G-LOC: Air Battle

For the home computer game, see G-LOC (home computers).

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Y Board Mega Drive Master System US/EU JP
G-LOC: Air Battle
System(s): Sega Y Board, Sega R360 Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega R&D 8 Sega CS Probe Software M2
Supporting companies: Krisalis Software (audio)
Sound driver: Krisalis sound driver
Peripherals supported: Gear-to-Gear Cable
Genre: Shooting
Number of players: 1 1-2
Official in-game languages: English English 日本語
Release Date RRP Code JP 1990-05 ¥? ? JP (R360) 1990-11 ¥? ? US 1990 $? ? JP 1990-12-15 ¥3,5003,500 G-3204 US 1991-04 2301 EU 1991-06-29 2301 PT 1991 GGJ2301 UK 1991-06-29 £24.9924.99 2301 BR 199x 012120 EU 1992-01 7071 PT 199x UK 1992-01 £29.9929.99 7071 AU 199x FGLO02SEC BR 1992-05 KR 199x GB2009JG JP 1993-02-26 ¥6,8006,800 G-4079 US 1993-02 $49.9949.99 1120 EU 1993-01-21 1120 PT 199x UK 1993-01-21 £39.9939.99 1120 AU 199x AS 199x 1120-40 ZA 199x JP ▼ 2012-09-26 ¥286 (300)286e US ▼ 2013-07-04 $3.993.99 EU ▼ 2013-07-04 €3.993.99 DE ▼ 2013-07-04 €3.993.99 UK ▼ 2013-07-04 £3.593.59

G-LOC: Air Battle (G-LOC meaning "G-force induced Loss Of Consciousness") is a 1990 air combat simulator arcade game developed by Sega AM2 for the Sega Y Board hardware. It is a spiritual sequel to After Burner II, featuring similar gameplay ideas and some recycled sound effects, though has always been publicly advertised as a different game entirely. The original arcade version runs on more advanced Sega Y Board hardware, and makes heavy use of sprite scaling & rotation and pre-rendered 3D graphics, anticipating the look of early texture-mapped 3D polygons.

G-LOC is notable for being one of the first video games to offer an R360 arcade cabinet which could rotate 360 degrees on all three axes, immersing the player in the action. These versions of the game are sometimes referred to as G-LOC R360, though the gameplay itself is identical. The game was followed by Strike Fighter in 1991.

Gameplay

Like After Burner, the goal is to eliminate enemy planes, though in G-LOC there are also ground units. Also unlike games using the After Burner name, G-LOC uses a first person perspective, though it does occasionally pan out to a third person view when the player's plane is locked onto by an enemy.

Your plane is named A8M5 Thunderfox, nicknamed "Zeek", which is apparently a Japanese version of F-14 Tomcat.

History

Legacy

Though not as popular in arcades as After Burner, G-LOC was still ported to a variety of home platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear. Computer ports, often going by the name G-LOC R360 were released for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. All these versions suffer from various cutbacks due to weaker hardware, though some versions add extra features such as boss battles.

G-LOC was followed by Strike Fighter, which is extremely similar in design but ditches the time-based missions in favour of gameplay more akin to After Burner.

In Japan, the Game Gear version of G-LOC: Air Battle was brought to the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console service in September 2012.

Michael Jackson owned an arcade cabinet of the R360 version. It was auctioned on April 24, 2009.

Production credits

Main article: G-LOC: Air Battle/Production credits.

Arcade version

• Director & Designer: Yu Suzuki (YU.)
• Producer: Yu Suzuki (YU.)
• Background Graphics: Toshihiro Nagoshi (NAG)
• Music & Sounds: Hiroshi Miyauchi (HIR), Yasuhiro Takagi (YAS)
• Staff: (IWA), (KEN), (PAP), (SAD), (GAK), (MKA), (KYO), (MAC), (SUN), (SIM), (KOB)

---

R360 Arcade version

• Programmer: Yoshinari Sunazuka
• Takenobu Mitsuyoshi

Source:

Uncredited

Mega Drive version

A Probe Software Production

• Programmed by: Stu Gregg
• Graphics by: Bob Stevenson
• Produced by: Adrian Curry, Neil Young
• Audio by: Krysalis
• Music by: Matt Furniss
• Additional Artwork by: Lloyd Chidgzey

---

• Cover artist (US/EU): Marc Ericksen

Source:

Uncredited

Master System version

• Planners: Yukino, Yama, Yone
• Designers: Yukino, Yama
• Programmers: Yone, Minegishi
• Sound: Chikako
• Special Thanks: Matsu Tokujoe, Yeng Joe, Sakino
• Test Players: Matsu Tokujoe, Yeng Joe, Sakino
• Presented by: Sega

Game Gear version

• Planner: Jun Izy
• Coded by: Amira.T, Enda.D, Yuichi.M
• Design: Hfhfhf
• Sound: Tarnya
• Advice: K. Tany
• Director: Asohy

• Japanese cover artist: Yoshiaki Yoneshima

Source:

Sega TV Game Genga Gallery

File:Sega TV Game Genga Gallery.pdf

Magazine articles

Main article: G-LOC: Air Battle/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: G-LOC: Air Battle/Promotional material.

