Genesis Game Reviews: OutRun

Why is everyone burning out their tires?

The 1980's was a time before Street Figther 2 and its many imitators dominated arcades. Companies were racing to create the next big sensation to eat people's spare quarters. Because of this the arcades of the time were a showcase for incredible graphics and enticing gimmicks that home consoles like the NES could never dream of being able to emulate. Unlike today arcades were where you went for eye-candy and ground-breaking games. It's difficult for some people these days to grasp how big a deal it was for the Sega Genesis to deliver unabridged versions arcade hits on a home platform. Before the Genesis it was just accepted that the arcade and home experiences were two different things.

Time to sit back, relax and drive like a maniac.

Sega's most famous arcade branch AM2 and its exceptional designer Yu Suzuki are known for creating classic after classic in during that decade and their success continues well into the present. Using clever programming tricks they designed some of the most visually impressive games of their day. Hang-On, Space Harrier, After Burner and our subject for today, OutRun used what they called "Super-Scaler" technology that created a simple pseudo-3D effect at extremely high frame rates. These games were also some of the first 16-bit arcade games and not only did they look incredible compared to their counterparts but they played fast and fun. Some of the arcade cabinet gimmicks they used included a motorcycle frame to sit on and steer through leaning in Hang-On and the interior of a car with unheard of force-feedback that moved the entire machine with the deluxe cabinet of OutRun. If nothing else these attractions would draw your attention away from the usual stand-up cabinets and force you to notice them.

Switching on some tunes with my weird looking hand.

Many cut-down versions of Sega's arcade hits ended up on their Master System and a few of them even went over to their competitor's unstoppably popular NES as well as a few computers of the time. Needless to say when Sega would release their 16-bit home system, the Genesis, far more arcade accurate versions of these games would be released for it.

OutRun is in many ways a follow up to the earlier motorcycle racing game Hang-On though it differs in many ways. Both games made an excellent conversion to the Genesis which had more than enough horsepower to do them justice even though the scaling isn't quite as foolproof as it is in the arcades. Both games used the "Super-Scaler" technology to great effect creating interesting atmospheres with believable speed and cool effects like hills. It's something we might take for granted today but the elevation changes were a big innovation for driving games which used to be limited to driving on flat surfaces. The illusion of movement is created by scaling sprites from small to large towards the player making them look like they're coming at you while the road would use alternating strips of dark and light colors to give the illusion that you're driving over it. It was ingeniously simple and effective and it gave these games an unprecedented sense of speed.

People sure are excited to see me break every traffic law on the book.

Like Hang-On, OutRun is a race to the finish against the clock. Instead of a sport bike you're a guy driving with his girlfriend in a generic red sports car that has been popularly recognized as a convertible Ferrari Testarossa. Called the Testarossa Spider, in reality there is only one legitimate convertible variant of this car in existence though unofficial Spider modifications have been done.

Unlike it's motorcycle cousin you're not really racing against anyone else in particular and are just trying to get from point-A to point-B as quickly as possible. It's a simple premise that isn't as boring as you would think and the nature of the game always reminded me of speed-driving movies like Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run. Instead of other racers you have to contend with traffic which comes in a small assortment of different cars and gives you the feeling that you're driving on real roads instead of a race track. Yu Suzuki himself once said that he doesn't consider OutRun a racing game, but a driving game.

Cool sailboats.

Another innovation that set this game apart from the competition and added to the idea that you were driving along on actual roadways were the forks before each checkpoint. You could choose to go either left or right and depending on which path you took you'd end up in a new environment. In comparison Hang-On and most other racing titles of the time had you driving on a predetermined track. This was an excellent feature that added to the longevity of the otherwise short arcade gameplay. After you beat one route you wanted to play again to see what you missed on the other routes. The different stages were attractive to look at and switching them up kept the experience from growing stale. One moment you could be driving on a sunny beach then you would move on to a scenic mountain road or possibly end up in the desert where the roads are unpaved or on a snowy highway. Am2 even upped the ante by giving the game multiple endings depending on which paths you decided to take.

Suddenly we're in ancient Rome or something.

Other than the 3D effects the rest of the graphics were highly detailed. The Ferrari you drive was lovingly recreated right down to the prancing horse logo and the people inside are fully visible and look great. In Hang-On when you crash you fall off of your bike while in OutRun if you hit an obstacle on the side of the road hard enough you'll either spin out and get told off by your girlfriend or be sent flying out of your car as it tumbles end-over-end down the highway. It's a nice touch that along with some of the goofy endings adds to the humor and overall laid-back feel of the game. Other little things that you'd notice if they weren't there like your break-lights and smoking tires really put the game over the top in the detail department for a title this old. I have only one minor gripe with the graphics; because the obstacles on the side of the road are being repetitively scaled to convey the sense of speed they're very repetitious carbon copies of each other. It's not so bad with objects like trees and billboards but sometimes stuff like an army of identical boat shops is a little weird. As I said earlier the scaling is not quite as good as the arcade game and it can be a little choppy at times.

Note: A Ferrari is not built for desert driving.

