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After Burner (Sunsoft)

NES

NES

You scream off the carrier, there's no time to think! You're caught in a swarm of enemy aircraft and more are dead ahead. They're closing at Mach 5, as your machine guns start blasting. Burn through a sky of flying metal! Radar-lock on the frontal attackers and respond with missiles. Your enemies...

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Developer
Sunsoft

Released on
1989

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

You scream off the carrier, there’s no time to think! You’re caught in a swarm of enemy aircraft and more are dead ahead. They’re closing at Mach 5, as your machine guns start blasting. Burn through a sky of flying metal! Radar-lock on the frontal attackers and respond with missiles. Your enemies are specks on the horizon, then instantly they’re in your face, launching even faster missiles! Nothing can prepare you for the incredible speed of the attack. Hit your afterburner! Dive and twist! Throw your plane into a 360 roll as the enemy spins by so close you almost touch wing tips. Day or night, dog fight or missile duel – the terrifying speed of battle never lets up. The sky shrieks with metal menace. The intercept officer is screaming “Look out!”

The Famicom version by Sunsoft is considered superior to the US release by Tengen. Sunsoft cleaned up the game to remove the flicker, enhanced the music, and changed the color palette.

After Burner (Sunsoft)

Overview & History

Released in 1989, Sunsoft’s conversion of Sega’s arcade sensation, *After Burner*, brought high-octane pseudo-3D jet combat into the living rooms of NES owners. While the original arcade cabinet utilized hydraulic motion seats and sophisticated scaling hardware, the Famicom/NES port had to creatively circumvent 8-bit hardware limitations. Instead of raw sprite scaling, Sunsoft utilized clever tile manipulation and distinct color palettes to simulate the breakneck speed of piloting the fictional F-14 Tomcat, known as the "Super Tomcat," through relentless waves of enemy fighter squadrons and heavily fortified aerial fortresses.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The game thrusts players into an intense, behind-the-jet perspective across eighteen stages of non-stop aerial warfare. The storyline is classic arcade fare: pilot your agile fighter jet into enemy territory to annihilate the sinister Zabad architectural forces. Unlike the arcade version's cockpit view, the NES iteration features a rear-chase angle that frames your aircraft dead-center. Players must constantly manage evasion and offense simultaneously. Offensive capabilities include a standard Vulcan cannon for continuous pinpoint damage and a lock-on missile system capable of painting up to four enemy targets concurrently. Enemy fighters, missiles, and ground turrets swarm the screen from the horizon, requiring split-second barrel rolls to dodge incoming fire. Power-ups and mid-air refueling stages briefly break up the frantic dogfights, testing your precision as you align your jet with a support aircraft to replenish your limited missile inventory.