After Burner
From Sega Retro
After Burner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega X Board, Sega Master System | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Sega AM2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- For the sequel and the Mega Drive and home computer versions, see After Burner II.
After Burner (アフターバーナー) is a third-person rail shooter arcade game designed by Yu Suzuki and developed by Sega AM2 in 1987. The game was released in three variations: a standard upright cabinet, and two cockpit versions, one that tilts left and right, and one a rotating cockpit version.
After Burner stands as one of Sega's most successful arcade games, building on the momentum started earlier in the decade with Hang-On, Space Harrier and OutRun. It was the first game to utilise Sega X Board technology, allowing for the easy scaling and rotation of in-game sprites, producing three-dimensional graphics. It is also remembered for its then-revolutionary sit-down cabinet design, complete with a horizontally rotating seat and a vertically rotating cockpit, controlled (like the game) by the integrated analog flight stick, with the cabinet's motion corresponding to the joystick's movement.
Its analog flight-stick controls moved in all directions and measured the degree of push, a precursor to the analog thumbsticks of the N64 and later consoles. After Burner's gameplay also featured a lock-on system, which was adopted by later rail shooters such as Sega's Panzer Dragoon and Rez (Retro Gamer, №145, p28).
Contents
Gameplay
In After Burner, the player pilots an F-14 Tomcat-inspired jet through 18 levels, destroying enemies with machine gun fire and a limited supply of missiles. Similar to Space Harrier, it is an "on-the-rails" shooter - the plane will travel continuously into the screen, with players only able to adjust its X and Y coordinates.
The objective in After Burner is to survive through each of the 18 stages, usually by avoiding enemy missile fire, however "bonus" stages, which occur every six levels, require the player to dodge scenery and not crash. Shooting down enemies is technically optional, although alleviates the risk of being destroyed. The player has a limited supply of missiles which are refueled at various intervals throughout the game.
History
Development
After Burner was originally designed to have melodies play over the "After Burner/Red Out" and "Final Take Off" music tracks, but these were taken out of the final game, potentially through fears that they'd be drowned out in a busy arcade environment. Though these versions were never heard in the arcades, they adapted for the album Sega Game Music Vol. 3 After Burner in 1987 (appearing in other albums since), and have been brought back as options in later games (for example, 3D After Burner II).
Legacy
The original After Burner was released exclusively in Japan, however the western world would receive an updated version of the game, After Burner II in the months which followed. After Burner II is extremely similar in design, bar a few minor tweaks (such as a throttle control, extra levels and slight changes to the missile system), so much so that people often consider it to be a more "complete" version of After Burner than a direct sequel. Due to the similarities and shared cabinet designs and artwork, After Burner II is frequently confused for the original After Burner. A similar relationship would develop with Galaxy Force and Galaxy Force II, also produced by Sega AM2.
In its original form, After Burner was only ported to the Sega Master System, however many ports of After Burner II were released under the name of After Burner for home consoles and computers, including the Amiga (twice), Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, FM Towns, MSX, PC Engine, Sharp X68000 and ZX Spectrum.
It was also ported to the Sega 32X by Rutubo Games and went under the name of After Burner Complete.
After Burner in its original form was also released as part of Sega Arcade Gallery for the Game Boy Advance.
Critical Reception
- See Physical scans section for review scores
In Japan, the arcade game was well received. The 1987 Gamest Awards gave it the award for "Best Graphics". It was also the runner-up for Gamest's "Game of the Year" award, and also came eighth place for the "Best Speech Synthesis" award and sixth place for the "Best Ending" award.[3]
In Europe, the arcade game was also well received. Clare Edgeley gave it a positive review in the November 1987 issue of Computer and Video Games magazine, where she recommended the audience to try it out.[4] In the 1987 Christmas Special issue of Crash, Julian Rignall and Daniel Gilbert gave it a more mixed review. They stated, "Sega, maker of Super Hang-On and Out Run, has just released its most impressive-looking game" yet, "an aerial-combat simulation" with "colourful and incredibly fast graphics" that is "possibly the fastest 3-D yet" seen. They also praised the rotating cockpit cabinet which "rocks and rolls as the plane banks and moves" as "very impressive" but criticized the playability, specifically the plane handling and joystick feedback, and the "overpriced" cost of 50p per go (equivalent to £1.23 or $1.94 in 2014).[5] In the February 1988 issue of The Games Machine, Robin Hogg and Cameron Pound gave it a positive review, describing it as the "hottest Sega release so far".[6]
In North America, the August 1988 issue of Computer Gaming World praised After Burner on the Sega Master System.[7]
Production credits
X Board version
The arcade version of After Burner II has no detailed credits screen, instead aliases of the developers are seen on the backs of clothing in the ending sequence:
Kio, Yu, Bo, Kim, Hiro, Asu, MK, Bin, Mr, Sada, Ken
Gallery
Promotional material
Master System JP television advert
Master System US television advert
- UltimateGamesMachine SMS UK PrintAd.jpg
Master System UK print advert
Physical scans
X Board version
Sega Retro Average | ||||
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N/A | |
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Based on 0 reviews |
X Board, JP | ||||
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Master System version
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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64 | |
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Based on 21 reviews |
Master System, KR |
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:ACE UK 07.pdf, page 51 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:ACE UK 07.pdf_p51" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ http://www.mamedb.com/game/aburner
- ↑ [Gamest, The Best Game 2: Gamest Mook Vol. 112, p. 6-26 Gamest, The Best Game 2: Gamest Mook Vol. 112, p. 6-26]
- ↑ File:CVG UK 073.pdf, page 134
- ↑ http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/76/10/after_burner_review.html
- ↑ File:TGM UK 03.pdf, page 71
- ↑ File:CGW US 050.pdf, page 47
- ↑ File:PowerPlay DE 002.pdf, page 104
- ↑ File:SinclairUser UK 073.pdf, page 82
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 File:ASM DE 1988-03.pdf, page 41 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:ASM DE 1988-03.pdf_p41" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 11.0 11.1 File:CGtC UK 04.pdf, page 89 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:CGtC UK 04.pdf_p89" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 12.0 12.1 File:CVG UK 077.pdf, page 122 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:CVG UK 077.pdf_p122" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 13.0 13.1 File:TGM UK 04.pdf, page 54 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:TGM UK 04.pdf_p54" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 14.0 14.1 File:PowerPlay DE 003.pdf, page 91 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:PowerPlay DE 003.pdf_p91" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 15.0 15.1 File:SegaPro UK 01.pdf, page 18 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 01.pdf_p18" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 47
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 52
- ↑ Computer Action, "Juli/August 89" (DK; 1989-0x-xx), page 34
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 137
- ↑ Games Preview, "8/9 1989" (DK; 1989-xx-xx), page 67
- ↑ Génération 4, "Eté 1988" (FR; 1988-0x-xx), page 20
- ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Enero 1990" (ES; 19xx-xx-xx), page 27
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 132
- ↑ Sega News, "Říjen 1996" (CZ; 1996-xx-xx), page 27
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 40
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70
- ↑ Software Gids, "Mei/Juni 1990" (NL; 1990-05-xx), page 31
- ↑ Tilt, "Mai 1988" (FR; 1988-0x-xx), page 100
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