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  • Aero the Acro-Bat 2 (Sega Genesis)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Aero the Acro-Bat 2 is a side-scrolling platform game released in 1994 for both the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. This is a pretty typical platformer of which there were endless quantities of in the 16-bit days. However, it is at least an above average one. As the name suggests, this is a sequel. Like the first game, it was developed by Iguana Entertainment and published by Sunsoft and involved many of the same creators.

    The story… Ok, well the story doesn’t really matter all that much for this type of game. Suffice it to say that it involves an acrobatic bat, a protagonist named Edward Ektor, a Museum of Horrors, a magical box, an ancient castle and a kamikaze squirrel among other interesting things and characters. The game is split into eight worlds, most of which (except the last one) have three acts. The basic mechanics haven’t changed too much from the original game. For instance, Aero still has his basic drill attack and can throw stars at enemies. However, a few new moves have been added and the controls are somewhat improved.

    Sequels don’t always improve upon the original but in this case, Aero the Acro-Bat 2 seems a step up from the original. It has improved graphics, is a much longer game, has improved play control and more moves, and has a distinctively darker feel that helps it stand out from the original. Having said that, there’s nothing terribly original about the Aero games as platformers in general. They just do what they do better than most. This game gives you pretty much exactly what you would expect out of a 16-bit platformer.

    Reviews for Aero the Acro-Bat 2 were all quite positive. If you like platform games then this is one you should definitely check out. While not the most original game in the world the execution is very good and it is a fun game to play. As far as which version to try, I would say pick the one for your favorite console. Both versions are good and I don’t think one really stands out from the other. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to talk about in the way of re-releases. There was a Nintendo Virtual Console version for the Wii in the past but there doesn’t seem to be any Aero games available online for the Switch. If you do want to give this one a try, you’ll have to track down an original cartridge or be content with emulation.

    Screen shots above are from the Sega Genesis version of the game.


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  • Double Dragon V (Sega Genesis)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    There sure were a lot of Double Dragon names and the numbering system got really confusing somewhere along the way. This game is called ‘Double Dragon V’ and as far as I can tell, that’s based on the fact that Super Double Dragon was the fourth game in the series. However, it gets more confusing. For this game the IP was licensed from Technos (the original developers) and developed by Leland Interactive and published by Tradewest. More recently, Technos released a Double Dragon IV that seems to be a direct sequel to Double Dragon II. They might as well stick a random digit after these names.

    Double Dragon V was released in 1994 for both the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis and the following year for the Atari Jaguar. It is sort of the odd man out among Double Dragon games because it is not a side-scrolling beat-em-up like the previous (and later) games in the series. Instead, it is a 2D fighting game…basically a Street Fighter II clone that tried to capitalize on the 2D fighting game craze of the time. It’s also based on the animated series so it has more of a cartoon look and feel.

    The game features a roster of 12 fighters including the two “Double Dragons” and eight Shadow Warriors plus two bosses. Most of the characters come from the animated series though a few original characters are thrown in as well. A couple of the characters can only be accessed via a code on the SNES and Genesis versions while the Jaguar version removed a few characters.

    As far as the quality of the game, as you might expect, it is pretty average. There isn’t anything especially wrong with it but it does not stand out from the crowd of 2D fighters. Moves in general are easier to perform on average vs. most similar games though at least one Genesis review claims the special moves are hard to perform. However, because of its relative simplicity and the fact that it was based on the animated series it probably appeals more to a younger crowd.

    Unless you are a die-hard 2D fighting game fan I probably wouldn’t recommend this one. If you have a passing interest in 2D fighters there are so many better ones to play. Having said that, if its your favorite genre then you would at least want to give this one a try. As far as I know there aren’t any re-releases so you’ll have to find an original or use emulation. Despite the Jaguar’s superior hardware, the SNES and Genesis version seem to be the best. This was mostly because of the Jaguar’s poor controller and the fact that the Jaguar version was a quick/cheap port that did not improve upon the graphics or sound of the SNES version.

    Screen shots above are from the Sega Genesis version of the game.


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  • Jungle Strike (Sega Genesis)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Jungle Strike is a shooter released by Electronic Arts in 1993 for the Sega Genesis. It was ultimately ported to a number of other systems including the Super Nintendo, DOS, Amiga, CD32, Game Gear, Game Boy and PlayStation Portable. This game was the sequel to Desert Strike and was the second in a series of similar games.

    Jungle Strike, like its predecessor was a shooter played from an isometric overhead perspective. Like the rest of the games in the series, it was a bit slower and more strategic than other shooters. It has been described as being inspired by Choplifter and Matchbox toys though it reminds me a bit of Raid on Bungeling Bay. Game Play is very much like that of Desert Strike with the obvious difference of being set in the jungle (at least in part) instead of the desert.

    The antagonists consist of the son of the antagonist of the first game and a South American drug lord. Missions alternate between stopping terrorist attacks on various targets in Washington D.C. and attacking the drug lord’s forces, including his jungle fortress. Ultimately, you must stop nuclear bombs from blowing up the White House.

    The game was very good on just about every system it was released on and was especially good on the Genesis, Super Nintendo, Amiga and DOS (similar to the original). The DOS and Amiga versions were somewhat enhanced as compared to the Genesis original with the DOS CD-ROM version including an extra level as well as full motion video cut scenes. However, this game probably fits best on a console such as the Genesis and SNES. Essentially, if you liked Desert Strike then there is no reason you wouldn’t like this game or the subsequent sequels.

    There’s not much in the way of re-releases for this game. It showed up on a “retro” compilation called EA Replay for the PlayStation Portable in 2006. Other than that, there really aren’t any re-releases to speak of, however there were three more sequels including Urban Strike, Soviet Strike and Nuclear Strike. Future Strike was also planned but it evolved into Future Cop: LAPD. If you like shooters at all or have fond memories of games like Choplifter and Raid on Bungeling Bay then you should definitely give Jungle Strike and the other games in the series a try. Like I said above, it really feels best on one of the 16-bit consoles but it is good on any platform. You’ll have to track down an original or use emulation to try it though.

    Screen shots above are from the Sega Genesis version of the game.


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