top Microsoft Flight Simulator Alternatives for Aviation Enthusiasts
Microsoft Flight Simulator immerses you in a beautifully rich and realistic world with dozens of aircraft and interactive Missions for a completely new and innovative gaming experience. Free Flight lets you fly anywhere in the world, from your hometown airport to the most exotic places you’ve ever dreamed of. Gamers and simmers of all ages and skill levels feel firsthand what it's like to be an aviator traveling the globe solo or online with others. While it's an incredible experience, some users might be looking for a Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative due to platform preferences, cost, or specific features. This guide explores some of the best flight simulator options available today.
The Best Microsoft Flight Simulator Alternatives
Whether you're a seasoned virtual pilot or just starting your journey into the skies, there's a flight simulator out there for you. Here's a look at some excellent alternatives that offer diverse experiences, from open-source projects to highly realistic commercial options.
FlightGear
FlightGear is a fantastic open-source, multi-platform flight simulator development project available for Free on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It offers a cooperative development environment, even simulating space flight, making it a robust and highly customizable Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for those who love to tinker and explore.
Rigs of Rods
Rigs of Rods is an open-source vehicle simulator licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3. Unlike many traditional flight simulators, Rigs of Rods offers a unique soft-body physics engine, allowing for deformable vehicles. It's Free on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and includes multiplayer support, making it a quirky and engaging Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for those interested in a broader vehicle simulation experience.
YS Flight Simulator
YS Flight Simulator is a free flight simulator specifically designed for computers without powerful graphics rendering capabilities. Available for Free on Mac, Windows, and Linux, it's an excellent Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for users with older hardware or those prioritizing performance over hyper-realistic graphics.
X-Plane
X-Plane is a popular commercial flight simulation software known for its very realistic real-time computed physics, based on Blade Element Theory. It's available across a wide range of platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and iPad, making it a comprehensive and highly realistic Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for serious simmers.
Microsoft Flight
Microsoft Flight is a flight simulation game from Microsoft Studios created as a successor to the long-running, discontinued Microsoft Flight Simulator series. It's a Freemium title available on Windows and offers a free-to-play model, making it a familiar and accessible Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative, especially for those who enjoyed previous iterations from Microsoft.
Infinite Flight
Infinite Flight offers a fully featured flight simulator in the palm of your hands, providing one of the most comprehensive flight simulation experiences on mobile devices. It's a Commercial app available on Android, iPhone, Android Tablet, Windows Phone, iPad, and Kindle Fire, making it an excellent mobile-first Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for flight enthusiasts on the go.
Flight Pilot Simulator 3D
Unleash your inner maverick with Flight Pilot Simulator 3D! This Freemium game offers ultra REALISTIC 3D graphics and cool features for an arcade-style simulation experience. Available on Android, iPhone, Android Tablet, and iPad, it's a great casual Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for those looking for fun and accessible flight gaming.
GL-117
GL-117 is an action flight simulator where you enter the Eagle Squadron and succeed in several challenging missions. It's Free and open-source, available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD. With five predefined levels of difficulty, GL-117 offers a more arcade-oriented gaming experience as a Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative.
3D Airplane flight simulator
Do you have the dream of working in the aviation industry? This Free 3D flight game, available on Android, iPhone, and iPad, is your chance to take off! Offering an arcade-style simulation, it's a simple and fun Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative for those looking to practice their flying skills without a steep learning curve.
Airplane Flight Pilot Simulator 3D: Airplane Games
Airplane Flight Pilot Simulator 3D: Airplane Games is a new Free 3D plane simulator game for Android. Become the pilot of a commercial jet and fly your Avion to the destination, offering a straightforward and engaging experience for aspiring pilots as a mobile Microsoft Flight Simulator alternative.
With a variety of platforms, features, and pricing models, these Microsoft Flight Simulator alternatives offer something for every aviation enthusiast. Explore these options and find the perfect fit for your virtual flying adventures!