Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere/Missions (Japan)

Following is the list of missions in the uncut original version Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere. Upon its initial release, Electrosphere consisted of 52 missions but due to story branching, only 15 to 19 could be completed in a single playthrough.

Unlike in other games of the Ace Combat series, most missions could be completed with varying degrees of success. The message "Mission Accomplished" was awarded for fulfilling both mandatory (e.g. destroying all targets) and optional mission requirements (e.g. staying within time limit); "Mission Over", for only completing the former; and "Mission Failed", for crashing or being shot down, which led to a game over. Both "Mission Accomplished" and "Mission Over" prompted different dialogue from characters and, after certain missions, unlocked secret levels.

In the Mission Simulator mode, the missions are numbered hexadecimally. The same convention is used in this mission list.

Story arcs


The 52 missions of Ace Combat 3 can be grouped into nine major story arcs, separated by plot-relevant decisions that result in shifts of the player character Nemo's allegiances. These four decision points (marked orange on the chart to the right) are points of no return, which ultimately determine which one of the five possible endings (marked red ) the player will receive. Some arcs are completely linear; others feature hidden missions (9 in total) that either replace the default "core" missions or are inserted between them. Unlike major plot choices, these hidden missions have no effect on the outcome of the game.

For a complete flowchart of all missions and story branches, see the Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere mission chart.

UPEO (I)
The player always starts the game as a member of the Universal Peace Enforcement Organization. With only four linear missions, UPEO (I) is tied with Ouroboros (II) for the shortest arc of the game.

In the end of mission 04, the player is presented with the first story-altering choice ("Decide"): whether to desert to General Resource or to remain loyal to UPEO. The former choice leads to the General Resource (I) arc; the latter, to the UPEO (II) arc.

UPEO (II)
The second UPEO arc is played only if the player didn't desert the organization in the end of mission 04.

In the end of mission 09, the player is presented a choice of shooting down Representative Clarkson's plane (or letting it be shot down by other pilots), killing Fiona and everyone else on board, or defending it from SARF and consequently deserting to Neucom. The former choice leads to the UPEO (III) arc; the latter, to the Neucom (I) arc.

UPEO (III)
The third UPEO arc is played only if the player let Fiona Chris Fitzgerald be killed in the end of mission 09. With nine missions, it is the longest completely linear arc of the game.

Completing mission 12 leads to the ending "A Canopy of Stars".

General Resource (I)
This arc is played only if the player deserted from UPEO to General Resource Limited with Abyssal Dision in the end of mission 04. With 10 possible missions (including for hidden ones), it is the largest arc of the game, though only 7 to 8 can be completed in any given playthrough.

In the end of mission 1D, the player is presented a choice of deserting with Abyssal Dision again, this time to Ouroboros, or remaining loyal to General Resource. The former choice leads to the Ouroboros (I) arc; the latter, to the General Resource (II) arc.

General Resource (II)
The second General Resource arc is played only if the player didn't desert the organization along with Abyssal Dision in the end of mission 1D.

Completing mission 22 leads to the ending "Geopelia".

Ouroboros (I)
This arc is played only if the player deserted from General Resource to Ouroboros with Abyssal Dision in the end of mission 1D.

Completing mission 27 leads to the ending "Electrosphere".

Neucom (I)
This arc is played only if the player saved Fiona Chris Fitzgerald's life and deserted to Neucom Incorporated with her in the end of mission 09.

In the end of mission 2C, the player is presented a choice of deserting to Ouroboros with Cynthia Bridgitte Fitzgerald or remaining loyal to Neucom. The former choice leads to the Ouroboros (II) arc; the latter, to the Neucom (II) arc.

Ouroboros (II)
This arc is played only if the player deserted from Neucom to Ouroboros with Cynthia Bridgitte Fitzgerald in the end of mission 2C. With only four linear missions, it is tied with UPEO (I) for the shortest arc of the game.

Completing mission 30 leads to the ending "Self Awareness".

Neucom (II)
The second Neucom arc is played only if the player didn't desert the organization along with Cynthia Bridgitte Fitzgerald in the end of mission 2C.

Completing mission 35 leads to the ending "Sole Survivor".

Endings
There are five ending cutscenes in the game. None of them has a proper title, therefore they are referred by the titles of their respective preceding gameplay missions below.

A Canopy of Stars

 * Preceding mission:
 * Preceding arcs: UPEO (I), UPEO (II), UPEO (III) (17 to 18 missions)

Geopelia

 * Preceding mission:
 * Preceding arcs: UPEO (I), General Resource (I), General Resource (II) (15 to 19 missions)

Electrosphere

 * Preceding mission:
 * Preceding arcs: UPEO (I), General Resource (I), Ouroboros (I) (15 to 19 missions)

Self Awareness

 * Preceding mission:
 * Preceding arcs: UPEO (I), UPEO (II), Neucom (I), Ouroboros (II) (15 to 17 missions)

Sole Survivor

 * Preceding mission:
 * Preceding arcs: UPEO (I), UPEO (II), Neucom (I), Neucom (II) (15 to 18 missions)

Hidden missions
Some missions are present in the game resources but can only only accessed via a GameShark program. They are not part of any "official" story branch.