The game has very simple controls with A-button to break, B-button to accelerate and C-Button to shift gears between low and high. It's archaic by today's standards but the driving is smooth and entertaining regardless. Much of the fun has to do with the atmosphere because even though you're on a timer something about the game just makes it feel relaxed. It's like going out for a leisurely drive (like a maniac in a super-sports car) without actually going out for a drive. The car controls flawlessly with the Sega Genesis controller even though it's not quite the same experience you'd get from the steering wheel in the arcade. Unlike Hang-On's Genesis port, Super Hang-On, OutRun seems to be a straight arcade port with no additional gaming modes though you have the option to adjust the difficulty.

The only sound-effect that really stands out in my mind is the tire-screeching which can get annoying. The music on the other-hand is superb. The Genesis version comes with all three selectable tracks from the arcade original and a bonus fourth track that really rocks. Memorable soundtracks really add a lot of character to simple games like this and OutRun's is very memorable.

I knew I should have brought a map.

This game might not turn many heads today but it's an arcade classic that set the standard for driving games in its day. It's still a blast to play today and that's saying something because typically I'm not a fan of racing games. It's got a lot of character to it that elevates it beyond the generic. It doesn't take very long to drive through the game and once you've seen everything, you've seen everything so some people might not get a lot of replay-value out of this one. Personally I find it to be one of those games, like many arcade titles, that you can play again and again simply because the gameplay itself is so enjoyable.

Shrugging off a 170 MPH crash.

As I discussed earlier OutRun was ported to several other systems as well and even had a second 3D glasses version for the Master System though the Genesis version is probably the most arcade-perfect. It also recieved three of what Yu Suzuki has termed "unofficial" sequels on the Genesis; the Japan only Turbo OutRun, the futuristic OutRun 2019 and OutRunners. They were good games in their own right but failed to recapture the charm of the original. The franchise has stayed alive and has seen a few modern remakes such as its official sequel OutRun 2 and OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, this time with official Ferrari licensing.

The map of our very diverse neighborhood.

OutRun is ultimately less a game about race driving and more a game about luxury and relaxation as you fly an expensive sports car through beautiful locales with your girl by your side. It's 1980's escapism at its finest.

Moments before they drop me on my spine and end my racing career.

Scoring:

Presentation: 9 The feeling of freedom on the open road while you enjoy the excesses of an expensive Italian sports car and a hot babe helps to elevate OutRun from a simple driving game to a timeless classic. The funny endings and lots of other little details really show the care that Sega put in their old arcade titles. It only loses a point for being a little choppier than the arcade version.

Gameplay: 9 I would give it a perfect ten for its tight controls and excellent sensation of speed but the game is just a little too short considering you reach the end in around six minutes. You've only got the normal arcade mode so it won't take you long to see it all. There's nothing more to it than driving from beginning to end but thankfully that's such an enjoyable experience that it doesn't matter much. The game is fine as it is but I can't help but feel they should have included something more like they did with Super Hang-On's original mode. It was common for arcade ports to have extra modes but apparently Sega felt this one stood up fine on its own.

Graphics: 8 While it's really close to the arcade some of the colors have been dulled a bit, yet the game still remains exceptionally colorful for an earlier Genesis title. The Genesis also can't handle the sprite scaling as well as the arcade hardware though it's as close to an arcade perfect port as you're going to get on the console and is a big improvement over the earlier Master System port.

Sound: 9 The music is one of the things that OutRun will be forever remembered for. All of the tracks are catchy and memorable. It's some of the best classic video game music of all time and it sounds incredible on the Genesis. The only problem I have is that the somewhat annoying tire-screeches distract from the wonderful tunes.

Lasting Appeal: 8 Like most of the arcade classics it's got a simple and addictive concept that's fun to pick up and play for a few minutes. It's not the type of game that you'll sit down and play all day then beat and never pick up again. It's the type of game that you'll have the urge to play for a few minutes every once in a while that never gets old. You'll always be trying to shave a few seconds off your time.

Overall Average: 8.6/10

Recommendations:

Collector: Out of all of the arcade ports that helped cement the popularity of the Genesis this is probably one of the best. It's a real Sega classic and I've never met a Sega fan who disliked OutRun. As far as I'm concerned it's a must have for any Genesis collection. It's one of the first in a long line of stellar Sega arcade racers.

Gamer: If you like racing games this one may be a little odd to you at first and possibly seem a little too simplistic. Give it a shot and once you get into the atmosphere and the casual feel of the gameplay you might start to understand what makes it so enjoyable.

Genesis Developers: Toaplan

The shoot'em up, the scrolling shooter, the shmup; whatever you want to call it it's one of the oldest and most enduring styles of video game. For our purposes we'll simplify things by going with the popular (and shorter) designation of shmup.

In these games you take on the role of the lone hero, or heroes in two player varieties, forced up against impossible odds. You usually, but not always, face down entire enemy armies in some kind of spaceship or aircraft. These games are usually known for their high difficulty that require practice and memorization and for their fantastic action.

Shmups found themselves at home on Sega's arcade oriented Mega Drive/Genesis but unfortunately with an overabundance of these titles released, and their waning popularity with a general public who viewed the game style as growing old and archaic, the genre practically died out maintaining only a niche audience. A minor resurgence is occurring in the present day though shmups will probably never be as popular and important as they once were. Regardless of all this, if you love shmups you will love the Genesis and its massive selection.

