Helicopter games are video games in which the player practices his skill in flying a helicopter. These games may involve 2D or 3D versions, single or multi-player and simple or complex missions. Typically, the most popular online Java versions are simple games where the player flies a helicopter through obstacles. Conversely, the most popular console helicopter games involve detailed missions and can be a first-person game where the player's view is that of the helicopter pilot.

The concept and design of the helicopter was the brainchild of inventor and painter Leonardo da Vinci. He came up with the idea and documented it very well in his drawings, but never got to see it through to fruition. It would be centuries before man would hover above the ground.

The first unrestrained hover flight above the ground was achieved by Paul Cornu of France, on November 17, 1907. While Cornu did get his craft off the ground, it was far from being a practical helicopter in any sense of the word. The first practical model was designed by Heinrich Focke, a German, in 1936. The design saw major improvements as a result of World War II.MSN Encarta: Helicopter

After the war, helicopter development was taken up by several nations. Today, modern helicopters are used for private transportation, emergency medical services as well as national defense forces around the world. Helicopter games represent this wide gamut of uses and feature a diversity that is rarely seen in any particular gaming genre.