Whatever the reason, those looking for the best space flight simulation games may be better served looking backward rather than up into the sky.

While it's certainly true that it can be difficult to be innovative in a crowded marketplace, there's perhaps an argument to be made that the simplistic graphics of yesteryear were just far better suited to capturing the desolate nature of the great unknown. Updated March 27, 2022, by Tom Bowen: Despite huge advancements in technology allowing for state-of-the-art graphics and endless sandbox environments, many modern space-based games have struggled to make the same impact as some of the games that came before them. There are many different varieties and all game players have their preferences, but which ones are the best of the best? This list will serve to highlight the best space flight simulation games, according to Metacritic. It's risky, considering how easy it is to botch a simulation game. Over the years, many companies have created their own takes on space flight simulations.

RELATED: Space Case: Things Sci-Fi Games Get Wrong About Space (& Things They Actually Get Right) This is especially true in sci-fi games some games lean into the fantastical, like Mass Effect, while others like Elite: Dangerous capitalize on the wonders of space travel itself.

In many ways, space and space flight are equal parts fantastical and realistic in a way. In Spaceflight Simulator, you will get to engineer your rockets, plan launches and flights, attempt landings, deploy payloads and explore new worlds. Space often finds itself as the landscape of various media properties.

Spaceflight simulator for windows