GAME CLEAR No. 79 -- 3D After Burner II

3D After Burner II (2015, 3DS)

3D Remake Of: After Burner II (1987, Multiplatform)
Original Developer: SEGA AM2
Original Publisher: SEGA
Remake Developer: M2
Remake Publisher: SEGA
Clear Date: 2/18/22

The imminent closing of the Nintendo 3DS eShop got me to bust my 3DS back out and poke around my library once more. And, man, After Burner is so fuckin’ cool. Its main theme is almost worth the price of admission alone, but the gameplay kicks ass too. Fly around in a jet and shoot shit down. What more could you want?

This is also a particularly effective use of the 3DS’s stereoscopic 3D, as most of SEGA’s efforts on the 3DS are. I’m not sure why, but the sort of sprite diorama effect it has on these games just looks really great? It also helps, obviously, with depth perception as it relates to the other planes you have to shoot down. Just looks cool as hell and is one of the few times I actually prefer to turn the 3D effect on.

Perhaps just as importantly, this is just a really strong retro product (as expected from M2). It’s got all the things that releases like these should have: fully mappable controls, difficulty options, level select, soundtrack options, bonus modes, et cetera. Basically, the works. For $6, it’s an absolute no-brainer. God I wish more retro re-releases were made with this level of care. A banger of a game in its best state yet. That’s just how it should always be.

Speaking of which, I am not ashamed to admit I beat this with level select. Even cranking the lives to max, this is a tough one to beat with its finite continues. But you can start over from the highest level you reached and just keep going, so the finite continues is really only a constraint for maybe high scores? Idk. Kind of puzzling to set it up that way, but it works okay. Finishing the base game unlocks a bonus special mode which is nearly identical but has a different story that’s mildly intriguing. Anyway, it’s a great game to just tear through with reckless abandon, and I know I haven’t played it for the last time. Can’t recommend it highly enough for people looking to pick up some things on the 3DS eShop before it’s gone forever.