I told you that story so I could tell you this one. If you're not into shmups you probably never heard of a company called Toaplan save for the infamous "All your base are belong to us." meme from a game called Zero Wing. Toaplan however is an important player in the history of shmups and not just because they gave rise to the companies Gazelle, 8ing/Raizing, Takumi and Cave. Their first major hits Tiger-Heli and Sky Shark added more destruction than was usual for shmups at the time allowing you to decimate buildings, vehicles and other objects on the ground that weren't necessarily enemy combatants. It's difficult to use the word "realism" when talking about this genre but it certainly added to the atmosphere. Catchy music and other memorable gameplay quirks like enemy tanks driving in formation cemented their popularity.

They would continue to produce several quality shmups with a few games from other genres in-between. This ended with their magnum opus Batsugun, arguably the first of today's manic shooter sub-genre, though its success couldn't save them from bankruptcy. Thankfully the spirit lived on in the splinter companies I already mentioned.

Since this is a blog about the Sega Genesis we're obviously here to see what contributions they made to that particular console so read on and enjoy some of Toaplan's legacy.

Truxton (1989):


Truxton was the first Toaplan game to make it to the Genesis and it truly stands out as one of the best early games on the console. It's your usual space-shmup where you fly your lone super-ship against an evil star empire. Often criticized in modern times as being overrated and mostly loved out of nostalgia I tend to disagree since I didn't play it when I was younger and I still found it to be a lot of fun. The game is hectic with enemies swarming you from the front and the back. You have your choice of a standard red spread shot, a focused but powerful green shot or an awesome blue lightning shot that locks onto enemies. Another infamous weapon is the screen clearing-bomb that explodes into a giant skull. The levels are lengthy and difficult though the easy mode offers unlimited continues for inexperienced players. The graphics won't knock you out of your chair today but are nicely detailed for a 1989 home console game.


With great action and catchy music Truxton is old-school entertainment and simplicity at its finest. It's generally easy to find though I've noticed the price creeping up in recent years. I partially blame the incredible amount of undying love this game gets from Mark of Classic Game Room for that.

Twin Hawk (1990):


Twin Hawk is often criticized for being a clone of Capcom's popular 1943. Personally I feel the game is far more unique than that. Yes you're flying a fighter/bomber in a World War 2 styled scenario but a few things make this title different. One of those things is the fact that you're only doing battle against ground targets. If you like blowing apart tanks then this is the game for you. Luckily, blowing up tanks is one of the funnest things to do in Toaplan shooters if you ask me. Without any air targets there's nothing for the player to crash into leaving you to focus completely on enemy bullets.

Another very memorable aspect of this game is your squadron. Instead of just dropping a powerful bomb like in most shmups you call in a squadron of fighters to fly along with you and shoot at the enemies giving you practically full screen coverage with your shots. It's something I've never seen in this type of game before. No longer are you a lone fighter just the only competent one. When your buddies are hit they don't just welcome death they dive headlong into a kamikaze attack straight into the nearest enemy! You can also manually disband your squadron by ordering them to simultaneously kamikaze without needing to be shot down. Brutal. It's a really cool gimmick but unfortunately the game's setting and lack of air targets make this one feel a little bland at times.


This one wasn't released in the United States for some reason but you can find the European version rather cheap. The Japanese one will cost you a bit more. If you've got no trouble importing games this is a fun shooter with unique elements though I find myself preferring Fire Shark much more.

Fire Shark (1990):


One of my favorite shmups, Fire Shark is also my personal favorite Toaplan game on the Genesis and second only to Truxton for many others. Fire Shark is the sequel to their break out game Sky Shark. Like Twin Hawk the action takes place down on Earth which is the setting where I feel Toaplan gives us its best designs due to all of the little details they like to include. In Fire Shark you pilot a bi-plane instead of a high-tech super-fighter but this humble looking vehicle houses some ridiculously powerful weaponry. Much like Truxton you have your standard spread shot, powerful forward firing shot and your ultimate weapon which in this case is a powerful flamethrower. Once upgraded steady streams of napalm death will sweep the screen showing off probably one of the deadliest shmup weapons ever conceived. It doesn't make you invincible however and dying will severely punish you by leaving you slow and under-armed. Many times have I gotten cocky in Fire Shark only to die a stupid death and screw myself in later levels.


Because you're flying a bi-plane and fighting everything from other antique aircraft to hi-tech jets and tanks the setting is a little odd though it gives you a lot of variety in terms of things to blow up and it's nowhere near as strange as some modern entries in the genre. It's also not the most difficult shmup in the world but is still a challenge on the higher difficulties and is simply a blast to play. Fire Shark is also common and inexpensive so there's no excuse not to have this excellent title in your collection.

Hellfire (1990):


Taking place in the traditional space setting, Hellfire is a horizontal shmup as opposed to the previously mentioned titles' vertical scrolling. You don't hear much about this one and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the serviceable but forgettable graphics or more likely the legendarily high difficulty but Hellfire is a certainly a decent game that doesn't get enough credit. The main gimmick of Hellfire is the ability to switch between four primary weapons at will. A forward shot, a backward shot, an above and below shot and finally a shot that shoots in all four diagonal directions. Since you can cover all of your angles you can bet your ass that the game will throw enemies at you in every direction and it certainly does. Later levels will leave you struggling once you die and lose your power-ups. A familiar scenario for many shmup fans.


