Air Buster

[Melf]

The Genesis has a library of shmups that's among the best of any platform. Heck, just check out our Genre Spotlight (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/../Genre%20Spotlight-%20Shmups%20Extravaganza.php) feature on every single one of them (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/../Genre%20Spotlight-%20Shmups%20Extravaganza.php) and you'll see just how much quality is there. Air Buster, a Kaneko arcade game that also saw a great release on the Turbo Grafx-16, looks and plays great on the Genesis. As it just so happens, we have a full review (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/../Review-%20Air%20Buster.php) for it. Two-player simulataneous gameplay for the win!

[David J.]

Awesome, awesome game! I love it! I just can't say enough about this game, one of the best shooters on the system.

[Flash1087]

I too enjoyed this one. Good music, well-balanced gameplay, and just the right amount of difficulty without being overly frustrating. And I love when the first boss appears and rains lasers of brutal death upon the city. Dunno why, but that animation's always been entertaining to me.

[Genesisdoes]

There should be a Side by Side on the genny version and the TG16 version!

[daminmancejin2]

i wann get this for my sega genesis so badly it's very hard to find it now its sooooo rare man!

[JFLY]

Air Buster is one of my favorite h-shooters on the Genesis. I also got that game glove you had to send for.

[Mr Smith]

Has anybody else noticed that this game is not on the Master List?

[ThunderForce]

Has anybody else noticed that this game is not on the Master List?


I didn't noticed it, let me PM Melf about it.


Edit: The game is on the list, but as Aero Blasters.

[Melf]

Fixed it. :)

[David J.]

i wann get this for my sega genesis so badly it's very hard to find it now its sooooo rare man!

You're not looking hard enough... it's not rare at all.

[Joe Redifer]

There should be a Side by Side on the genny version and the TG16 version!
I'd love to do one, but I don't own the Genesis version. Comparing an emulated version just wouldn't be fair to the Genesis version since emulation is never 100% correct. Gotta compare 'em on equal turf otherwise the whole article would be more or less pointless!

[Majestic_Lizard]

I've played both versions. The Genesis version is two player simultaneous and has no slow down. I believe the Turbo version is also 2 player, but you have to get that "turbo tap". I'm also guessing the 8-bit CPUs would slow down a bit in two player mode.

The graphics on the turbo version are a littlemore colorful but much less detailed. The Genesis version really is hard to tell from the Arcade. Just a few less frames of animation in the sprites. The sound is better on the Turbo Version. Its good on the Genesis version too, but I don't like the musical score. It makes me want to puke.

There are some missing intro screens on the Genesis version that were replaced with intro screens of a bunch of retarded looking anime people smiling and waving at you. Don't know what Kaneko was thinking with that.

The Turbo version came out a year earlier and because of that it got greater enthusiasm than its Mega Drive counterpart, what with 16-bit graphics being new and all that.

Reality is that the Turbo Version is a little bit inferior. Unlike the case of Twin Cobra, Raiden Trad, and Atomic Robo-Kid (all better on the PC Engine/ Turbo). However, Truxton, After Burner II, Super Thunder Blade and Space Harrier were better on the Mega Drive.


i wann get this for my sega genesis so badly it's very hard to find it now its sooooo rare man!Have you heard of this site called eBay?

[Joe Redifer]

Super Thunder Blade was never on the PC Engine. Space Harrier was never on the Mega Drive. PC Engine had Thunder Blade. Mega Drive had Space Harrier 2. Truxton is better on the PC Engine fo sho.

Were are Black_Tiger and keranu when we need them?

[Majestic_Lizard]

Super Thunder Blade was never on the PC Engine. Space Harrier was never on the Mega Drive. PC Engine had Thunder Blade. Mega Drive had Space Harrier 2. Truxton is better on the PC Engine fo sho.

Were are Black_Tiger and keranu when we need them?

Did you think anyone did not know that? Super Thunder Blade and Thunder Blade are ports of the same arcade game. "Super" was just added to the Mega Drive version to distinguish it from the Master System version. Space Harrier 2 is essentially new levels for Space Harrier 1, the premise is identical. Truxton was not better on the PC Engine. I've played both versions. Its one of the rare cases where the PCE was not better.

My point was that there was "a" space harrier game on the Mega Drive superior to the one on the PC Engine and "a" Thunderblade game superior to the one on the PC Engine. Splitting semantic hairs on someone else's obviously figurative statement? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

[Joe Redifer]

Super Thunderblade has a similar premise and similar levels, but it is different. There are no overhead scenes except for the bosses, there are mid-bosses now, new music, etc. Whether the Genesis version is better or not I don't know because I haven't played the PCE version on real hardware.

