Luftrausers 2014

Is it still worth playing?

A single fighter plane takes on enemy ships and aircraft in this 2014 shoot em up by the Dutch studio Vlambeer, which was based on an earlier free Flash game. It allows 360 degrees of motion, but the weapon only fires from the front, so you have to account for the plane's momentum, gravity and drift. There is no health bar, only a circle around the plane that shrinks with damage and regenerates when you are not firing. Each plane is built from three parts, an engine, a body and a weapon, and every part brings an advantage and a drawback, such as an armored body that slows you down. The dozens of combinations also change the soundtrack, and each part comes with challenges that unlock more. The aim is to keep your multiplier up and set a high score. The only way to end a round is to let your plane explode. Building a plane that suits you still makes each short run worth another try.