If you like horizontal shooters and have already played the hell (no pun intended) out of the Thunder Force series this one shouldn't be too hard to find or expensive to pick up. Just be aware that it's not going to be a cakewalk.

Twin Cobra (1991):


Twin Cobra is the follow-up to Toaplan's Tiger-Heli where you take control of an attack helicopter and blow apart enemy tanks and aircraft. A popular arcade game from 1987, the Genesis port of Twin Cobra leaves something to be desired. It's not the worst shmup on the system by a long shot but after giving us Truxton, Fire Shark and even Twin Hawk the uninspired graphics and below-average gameplay make Twin Cobra feel like a step in the wrong direction.


It still feels like a Toaplan game and thanks to that it's fun and difficult but compared to the others it comes off as a watered down experience. You can't really use the excuse of the arcade original's age for this one either since the arcade version is a much more enjoyable experience. There was also a version of this on the NES. The Genesis game is at least better, and harder, than that one. Still, you can find this game dirt cheap and if you're a fan of Toaplan's gameplay style you might get something out of it. Just don't expect the same quality as the earlier games.

Zero Wing (1991):


Well here it is, the infamous Zero Wing. Known primarily for its horrible English translation and the phrase "All your base are belong to us." which blossomed into an Internet meme, Zero Wing is another horizontal space shmup that puts the last surviving pilot of a doomed starship crew up against insurmountable odds. Depending on who you talk to Zero Wing is either generic and forgettable or one of the better shmups on the Genesis. I suppose I fall between the two groups somewhere. I like Zero Wing but it doesn't do much to differentiate itself from the crowd.

The game has an interesting gimmick (beyond its hilarious translation) to try and keep your interest. You have a capture beam that pulls enemy ships in front of you so you can use them as a shield. If you do this to a larger ship its weight will start to pull you down and might accidentally cause you to crash. You've got your usual assortment of weapons with the standard shot, the powerful focused shot and a homing shot which I usually find to be the most useful.


Like Twin Hawk this game was also only released in Europe and Japan and because of its Internet fame you'll probably have to pay a decent amount for a copy. Unless you really want it for the humor or you just happen to really like the game I'd say you could safely pass on Zero Wing.

Snow Bros. Nick and Tom (1993):


One of the few non-shooters in Toaplan's library. Snow Bros. is essentially just a clone of Taito's popular Bubble Bobble. That's not really a bad thing and Snow Bros. is not a bad game either. Released only in Japan and sometimes demanding well over one-hundred dollars on eBay it's probably not a title you're going to add to your collection any time soon.


Snow Bros. is a single-screen platformer where you cover your enemies with snow and give them a shove, sometimes plowing over other enemies that get in the way of the giant snowball you've created. You can also get harmlessly pushed around if you happen to be in the way of the snowball. The goal is to defeat every enemy in the stage and move up to the next level. If you take too much time an invincible pumpkin headed baddie will show up and start to hunt you down. Every ten stages or so you'll fight a boss to break up the monotony.

It's a nice game and a very addictive one but nowhere near worth the price of admission.

Slap Fight (1993):


Another game that was abandoned in Japan that regularly fetches prices of over one-hundred bucks. Just like Snow Bros. It's not a bad game but not necessarily deserving of that kind of cash.

Slap Fight is sort of the bastard child of two classic Konami shooters Xevious and Gradius. The original arcade game was released way back in 1986 so the 1993 Mega Drive release of this title makes sense in the context of a nostalgic port of a classic game rather than attempting to be a cutting edge shmup. The overhead view and enemy designs seem straight out of Xevious but the power up system where you collect stars and choose what upgrades you want comes directly from Gradius. Maybe in 1986 Toaplan just hadn't quite developed their identity yet since they were borrowing these mechanics from the popular Konami cabinets of the time? Beats me.

What's important is that these gameplay mechanics work pretty well for Slap Fight. Gradius similarities aside the upgrade system does manage to earn some points for originality. When you make new additions to your arsenal you also increase the size of your ship. As you continue building yourself up eventually it's going to be nearly impossible to dodge enemy shots. It's an interesting concept that punishes the player for getting too greedy.


Aside from the original arcade version there's also a rearranged version of the game called "special" mode where you get a version of Slap Fight with improved graphics, music and new gameplay elements such as a bomb that's independent of your other power ups. In a way you're getting two Slap Fight games for the price of one. Unfortunately that price is way too high and even the special version's graphics are old and outdated looking.

Grind Stormer (1994):


The final Toaplan game released for Genesis by Tengen in 1994, the year Toaplan itself went bankrupt. Thankfully Grind Stormer is a pretty good game but unfortunately many of the cartridges Tengen produced are defective. Not only has this added a few dollars to the game's price tag for a working copy but you should probably make sure you're able to return it if you choose to buy one.

