Air Show: Circus of the Skies (2011)

Every summer, crowds gather in the New Mexico desert for a show like no other. Daring pilots compete in exhibitions of aerobatic skill and bravery. Dogfights, air races, and bombing runs are guaranteed to test the mettle of even the most seasoned veteran. Have you got what it takes?

Air Show is a game and a game system. Take the controls of a stunt plane and put your piloting to the test in a variety of aerial events. Manage your altitude and airspeed, perform cool stunts to turn the tables on your opponents, think fast, shoot straight, fly true, and maybe you'll take home the trophy this year.

This game uses a simultaneous action selection mechanic to program a flight plan three maneuvers in advance. Players have thirty seconds to "lock in" their maneuvers and stake out a position in turn order. When everyone is ready, maneuvers execute in turn order. Planes may dive or climb, turn right or left, accelerate or brake, or perform a stunt at the expense of altitude or airspeed. The goal differs with each event, but strategies emerge from anticipating what other players are doing and planning around that. Unlike other games of this type, such as RoboRally or Wings of War, there are no cards to play. All maneuvers are available to all players at all times, to the limits of what their current altitude and airspeed allow.