Artwork

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Photo gallery

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  Cabinet

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  Cabinet (R360)

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  Working model, Crimea 2015 01

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  02

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  03

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  04

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  05

Physical scans

Sega Y Board version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source CU Amiga (UK) 91 №82, p80/81

	91
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Computer & Video Games (UK) 86 Sinclair User (UK) 95 Sinclair User (UK) 99

	93
Based on 3 reviews

G-LOC: Air Battle

Y Board, US

Y Board, JP

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 58 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 45 Consoles + (FR) 73 Cool Gamer (RU) 40 Computer + Video Giochi (IT) 53 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 54 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 65 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 80 Game Power (IT) PAL 50 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 58 GamesMaster (UK) PAL 21 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 50 Joypad (FR) PAL 73 Joystick (FR) PAL 65 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 56 Mega (UK) PAL 22 Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U 51 MegaTech (UK) PAL 69 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 52 Player One (FR) 45 Play Time (DE) PAL 51 Power Up! (UK) 40 Sega Power (UK) PAL 32 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 80 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 70 Sega Force (UK) PAL 75 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 49 Supergame (BR) NTSC-J 91 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 70 Video Games (DE) 54

	56
Based on 31 reviews

G-LOC: Air Battle

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, Asia
Cover
Cart Manual Chinese Manual Epilepsy Warning

Mega Drive, ZA
Cover

Master System version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Console XS (UK) PAL 83 Computer & Video Games (UK) 80 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) PAL 83 Game Zone (UK) PAL 67 Hobby Consolas (ES) 40 Mega Force (FR) PAL 55 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 45 Mean Machines (UK) PAL 82 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 82 Play Time (DE) PAL 25 Sega Power (UK) PAL 55 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 83 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 82 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 83 Sega Force (UK) PAL 67 Supergame (BR) 81

	68
Based on 16 reviews

G-LOC: Air Battle

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, FR (Blister pack)
Cover

Master System, PT

Master System, AU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, AU (Wide hotline/NIAL stickers)
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU (Barcode sticker)
Cover

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, KR
Cover
Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score ACE (UK) 68 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 60 Consoles + (FR) 77 Console XS (UK) PAL 60 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 55 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 60 Game Mania (UK) 80 Game Power (IT) 61 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 72 Gamers (DE) 33 Games-X (UK) 58 Génération 4 (FR) 52 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 50 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 40 Hobby Consolas (ES) 75 Joystick (FR) 72 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 62 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 82 Raze (UK) PAL 76 Sega Power (UK) PAL 51 Sega Power (UK) PAL 50 Sega Pro (UK) 69 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 79 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 60 Sega Force (UK) PAL 92 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 56 User (GR) PAL 68 Video Games (DE) 52

	63
Based on 28 reviews

G-LOC: Air Battle

Game Gear, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, PT

Game Gear, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, BR (Alt Cover)

Technical information

Main article: G-LOC: Air Battle/Technical information.

Specifications

Dimensions

Deluxe	Cockpit	Upright
1.219 m (48") 1.9 m (74.8") 1.829 m (72")	919.48 mm (36.2") 1.483 m (58.4") 1.788 m (70.4")	711.2 mm (28") 1.905 m (75") 863.6 mm (34")
Mass: 245 kg (541 lbs)	Mass: 161 kg (354 lbs)	Mass: 141 kg (310 lbs)

External links

• Sega of Japan 3DS VC catalogue pages: Game Gear
• Nintendo catalogue pages: JP, US, UK

References

Games in the After Burner Series
	After Burner (1987) | After Burner II (home computers) (1987) | G-LOC: Air Battle (home computers) (1990) | Strike Fighter (1991) | Sky Target (1995) | Sega Strike Fighter (2000) | After Burner Climax (2006)
	After Burner (1987) | G-LOC: Air Battle (1991)
	After Burner (1988)
	After Burner II (1990) | G-LOC: Air Battle (1993)
	G-LOC: Air Battle (1990)
	After Burner III (1992)
	After Burner Complete (1995)
	Sega Ages After Burner II (1996) | Sky Target (1997)
	Sky Target (1997)
	After Burner II (200x) | After Burner II DX (2007)
	Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 10: After Burner II (2004)
	After Burner: Black Falcon (2007)
	After Burner Climax (2010)
	3D After Burner II (2013)
	After Burner Climax (2013)
After Burner related media
	Sega Game Music Vol. 3 After Burner (1987) | After Burner (1990) | Strike Fighter (1991) | Yu Suzuki Produce After Burner II (1997) | Yu Suzuki Produce G-LOC/R360/Virtua Racing (1998) | After Burner Climax Sound Track (2006) | After Burner 20th Anniversary Box (2007) | After Burner II (2018) | G-LOC Air Battle: Series Music Collection (2020)
	After Burner (1987) | After Burner / Super Hang-On (1987)