Interestingly there are two versions of this game on the cartridge, the western Grind Stormer and the original Japanese version V-V (pronounced V-Five). This is an out of the ordinary but welcome addition. The only real difference between the two versions is the power up system. Grind Stormer is similar to most other Toaplan games where you find upgrades that instantly effect your vehicle when picked up. In V-V you collect gems to use in a Gradius style system which have lead some to call the game the successor to Slap Fight.


No matter which version you choose you're in for a difficult fight with long levels and loads of bullets flying on the screen. It's a bit too much for the Genesis at times and sprite flickering tends to be one of the big problems with this game. It's not a perfect port of the arcade version by any means but it's a good challenge with nice graphics and slighty mediocre music. It's not the first shmup I run to but as the swan song for Toaplan on the Genesis it's not half bad.

32X Game Reviews: Shadow Squadron

Space ships and the title emerging from an explosion, where do I sign up?

Everyone who knows about the 32X also knows that it has gotten a reputation for being a piece of crap. It deservedly earned it for being one of the most poorly planned and executed ideas ever to surface in history of the video game industry. By fracturing Sega's Genesis user-base into those who had the 32X and those who did not, as well as releasing an expensive piece of hardware right before moving on to their next generation system, Sega did irreparable harm to its consumer trust.

I don't know why they changed the title to Shadow Squadron but it sounds much cooler.

All of the marketing stuff aside; the poor downtrodden 32X is actually a decent add-on, when it works, with a handful of okay games. Therein lies the problem since the okay games only number a handful and none of the games were exactly must-have classics even though arguments have been made for a few. Add to this the absurd asking price of the 32X and you can see why it never took off. Though Sega billed it as a 32-bit system, which it was, even its best games are still limited by the difficult to program for hardware and the storage capacity of Sega's cartridges. Most were decidedly last-generation in terms of graphics and production values which was not what Sega was promising with its over-hyped marketing. To pay so much for something so late in the life of the Genesis just to edge out the SNES in technology was crazy.

Right away they try to impress you with the graphics.

I can talk all day about why I feel the 32X was a bad idea and theorize about the harm it did to Sega but today we're here to give a short review of one of those okay games I mentioned earlier. Today we focus on Shadow Squadron.

Called Stellar Assault in other regions, the story isn't much to speak of and none of it is found in-game so I'm going to gloss over it quickly. An unknown force has destroyed your fleet's early warning systems and is approaching to attack. The hostilities have thrust you into war as a space-fighter pilot; a cadet recently assigned to the elite Shadow Squadron. The story doesn't really need to be here but perhaps having one to give more rhyme or reason to the often flavorless missions you face would have been nice.

An item viewer shows off the various ships.

Star Wars Arcade was one of the more popular titles released for Sega's mushroom shaped add-on. It revealed a genre that could play to the 3D strengths of the 32X without being too taxing though a sequel using that brand name was highly unlikely. Sega used Shadow Squadron to fill the gap by giving us a more generic setting brimming with polygon space-fighters and battleships to destroy. The graphics are somewhat impressive with flat-shaded polygons that evoke the memory of Star Fox on the SNES in most people. I feel they're a little more advanced than that and the game plays smoothly without any slowdown. There's no denying the similar visual style however. To some it will look archaic but to others it provides an interesting retro aesthetic. The weapon effects and explosions are all very nice as well and some of the little details like the systems check start-up sequence at the beginning of the game that aids in the presentation and makes you feel like you're really in the cockpit.

You can't enjoy the homing missiles because they waste precious energy.

The gameplay is deceptively simple. You pilot your fighter against waves of enemy fighters and larger capital ships with the objective of blowing up everything that gets in your way. Attacking large capital ships is fun because you pick them apart piece by piece instead of destroying them all at once. Blowing up the bridge or taking off a wing or a few engines is very satisfying and looks great. The game still becomes repetitive since the goal is the same in every mission with some minor changes in scenery such as asteroid fields. Unlike Star Wars Arcade which came before it you have full control of your fighter, unless you choose the autopilot mode which turns the game into a rail shooter, meaning you can maneuver in every direction and have better control over your speed with a break and afterburner. It's more of a true flight-sim with arcade style combat than its predecessor.

The numbers show how far away enemy fighters are.

Because of the nature of the genre you will require a six-button controller to play this game effectively. There just aren't enough buttons for maneuvering otherwise though the game makes clever use of button double-taps to give some buttons multiple purposes. Even the mode button is used which will switch the player view from the cockpit to a third-person perspective.

The main challenge in the game comes from conserving energy. Flying around and shooting will expend your energy bar. You also have a separate bar for shield energy that dictates how many hits you can take. If your ship runs out of energy your shield energy is used instead meaning you're going to die the next time you're hit. Enemy fighters will blast at you with their lasers and capital ships will launch larger, slow moving projectiles in attempt to ward off your attack runs.

Enemy fighter in a head-on attack.

How you play the game depends on which of the two fighter-craft you choose. Designated Feather 1 and Feather 2 the fighters are colored red and blue respectively though the game gives you the nifty option to recolor them as well as ally and enemy ships if you choose. Feather 1 has a rapid-fire double-laser cannon and lock-on homing missiles similar to many rail shooters. To defend itself from enemy attacks it has a temporary shield that's difficult to use. It has a low supply of energy that replenishes by docking with a support ship after every level.

