Aero the Acro-Bat 2

For the 2024 aftermarket re-release, see Aero the Acro-Bat 2 (Limited Run Games).

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Aero the Acro-Bat 2
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sunsoft
Developer: Iguana Entertainment
Supporting companies: Iguana UK (additional programming)
Distributor: Sega-Ozisoft (AU)
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1995-01 T-15166 EU 1995-08 T-15166-50 UK 1995-08 £29.9929.99 T-15166-50 AU 1995 FAER03SMC
Non-Sega versions Super NES
ESRA

Aero the Acro-Bat 2 is the sequel to Aero the Acro-Bat, and was released for the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo in 1994. Like its prequel, the game follows the adventures of Aero, a bat tasked with saving the world from Edgar Ektor.

There are several improvements over the original game, such as more moves, cutscenes that progress the game's story in between each world, and a password system that allows progress in the game to be saved.

Story

Batasha

The story starts directly after the events of the original game, where Aero had knocked his nemesis Edgar Ektor off of a tower. After knocking him off, Aero leaves to explore Ektor's museum, finding a mirror which brings him to an ancient castle. There, Aero meets an Eastern European bat named Batasha, who pleads for his help. Meanwhile, Ektor's henchman Zero manages to save him before he hits the ground and tells Zero to prepare a "Plan B."

Gameplay

The game is a side-scrolling platformer played as the "bat with attitude," Aero. The game is split into eight worlds, with all of them except for the last consisting of three acts each. The goal of each act is to reach the exit at the end, defeating enemies and collecting power-ups along the way.

Aero moves with and and ducks with . He runs after walking a short distance. He can slide along the ground with while running, which lets him slide under certain obstacles. He jumps with (or somersaults when running). Aero climbs ladders with and and slides down them with . The player can pan the camera by holding and using the D-Pad.

Aero retains his drill maneuver from the original game, which is his primary means of attack. It is performed by pressing in midair. The drill moves diagonally upwards but can be aimed diagonally downwards with +. He can drill once per jump normally, but he can find an item that allows him to drill twice. He can also drill multiple times in succession by bouncing off enemies. Aero gains a new ability called the drop drill that lets him drill directly downward by pressing in midair. This lets him attack enemies directly below him or sometimes uncover hidden areas by busting through the ground. The drop drill can be chained with the diagonal drill. He can also collect stars in each act that can be thrown at enemies with . He can throw stars while jumping but not while walking or ducking.

Aero has a health bar and starts each stage with three hit points (which can be extended up to five hit points by collecting items). He loses a hit point whenever he takes damage from an enemy and loses a life when he loses every hit point. Some hazards, such as swinging bells or fans that thrust him into the screen, cost Aero a life regardless of his health meter. Aero can gain more health and more lives by finding items in the stages. There is a password system for continuing.

Objects

	Cannon
	While standing on top of a cannon, Aero can load himself into it with and fire it by pressing , , or . The barrel fluctuates up and down while Aero is in it, and Aero flies higher and farther when the barrel is more fully extended.
	Aero Box
	Drill into the box to release health pick-ups.
	Barber Pole
	Aero revives at the last checkpoint passed if he loses a life.
	Chance Door
	Teleports Aero to a bonus room where he can earn an extra life.
	Exit Door
	The goal at the end of the act.

Items

	Magical Star
	Collect stars to throw at enemies with .
	Health Bar
	Increments Aero's health bar by a hit point, up to a maximum of 5.
	Hamburger
	Worth 10 points.
	Ice Cream Cone
	Worth 20 points.
	Candy Cane
	Worth 30 points.
	Root Beer
	Worth 40 points.
	Pizza
	Worth 50 points.
	AERO
	Collect all of the AERO letters in an act to play the Ektor shell game.
	Bonus Icon
	Grants Aero access to the bonus act after completing the current act. There is one of these hidden in each world (except the last).
	Wings
	Lets Aero fly for a short time.
	Double Drill
	Lets Aero perform his drill move twice in midair for as long as the timer lasts.
	Fire Aero
	Lets Aero perform a flaming drill move, which can be done twice in succession and plows through enemies instead of bouncing off, for as long as the timer lasts.
	Free Aero
	Gives the player an extra life.

