Aero Fighters doesn't look much different from any of the other shmups at the time at first look. However, it has several features that really separate it from the previous prevailing style of shmups, what I call the Toaplan style. The Toaplan style began with Tiger Heli in 1985, got big with Twin Cobra/Fire Shark/Sky Shark around 1987, and was then epitomized by Seibu Kaihatsu's Raiden, in 1990.
These games all had defining features: a background that was larger than the screen and could scroll sideways; killer soundtracks that you can't get out of your head; difficult but unimpressive bosses, such as large tanks and airplanes; and for most, collectible medals that gave you a special bonus at the end of the level.
Now on to Aero Fighters. Aero Fighters broke from this style in several important ways, which I'll outline now.
Story:
There actually IS a story in Aero Fighters. It's silly and occasionally self-aware that it is silly. Each pilot has a separate story (yes there are separate pilots). This adds an element to the game that was never present in the formulaic Toaplan shooters. As stories go it's not much of a story, but hey, it's a scrolling shooter, and it's better than Zero Wing.
Pilot/plane selection:
This is also an innovation as far as I know. None of the earlier shooters allowed any choice in what aircraft you would fly, let alone each one actually having a distinct pilot. Aero Fighters has both, and it adds much-appreciated depth to a genre that had started to shamelessly copy itself by 1990.
Music:
Instead of the awesome melodic soundtracks of the past, Aero Fighters features non-linear, non-melodic soundtracks that have an atmospheric feel to them. Aero Fighters feels a little less like a video game and more like a streamlined experience because of this.
Bosses:
The bosses in Aero Fighters are huge, and many are ridiculous. Aside from the standard planes and tanks, there’s a giant crawling mech bug, a monkey in space, and a couple of others. They add to the sense that Aero Fighters is at once a more realistic shooter than any previous, and yet also a sillier and more fun one.
Graphics:
Instead of the cartoonish graphical style of the Toaplan games, Aero Fighters comes as close to realistic as the SNES can. It also ups the destructible environment factor by letting you annihilate skyscrapers in one level and aircraft bunkers in another.
Pacing:
Aero Fighters is fast-scrolling, busy, hectic. It’s a real precursor to the bullet hell style, especially since the fixed left and right viewing area affords no safe spots from bullets.
Verdict:
Aero Fighters is an awesome shmup and a unique experience if you’re a fan of the Raiden/Twin Cobra style of shmup. By now they all feel more similar than they must have in the 90s, but this was holds up quite well compared to so many others. Give a try, but if you want a real cartridge look out – this game costs about $150 used because it’s one of the rarest in the SNES library.
Aero Fighters doesn't look much different from any of the other shmups at the time at first look. However, it has several features that really separate it from the previous prevailing style of shmups, what I call the Toaplan style. The Toaplan style began with Tiger Heli in 1985, got big with Twin Cobra/Fire Shark/Sky Shark around 1987, and was then epitomized by Seibu Kaihatsu's Raiden, in 1990.
These games all had defining features: a background that was larger than the screen and could scroll sideways; killer soundtracks that you can't get out of your head; difficult but unimpressive bosses, such as large tanks and airplanes; and for most, collectible medals that gave you a special bonus at the end of the level.
Now on to Aero Fighters. Aero Fighters broke from this style in several important ways, which I'll outline now.
Story:
There actually IS a story in Aero Fighters. It's silly and occasionally self-aware that it is silly. Each pilot has a separate story (yes there are separate pilots). This adds an element to the game that was never present in the formulaic Toaplan shooters. As stories go it's not much of a story, but hey, it's a scrolling shooter, and it's better than Zero Wing.
Pilot/plane selection:
This is also an innovation as far as I know. None of the earlier shooters allowed any choice in what aircraft you would fly, let alone each one actually having a distinct pilot. Aero Fighters has both, and it adds much-appreciated depth to a genre that had started to shamelessly copy itself by 1990.
Music:
Instead of the awesome melodic soundtracks of the past, Aero Fighters features non-linear, non-melodic soundtracks that have an atmospheric feel to them. Aero Fighters feels a little less like a video game and more like a streamlined experience because of this.
Bosses:
The bosses in Aero Fighters are huge, and many are ridiculous. Aside from the standard planes and tanks, there’s a giant crawling mech bug, a monkey in space, and a couple of others. They add to the sense that Aero Fighters is at once a more realistic shooter than any previous, and yet also a sillier and more fun one.
Graphics:
Instead of the cartoonish graphical style of the Toaplan games, Aero Fighters comes as close to realistic as the SNES can. It also ups the destructible environment factor by letting you annihilate skyscrapers in one level and aircraft bunkers in another.
Pacing:
Aero Fighters is fast-scrolling, busy, hectic. It’s a real precursor to the bullet hell style, especially since the fixed left and right viewing area affords no safe spots from bullets.
Verdict:
Aero Fighters is an awesome shmup and a unique experience if you’re a fan of the Raiden/Twin Cobra style of shmup. By now they all feel more similar than they must have in the 90s, but this was holds up quite well compared to so many others. Give a try, but if you want a real cartridge look out – this game costs about $150 used because it’s one of the rarest in the SNES library.
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