BOOM!

Feather 2 has a single laser with pin-point accurate targeting that's fired for every press of the button and a giant dumb-fire bomb that uses shield energy and deals massive damage. Instead of a shield for protection Feather 2's accurate laser can detonate enemy bombs before they reach you. It also does more damage than Feather 1's main weapon overall since you can fire faster by tapping the button. Feather 2 has a massive energy supply but no support ship to help it out so you have to make your energy reserve last the entire game. Energy is drawn from the main pool to recharge your shields after every level as well. Feather 1's cockpit is also enclosed while Feather 2 has an open HUD giving you a larger field of vision. The game gave me the impression that Feather 1 was sort of an old fighter while Feather 2 was a new top of the line one.

Autopilot makes the game a less-fun rail shooter.

Ultimately Feather 2 is the better fighter since Feather 1 has a more difficult time defending itself against enemy shots and cannot destroy enemy ships as fast making it very hard to survive in later levels. On the other hand Feather 2's limited energy means you'll also struggle to make it through to the final levels of the game and will need to learn to ration your supplies. This is somewhat negated by the fact that if you die Feather 2 will start out with full energy after you continue. Unfortunately the energy system will prevent you from using your ship's afterburner and missile/bomb attacks, if you want to get through the game without dying, because of their cost which is a shame considering they're really cool. I wish they would have come up with a better way to add challenge besides giving you limited energy.

Details like the pre-flight check add to the atmosphere.

The game also has a passable two player mode where one person pilots and the other controls the weapons. It's more fun to control the weapons though so you may want to switch positions with your friend between levels to make the most of it. A split-screen dogfight mode probably would have been a better idea.

The sound effects are convincing for this type of game though they could have been a little stronger. Shadow Squadron really shines in the music department with up-beat tracks suitable for wrecking things.

With a six-button controller you can access the chase camera.

Overall, Shadow Squadron is a fun space-sim that I found more entertaining and polished to play than Star Wars Arcade and its higher production values. The differences between how the two fighters operate adds a lot of variety but unfortunately the missions themselves offer little variation and the lack of any in-game story creates a sort of purposelessness to it all. No story works in games where the action is fast and furious but Shadow Squadron's slower and more deliberate pace gives you time to think and makes you wish you knew why you were going on these missions and what exactly you were accomplishing towards the war effort. This is what makes PC space-sims like Wing Commander and TIE Fighter shine in comparison. It's a minor quibble since Shadow Squadron is geared towards arcade-style play more-so than flight simulation. Because the game is only six missions long it's also unlikely you'll become that bored with the repetitious gameplay.

Feather 2 has a better HUD and better primary weapon but it can't refuel.

The smooth and responsive controls and lack of the choppiness present in Star Wars Arcade impresses me more than anything else and make the title worth playing. If you're a fan of the genre or the graphical style you'll undoubtedly enjoy blowing the crap out of the huge ships. Be warned though as the game starts off easy enough but quickly becomes very challenging. Having enough energy to beat the final mission is practically impossible and will require all of your skills as a pilot. To make it even worse the final mission is timed.

Shadow Squadron is one of the reasons I got a 32X and it still shines as one of the add-on's best titles. The design is very simple by today's standards but very fun and effective.

Feather 2's impressive bomb is unfortunately too wasteful to use often.

Scoring:

Presentation: 8 From the opening cinematic with rocking music that tries to impress with the game's 3D graphics to the little things like the pre-flight systems check, the game goes out of its way to put you into the action. Allowing you to change the colors of the ships is also a plus and providing very different cockpits for both fighters is a nice touch.

Gameplay: 8 The tight controls and fun mechanic of picking apart huge enemy battlecruisers makes Shadow Squadron an absolute blast. Things unfortunately get repetitive and unfair in later levels but the game's arcade simplicity that still provides more depth than Star Wars Arcade makes it fun and accessible for almost anyone.

Graphics: 9 One of the most graphically impressive games on the 32X that doesn't feel like it's pushing the 32X to its limits. The ships are all well designed and the weapon effects and explosions are cool to watch. It's very outdated today but I find the early textureless 3D look to be appealing in its own unique way. Early texture-mapped 3D was pretty horrible anyway.

Sound: 8 Fitting sound effects and a great soundtrack will keep you from caring that there's not supposed to be sound in space.

Lasting Appeal: 6 This is where the game takes the biggest hit. The missions don't have enough variety to keep bringing you back but the action is fun enough to transcend that somewhat. The two vastly different fighters do add some replay value. Most people will either beat it once and be done with it or get stuck on the last mission forever.

Overall Average: 7.8/10

Recommendations:

Collector: If you've decided to start collecting for the 32X this game should be on the short list of must-have titles for the add-on. It's not very expensive either.

Gamer: If you're a fan of the space-sim genre or like the flat-shaded, polygonal spaceship aesthetics of Star Fox then this game is both fun and very challenging.

Nostalgia Goggles Vol. 1: Genesis of My Genesis

Making impressionable youths into Sega fans since 1992.

In this segment I'd like to take the time to talk about my personal experiences with Sega's ultimate achievement. This is where I forget about the non-slanted, fair and just lenses which I use to write my reviews and unabashedly slip on my rose colored nostalgia shades. So, if you dare, step into my time machine and let's travel back to a time when gasoline was affordable and toy stores were one of the best places to buy video games.

