Play - online

The Dam Busters is a strategy and action game inspired by the famous RAF bombing raids against German dams during World War II. Players take control of the operation, dealing with aircraft, navigation, timing, enemy defenses, and the delicate business of delivering the famous bouncing bombs accurately enough to cause serious damage. The historical subject gives the game a more serious tone than a conventional arcade title, while its mechanics attempt to recreate some of the planning involved in the real mission. It is not exactly a relaxing Sunday flight: mistakes can quickly turn a carefully prepared raid into a spectacularly expensive disaster. The presentation is unmistakably from the mid-1980s, but the ambition is impressive. For players interested in military history, it offers an entertaining glimpse at how complex wartime operations could be squeezed into a home computer game long before realistic 3D simulations became commonplace.