As for Truxton, I just find the PCE version much better asthetically. Better color, MUCH better music, and it even seems a bit smoother to control. The Genesis version is much easier though, even on NORMAL.

http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/truxtongenesis.png
Genesis Truxton

http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/truxtonpce.png
PC Engine Truxton

[JFLY]

Wow! The color on PC Engine version looks great! Is this game rare on that system?

[Joe Redifer]

I think so, the prices are sure a lot higher for that version... at least from what I've seen on casual lookings.

[Majestic_Lizard]

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/5065/truxton2ar7.jpg
Well, the pictures you posted look very close. Because of the small size of the pics the color differences stand out, but the detail is actually better on the Mega Drive version. I've played both versions and the Genesis version controls better and has more detailed sprites for the most part. Its not quite as colorful but its from the days when the Genesis had quality control (pre SNES). Also, the PC Engine version is so difficult that its tedious.

Thunderblade and Super Thunderblade are based on the same arcade game and therefor the same premise. They approach that premise differently due to hardware limitations. The "Super" was merely added to distinguish it from the master system title ACCORDING to Yuji Naka (one of the developers of the game).

Some good examples of games that were better on the Turbo Grafx 16/PC Engene are:
Twin Cobra/Tiger Heli (Megadrive version looks like an NES game)
Cadash
Raiden Trad
Atomic Robo-Kid (gameplay wise only)
Splatterhouse (compared to Splatterhouse 2)
Devils's Crush (only slightly)

Some examples of games that were better on the Mega Drive are:
Atomic Robo-Kid (graphic-wise only)
Altered Beast
Truxton (only slightly)
Air Buster/Aeroblasters
Super Thunderblade
Space Harrier 2 (compared to Space Harrier 1 on PCE)

Rastan Saga 2 was terrible on both systems.

The problem with the Genesis / Megadrive was that in 1991 Sega started allowing all of these shitty third party developers to saturate the market with bad Genesis games in the hope of beating the SNES with quantity. The games of 1991 through 1994 (with some exceptions) were far worse than the original titles offered in 1989, 1990, and early 1991.

Games like El Viento, Bimini Run, Ernest Evens, Dark Castle, and tons of other ones that were just utter trash. Stuff like that just kept being released and gave the Mega Drive a bad name. Fortunately there were games like Streets of Rage 2, Thunder Force 4, and Sonic 2 that still maintained a lot of quality.

The PC Engine didn't have this problem in Japan because it had a strong consumer base there long before the Super Famicom came out. The Mega Drive did not.

[PHANTOM2040]

One good thing about this game is it looks feels different than most shooters. It is very bright and colorfull. The level designs really stand out. Also most don't have a 2 player mode.

Bad side is weapons systems are average and you have to grab anything fast sometimes and not get what you want. The loading seems it could have been avoided.

Overall I'd give it a 7.5

[Kollision]

Twin Cobra/Tiger Heli (Megadrive version looks like an NES game)So not true. Thanks for even further underrating this nice port.

EDIT: Gosh, just now I saw the guy wrote this in 2006. :?

[ThunderForce]

One of my old reviews, and yes noting changed. Still a great shmup for two players and in ways it is better than the PCE port. Also the Genesis version is more truer to the arcade version than the PCE port.

[BrianC]

Rastan Saga 2 was terrible on both systems.


i know this is an old post, but it was terrible in the arcade too. its not the ports' fault. Also, wolf team is far from a poor developer.

[Aarzak]

Yeah, Rastan Saga/Nastar Warrior is a friggin' turd. It's in "Taito Legends 2".

On-topic, this game was featured on the old Nickelodeon show "Nick Arcade". A few other shmups were featured (Thunder Force III, Gaiares which was never played, Vapor Trail and Steel Empire off the top of my head).

[BrianC]

Yeah, Rastan Saga/Nastar Warrior is a friggin' turd. It's in "Taito Legends 2".

On-topic, this game was featured on the old Nickelodeon show "Nick Arcade". A few other shmups were featured (Thunder Force III, Gaiares which was never played, Vapor Trail and Steel Empire off the top of my head).

Sol Deace was on it too, if I remember correctly. I also remember Gun Nac, though that is nes.