Let's start at the beginning. How was I introduced to the jet-black console that I'm currently devoting so much free time to? Why did I choose it above its competitors? How has it effected me as a gamer?

My earliest memory of the Sega Genesis dates back to 1992 when I was six years old. I was happily attached to my NES at the time, playing all of the classics I could get my little hands on. I wasn't very good at them yet with the exception of the Super Mario Bros. games which I think I did quite well with though I could come nowhere close to beating them. I remember the father of one of my best friends at the time showing us all the tricks and how to get past certain levels or bosses in just about every game we owned.

Holy crap it's like a freaking roller coaster!

I'm not even sure I realized the Genesis existed yet even though it had been on the market in the US for around three years. I was too young for the "Genesis does what Nintendon't" marketing campaign to really leave a mark on. One thing was for certain though, in 1992 no one would be ignoring the Genesis any longer. Sega launched its attempt at a Mario killer, Sonic the Hedgehog. Marketed as faster, better and looking like nothing my poor NES could ever do my impressionable young mind was amazed when I first stood in front of the Genesis kiosk at Sears and played the game.

It was unimaginably fast, you could run in loops like one of those Hot Wheels car race tracks, and there was so much more depth and color to everything. Best if all it was in a simple to play package that only required the use of the directional pad and one button. Sega accomplished everything they wanted to when they turned many kids like me against Nintendo with a rad and memorable mascot character of their very own.

Unfortunately I didn't come from the wealthiest of middle class families and asking for a brand new video game console was out of the question. It would just be me and my NES for the next few years. As Sega piled on the marketing with Sonic cartoons and comic books I pined more and more for the glossy black system.

The Robotnik from the first Sonic cartoon is still hilarious.

I wasn't completely cut off however. Two of my friends ended up getting the Genesis. My friend with the gamer dad predictably got both a Genesis and an SNES, becoming one of "those kids" who always irritatingly ended the console war arguments on the schoolyard with, "I have both." I count myself lucky for having friends who had various consoles and PCs throughout my childhood. Even though I didn't have them myself I was always able to sample the best games that each system had to offer. I more than had my fill of SNES classics like Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid and many more while playing Genesis titles like the Sonic series, Streets of Rage, the uncensored Mortal Kombat (my parents were good sports thankfully) and EA's helicopter Strike series which I was very fond of back in the day. It was on the SNES as well but had its best versions on the Genesis, the intended console of the series.

You mean it's actually one giant game? That's madness!

My experience with the SNES was arguably actually the better of the two at that point, but Sonic & Knuckles would forever change my mind. Not only was it bigger and badder than the older Sonic games I had played but I vividly remember sitting in my friend's room watching him beat the game and being enthralled by the very simple, wordless story sequences. The impact would get even greater when we discovered the benefits of using the cartridge's unique "lock-on" technology to combine it with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 which delivered the massive gaming experience that was originally intended. Discovering things like Super Sonic and Hyper Sonic and all of the other secrets of the game kept us playing for weeks. We became overly obsessed with Sonic, buying the comics every month and watching the cartoons whenever they were on.

Model 2 is not as big and badass as the original but still sleek and stylish.

Eventually it was 1996 and I was a ten year old in the fourth grade. The Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation were the new big things and at the forefront of everybody's mind. The Nintendo 64 was just launched and my reaction to Super Mario 64 was probably the same as it had been for Sonic the Hedgehog years earlier. It still amazes me today how fast the industry moved forward in the 90's. There was always something new and exciting around the corner. I wasn't interested in those expensive new things though. This Christmas I would ask for a Sega Genesis and I would finally get it. Better yet, the pack-in game with the Genesis model 2 at this time was Sonic & Knuckles, the game I wanted most of all.

I still remember being made fun of in school for this. The teacher went around the room asking everybody what they wanted for Christmas. It was PlayStation kids versus N64 kids and when it came to me and my Genesis one jerk kid even joked he'd give me his old one for free. It made me feel pretty bad but only for a moment thanks to my excitement and it didn't change my impression of the system in the least. I had played it during all of the best years of its life and knew what I was getting into. Though I had to play other people's systems the fast action games were perfect for when I was just visiting a friend's house. Sitting down and watching somebody play an RPG for hours when going over to see them was never very fun and probably helped to sour my personal feelings towards that genre.

3D changed everything but I wasn't quite ready for it.

The 3D graphics on the new systems were impressive but I couldn't wrap my head around how to control them yet and they were still much too awkward for me. I had played 3D games on the PC that fared much better like Doom and Mechwarrior 2: 31st Century Combat but the consoles still had some catching up to do. Lucky for me my friends would be getting the newer systems so I wouldn't be missing out on much. It would be just like before with the 16-bit systems.

Another unforeseen perk came from getting a system that was so close to its death; the games were dirt cheap. That very Christmas I received a Genesis game from practically every one of my relatives since it only cost them a few bucks and would make me extremely happy. It was probably the best Christmas of my life as I unwrapped game after game. Some of them I wanted badly like Mortal Kombat 2 while others like Sub Terrania I never heard of though it would develop into one of my favorite games on the system today.

