Aero Fighters 2

About Aero Fighters 2

Aero Fighters 2 (1994), known in Japan as Sonic Wings 2, is Video System's Neo Geo vertical shooter with a varied roster of planes and pilots, ten stages and character-specific endings.

Aero Fighters 2 in Depth

The game uses two buttons: A fires the plane's guns and B launches a special bomb from a limited stock. Destroying buildings and armoured enemy planes releases power-ups: a P raises firepower by one level, while an F jumps straight to maximum firepower for a limited number of shots. Some ground targets and buildings drop money bonuses whose value depends on how quickly the player destroys them and collects the reward. Each stage ends with a boss ship, and there are ten stages, after which each character has their own ending. The game then loops with palette changes, and only after the looped stages are cleared does it truly end.

Critics praised its variety of ships and backgrounds, its stage designs and its fun weapons and huge bosses. AllGame's Kyle Knight criticised its replay value, GamePro noted slowdown, a lack of sound effects for the player's jet and little originality but called it enjoyable with "crisp" controls, and Next Generation warned that skilled players would finish it on easy or normal in under an hour. Several European magazines compared it to Raiden II, Twin Eagle II, Last Resort and Viewpoint, praising its visuals while criticising slowdown and its music, and some found the Neo Geo CD version disappointing.

Making Aero Fighters 2

Video System developed it and SNK published it for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms in 1994 as the second Aero Fighters. It was popular in arcades on both sides of the Pacific and met generally positive reviews, with Superjuegos judging that it far exceeded its predecessor. Hamster Corporation later acquired the rights along with Video System's catalogue and re-released it in the ACA Neo Geo series, and Nintendo Life praised the Switch version's high score and caravan modes, choice of planes, enemy variety and multiple endings.