The game also puts focus on allowing the player to freely explore its detailed 3D environments, most notably a miniature representation of the United States.

Although the flight simulator did not enjoy the same commercial success as its fellow launch game Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64 nonetheless went on to sell over one million copies worldwide.

Depending on the mission, points are awarded or deducted based on time, damage, fuel usage, accuracy, softness of landing, and similar criteria.

The first, hang gliding, usually requires the player to fly through a series of floating marker rings or snap a photograph of a particular piece of scenery before landing on a target area.

[5][7] The third event, the gyrocopter, challenges the player to take off and land on a runway after completing objectives like navigating a path of rings or destroying targets with missiles.

They include skydiving, a human cannonball event, and the "Jumble Hopper", which grants the player special spring-loaded boots use in bouncing across the landscape to an end space.

[5][7] Lastly, Pilotwings 64 features a "Birdman" mode that puts the character in a bird suit and gives players the opportunity to freely explore the game's detailed, object-dense environments set among its four distinct islands.

Dave Gatchel of Paradigm disclosed that with regard to creating the game, they began with a "physics-based approach", but deviated from this in order to gain a balance between accuracy and fun for players.

[22] Pilotwings 64 was one of thirteen Nintendo 64 games shown at Shoshinkai show in Tokyo in November 1995 when the console was first demonstrated to the public as the "Ultra 64".

[2][41] Pilotwings 64 managed to sell about one unit with about every tenth Nintendo 64 console, with regional sales totaling 136,986 copies by the end of the year.

[42][43] The game was one of two original releases for the system during its September 26, 1996 debut in North America, which was a few days earlier than the date set by Nintendo.

[49] Pilotwings 64 saw a release in European nations on March 1, 1997, when it was one of three launch games along with Super Mario 64 and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.

[38][39][54][55][56][57][58] In his release review of the Nintendo 64, The Seattle Times contributor Steven L. Kent found that the flight mechanics and vast areas featured in Pilotwings 64 make it one of the most impressive games ever made.

[59] Glenn Rubenstein of the website GameSpot summarized, "The graphics, sound, control, and all around excitement add up to make Pilotwings 64 one hell of a great ride.

"[25] IGN's Levi Buchanan described this low-pressure, "challenge without competition" aspect of the game as a design philosophy adopted by later Nintendo titles such as Nintendogs.

[61] Rich Leadbetter of Maximum said that not everyone is appealed by its gameplay's "sedate nature", but agreed that PilotWings 64 involved high "skill, dexterity and control", and that "it is a game that you must own and whilst not quite in the same league of 'must-have'itude as Super Mario 64, it remains an astounding achievement and another triumph for Nintendo.

"[38] A Next Generation critic remarked that once beyond the introductory missions the game becomes satisfyingly challenging, and succeeds as both a flight simulation and an example of Nintendo's surrealistic gameplay: "It's a weird mix of total realism and self-conscious videogame elements, and the two don't grate.

The New York Times writer Ashley Dunn characterized the game's E3 demonstration as "brain-dead" in its gameplay and suggested that even young children would rather fly a dragon on the Sony PlayStation.

[31] The sound effects present in the game were impressive to several reviewers, but the soundtrack has been negatively compared to lounge music and porn groove, although the 'Birdman' track was highly rated.