For the next handful of years while stores continued selling off their Genesis stock I was virtually guaranteed a bunch of games for every birthday or holiday. They were so cheap at this point thanks to the generational change that every trip to the mall usually ended with me pulling out one or two games from the bargain bin at KB Toys and getting my Mom to buckle and buy them for me. My collection grew exponentially. I was in my own personal 16-bit heaven though I could still play the new systems by leaching off my buddies. Life was good.

Rest in peace old friend.

My interest in the Genesis waned when we got a new PC and I went about playing a backlog of classic DOS and Windows games. It was here I was introduced to some of my favorite franchises of all time like Wing Commander and genres I never knew existed like adventure games when I discovered the fantastic libraries of Sierra and Lucas Arts. A lot of PC games seemed deeper and more mature and even had better graphics. Some of the newer ones even shamed the mighty N64.

It was during this time I made my worst mistake, selling my NES and all of its games to buy more PC games. I was older now and thought I knew everything. I felt like I had moved on and that PC games were vastly superior. The Genesis was collecting dust and I had become too mature for the silly consoles, or so I thought. I had even developed scorn for the PlayStation and N64 now that I had a taste of the more complex titles that the PC had to offer me. How would I know that my future self would eventually pine for these classic, simpler games?

My Genesis was spared from this genocide thankfully, it still meant too much to me. I liked my NES, but I was passionate about my Genesis and it was a feeling that I couldn't just brush aside even if I never found myself playing it.

With the next generation consoles on the horizon this marketing wasn't fooling anyone.

Then one day I was in a flea market and a guy was selling a 32X for five dollars. For those who don't know the 32X was a failed add-on for the Genesis that looked like a big ugly mushroom when installed. It was designed to play games with more advanced 32-bit graphics and extend the life of the Genesis but it was a failure in almost every sense. While a few decent games were produced for it the graphical capabilities couldn't compete with the next generation systems and it was much more expensive than what it was worth. Support for it was quickly dropped which ruined the relationship Sega had with those who purchased one and probably helped to aid their eventual downfall. Genesis fans who bought Sega CD were already distrustful of Sega's ability to support their console add-on peripherals that splintered the market between people who owned the add-on and people who didn't. The 32X was an even worse repeat of that debacle.

I laughed at first, then bought it since it came with all the necessary hookups and the 32X version of NBA Jam: Tournament Edition which I knew was a pretty fun game. My spoiled friend who had all the systems also had the 32X so I already had some first hand experience with it. We spent a lot of time playing the FPS classic Doom on this thing since neither of us had a computer at the time to play the original version. It wasn't a perfect port but it got the job done and for the time it was a lot of fun to play.

The 32X port is pointless today but it was a fun diversion if it was the best you had back then.

So now that I had a 32X I needed some games. One thing lead to another and suddenly I was buying buying normal Genesis games I had missed the first time around. I was skulking flea markets and yard sales and even a few stores that still had some straggling games left on their shelves. In what is perhaps a fantastic irony the 32X actually did its job long after it was discontinued and got me into playing my Genesis again. The failed add-on was my gateway drug to collecting.

And Sega said, "let there be Dreamcast," and it was good.

Eventually I returned back to the realm of consoles with the promise of the Dreamcast. With my renewed interest in the Genesis I saw Sega as it was all of those years ago and what seemed like a return to form won me over. Though the Dreamcast would crash and burn the short time we got to spend with it was a glorious one as it became the home to some of my favorite games. Much to my delight it stuck to Sega's action oriented arcade roots and even pumped out a few classic RPGs. Although Sega as a 3rd party developer hasn't done a whole lot to impress me over the years with a few hits here and there the Dreamcast made certain that I'd stay firmly planted in the fanboy camp for Sega's hardware and thus my focus on collecting for the Genesis greatly increased.

I didn't really consider myself a collector until recent years. In college I was working and could afford to buy games and a bunch of new geeky friends ended up influencing me to take my collection more seriously. I even went back and reclaimed the NES games I had so foolishly sold down the river in my youth. I also started buying up the consoles I had skipped during my PC years. Regardless of all of those distractions my most beloved collection has always been for my Genesis.

Today I still love everything about the console. The menacing black plastic, the occasionally fantastic music produced by a sound chip passed off as inferior by many, the unique graphical styles used to circumvent the limited color palette and most of all most of all the blazing fast speed of its action games that could never be matched by the SNES are all things that I look upon fondly. I often wonder if I would be more into RPGs had I decided to go with the SNES instead since I have a strong inclination towards action games. Did my preferences lead me to choose the Genesis or did the Genesis shape my preferences?

With hundreds upon hundreds of titles I won't run out of games to review any time soon.

Although I was a late-comer to the Genesis crowd in terms of actually owning the system it was with me in one form or another throughout most of my childhood and I appreciate it as much as those who had it since day one.

Today I'm here presenting my thoughts on the system and its library of games, the classic greats, the underrated, the overrated and the just plain bad. My goal is to give more love to a console that I think many younger gamers have the wrong impression of due to its second place finish in the 16-bit era. I hope you'll all enjoy this nostalgic journey as much as I know I will.