Leonard Herman, author of the Phoenix and ABC to the VCS books, deems Tomcat: The F-14 Fighter Simulator as "a first-person version of River Raid." Dan Kitchen decided to see how far he could go and "pushed the envelope" in terms of developing an advanced flight simulator on the Atari 2600. To think that this type of game can be played on a measly 2600 is a phenomenal feat on behalf of Mr. Kitchen. Remember, the 2600 was designed to play Pong-style games and Combat / Tank-type games.

The goal in Tomcat is to take off from the aircraft carrier, shoot down and avoid enemy planes, and safely return to the carrier. Dan Kitchen stated the following in the instruction manual, which is entitled "NOTES FROM A TOP GUNNER." "I've always been fascinated by the technology of military fighter aircraft and admired the courage of the pilots who routinely defy the odds in the skies above. I've tried to incorporate the spirit and challenges of actual fighter jet combat into this game and I've consulted with many actual fighter pilots to ensure the accuracy of Tomcat: The F-14 Fighter Simulator. I owe many thanks to my brother and co-designer Steven Kitchen, without whose help we would not have made it off the flight deck." It is not unususal for Dan to be crediting his brother for Tomcat, as there are some similarities to Space Shuttle, which was programmed by Steve Kitchen for Activision.

One similarity between the games, for example, is that both games use the joystick as well as the switches on the 2600's console for control. Dan added an "intelligent RESET" function to guard against resetting the game by mistake. If you're in the middle of a game and you hit RESET, you must hold it down for at least two seconds before a new game will start.

You will receive a rating after each successful return to the aircraft carrier, or if you crash. The rating (from 0 to 9) is based on your flying skills, the number of weapons fired, and kills. There are four phases of flight operation: LAUNCH, FLYING, COMBAT, and LANDING.

When in combat, it's not as simple as just pressing the fire button to shoot your enemies. You have three types of missiles to choose from: sparrow (infrared missiles), sidewinders (heat-seeking missiles), and long range missiles. Your Tomcat only has 15 of each type. This game is realistic; there is no unlimited amount of ammunition as many other 2600 "shooter" games have. Tomcat cannot be classified as a shooter by no means. It's a flight simulator. It's in the same classification as Space Shuttle. This is not a simple game. You need time to learn and understand the controls. Patience, and the instruction manual are a must. You can't just "pop this game into your 2600" and play it. It would be very difficult to figure this one out without the instruction manual. If you do not have it, the instruction manual, as well as many others, are available on the AtariAge web site, www.atariage.com