[sg1000]

OH WOW! I've been looking for this game, I first saw it on TurboGraphx-16. Didn't know it was on Genesis too

[oldskool]

Review link is down.

[Liquid Snake]

Games like El Viento, Bimini Run, Ernest Evens, Dark Castle, and tons of other ones that were just utter trash.....

El Viento is a trash game? Are you sure what you're talking about?

[Sega Genesis]

good game that many overlook

[Crackdown]

All the links for this are sadly broken, does anyone have a working one? :(

I got this game fairly recently and I must say its fantastic, expecially in 2-player mode. I would say this is a real hidden gem for the Megadrive. :cool:

[Segasocks]

The two player mode has terrible slowdown and i find it unplayable,are you sure your playing on real hardware at 60htz?Maybe the power glove makes the difference?
The single player game is excellent and features great graphics and sound with interesting variety in the levels and types of bosses.The power up system can become annoying when you pick up something you dont want,but the constant appearance of them means you will never have to go far without powering up your ship.This makes the game a little less frustrating than most of the shooters on the system.Overall a great game and well worth picking up,just dont expect much from the two player mode :)

[Mr Nuts]

I used to own the original arcade board of Air Buster but had to sell it due to my financial situation at the time,both Gen and Pc engine versions are close but then again the arcade game is good but not not that technicaly clever so i would expect them to be quite close.

[Curryman123]

I finally beat this game!

[Tasuke]

i've a CIB U.S. copy. i've only ever beaten it on the lowest diff. level and gotten the usual requisite crappy ending...

[Curryman123]

This game is very hard. I had to use the 9 credit code to beat the Turbo grafx version (you start with 4 credits), and i almost used em all by the time I finished the last fight.

[Majestic_Lizard]

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/5065/truxton2ar7.jpg
Well, the pictures you posted look very close. Because of the small size of the pics the color differences stand out, but the detail is actually better on the Mega Drive version. I've played both versions and the Genesis version controls better and has more detailed sprites for the most part. Its not quite as colorful but its from the days when the Genesis had quality control (pre SNES). Also, the PC Engine version is so difficult that its tedious.

Thunderblade and Super Thunderblade are based on the same arcade game and therefor the same premise. They approach that premise differently due to hardware limitations. The "Super" was merely added to distinguish it from the master system title ACCORDING to Yuji Naka (one of the developers of the game).

Some good examples of games that were better on the Turbo Grafx 16/PC Engene are:
Twin Cobra/Tiger Heli (Megadrive version looks like an NES game)
Cadash
Raiden Trad
Atomic Robo-Kid (gameplay wise only)
Splatterhouse (compared to Splatterhouse 2)
Devils's Crush (only slightly)

Some examples of games that were better on the Mega Drive are:
Atomic Robo-Kid (graphic-wise only)
Altered Beast
Truxton (only slightly)
Air Buster/Aeroblasters
Super Thunderblade
Space Harrier 2 (compared to Space Harrier 1 on PCE)

Rastan Saga 2 was terrible on both systems.

The problem with the Genesis / Megadrive was that in 1991 Sega started allowing all of these shitty third party developers to saturate the market with bad Genesis games in the hope of beating the SNES with quantity. The games of 1991 through 1994 (with some exceptions) were far worse than the original titles offered in 1989, 1990, and early 1991.

Games like El Viento, Bimini Run, Ernest Evens, Dark Castle, and tons of other ones that were just utter trash. Stuff like that just kept being released and gave the Mega Drive a bad name. Fortunately there were games like Streets of Rage 2, Thunder Force 4, and Sonic 2 that still maintained a lot of quality.

The PC Engine didn't have this problem in Japan because it had a strong consumer base there long before the Super Famicom came out. The Mega Drive did not.

Six years later I've changed my mind about some of those. In particular Altered Beast and Truxton. The Duo version of Altered Beast has blood and organs spraying out of Zombies when you hit them and that alone makes it better than the Mega Drive version. Truxton on the Genesis has more detailed sprites, but they are less colorful.

[Curryman123]

Very difficult game. I finished it using the 9 credit cheat on the Pc-engine version.

[Curryman123]

I picked up a weird multicart called "Super shooter collection" for Sega Genesis, and this version was on it.

Granted I already had the PCE version, this was a nice bonus.

After playing this version, I must say this plays better than the PCE, because the controls feel very tight.

Nice version.

[Majestic_Lizard]

Oh wow, I used to act like a complete a$$ hole in these threads.

[NostalgicMachine]

The links on the OP have expired; I really wanted to check that out!