Aero Fighters Assault

Aero Fighters Assault, known in Japan as Sonic Wings Assault (ソニックウィングス アサルト), is an arcade style combat flight simulator developed by Paradigm Entertainment and published by Video System for the Nintendo 64 in 1997. It was first released in North America on October 30, 1997, then in Japan on March 19, 1998, and finally in Europe on April 12, 1998.

It is the first and only game in the Aero Fighters series (known in Japan as the Sonic Wings series) with 3D computer graphics, as well as the sixth and final title of the series before Video System filed for bankruptcy sometime in 2001. It pits a group of four pilots going after a fictional world-dominating organization Phutta Morgana.

Gameplay

Screenshot of Level 2, "Pacific Ocean"

The player must score as many points as possible. Points are awarded for having all wingmen survive, how many defensive countermeasures and special weapons the player has remaining, and how many hits the plane has remaining when the stage ends. In many cases, earning high point values yields unlocking a bonus mission during gameplay, with a total of four bonus missions in all.

There are four aircraft to choose from at the beginning, each with a different special weapon and missile type. Two more aircraft can be unlocked; one via push-button code, and the other by successfully completing all of the missions in the game including the bonus missions. The aircraft paint scheme for the four main characters is changeable by pushing the R-button in the selection screen. Additional planes can also be unlocked for the multiplayer mode based on progress in the single player campaign.

The game also features a two-player deathmatch option in which two players face off against each other.

Reception

Aero Fighters Assault received mostly mixed reviews from critics.

References