Worlds

Each world, with the exception of the last, consists of 3 acts (plus a hidden bonus act). Fort Red Star, Dr. Dis Industries, and Ektor's Engine have boss fights.

	The Bell Castle
	The Boardin' Zone
	Password:
	Fort Red Star
	Password:
	Disco Fever
	Password:
	Dr. Dis Industries
	Password:
	Performers' Dungeon
	Password:
	Ektor's Engine
	Password:

Bonus act

Aero enters a bonus act after completing the current stage if he finds a Bonus Icon item. Every world has a bonus act except for Ektor's Engine. The bonus act is filled with food items for bonus points and contains no enemies.

Bell Castle bonus act

Boardin' Zone bonus act

Fort Red Star bonus act

Disco Fever bonus act

Dr. Dis Industries bonus act

Performers' Dungeon bonus act

Bonus game

Bonus game

The player plays a bonus game if Aero finds all of the AERO letters in a act. It is a shell game where Ektor shuffles three cups around. One cup contains an extra life, another contains 1,000 bonus points, and the last cup contains nothing. The player is shown which item is under which cup before Ektor begins moving them and must pick a cup when he is done (using and and pressing , , or to confirm). The player receives whichever item is under the chosen cup.

Production credits

• Created and Produced by: David Siller
• Directed by: Nigel Cook, Carl Wade
• Design by: Nigel Cook
• Team Leader: Carl Wade
• Programmers: Carl Wade, Richard Cowie
• Additional Programming: Iguana UK
• Project Manager: Jay Moon
• Creative Director: Nigel Cook
• Art Director: Matt Stubbington
• Technical Director: Craig Galley
• Executive Producer: Jeff Spangenberg
• Lead Artists: Jonathan Casco, Michael McCallion
• Artists: Adrian Ludley, Gregg Hargrove, Patrick Thomas, Adam McCarthy
• Additional Art: William B. Yeatts, Matt Stubbington
• Music Coordinators: Jay Moon, Darrin Stubbington
• Music and Sound Effects: Fox Productions
• Sunsoft Art Director: Mario Zavala
• Technical Manager: Al Artus
• Consumer Product Manager: Steve Gehrke
• Marketing Director: Karen Shadley
• Chairman: Masami Maeda
• Vice Chairman: Tad Shimamoto
• Director Sunsoft Japan: Kiharu Yoshida
• International Coordinator: Kenji Yoshioka
• Game Test Manager: Sam Patel
• Game Testing: Mike Spangenberg, Steve Rizor, Daniel Rizor, Ryan Siller, Matthew Ross, Dan MacArthur, Steve Gehrke, René Boutin, Justin Siller
• Game Manual: Alison Quirion
• Executive Assistant: Nanette Hyssong
• Customer Service and Credit: Kazuko Harman, June Eckert, Julie Williams, Jamie Jorgenson, Erin Berry, Connie Perez, Jaupale Laster
• Sunsoft Thanks To: Bruce Reilly, Cathy Juby, Toko Okano, Darin Horgan, John Davis, Karen Lillie, Sherry Ross, Akito Takeuchi, Kazuaki Gotou, Masato Kawai
• Very Special Thanks: Debra Siller
• In Memory Of: Ayrton Senna
• Iguana Thanks To: Stephen Broumley, Pete Suarez, Beth Spangenberg, Tammy Mullins, Jane Notgrass, John Lowe

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Aero the Acro-Bat 2/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in GamePro (US) #64: "November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:

• EGM² (US) #5: "November 1994" (1994-1x-xx)
• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #65: "December 1994" (1994-xx-xx)

Print advert in Next Generation (US) #1: "Premiere Issue 1995" (1994-12-08)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 80 Cool Gamer (RU) 50 Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U 75 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 78 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 60 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 5 (RU) 90 GameFan (US) NTSC-U 90 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 70 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 83 MAN!AC (DE) PAL 78 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 79 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 79 Next Generation (US) NTSC-U 50 Play Time (DE) PAL 77 Sega Magazin (DE) 81 Sega Magazine (UK) PAL 76 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 67 Sega Megazone (AU) 65 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 79

	74
Based on 19 reviews

Aero the Acro-Bat 2

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual Manual (back) PCB

Mega Drive, AU
Cover
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Aero the Acro-Bat 2/Technical information.