am I the only one who didnt understand anything what was going on during gameplay? even the arcade version, explosions, smoke everywhere and planes seemingly flying randomly everywhere right and left up and down and suddenly something was hit by something..

@7i6j

6 күн бұрын

I think a lot of people feel the same. It certainly hasn't aged well compared to Outrun.

@DanielGafner

6 күн бұрын

That's about how it went for me!😊

@jinxterx

6 күн бұрын

Me too, lol, I tried it on MAME and didn't have a clue what was going on.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

It is all a bit confusing, especially the ST version! Which feels like you are learning to use a jet fighter via a slide projector! I tried out After Burner one as well in MAME and that one felt even worse! So they did improve the second one and make things a lot clearer. But its still hard to figure out what got you sometimes! Or indeed what you just blew up!

I love your channel for the memories it brings to life.cheets gfg

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Thanks @DanielGafner! Glad that I can inspire some nostalgia! 😁

Since I skipped getting After Burner for the ST, I only found out a few years ago that Uncle Art did the music for it. It's mentioned in the documentary about him and there's a track on his A Temporal Shift album that combines the After Burner and Starglider themes. Neat!

@Maraka77i

6 күн бұрын

Most cracked versions also ditched the original retail version's great sampled title soundtrack. It has one of the best sampling quality heard on STf.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Was the sampled music from the arcade or a custom composition by Lowe?

@CoachOta

5 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames It was a custom composition. It's been a while since I watched the doc but I'm sure he mentioned that the Japanese game companies never sent a copy of the music over and he would go to arcades to listen to the music and then recreate it. As someone with no musical talent, I thought it was amazing he could do that!

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

@CoachOta Yeah, I have no idea how they do it! I am useless at picking out notes! 😁

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

@@CoachOta I always thought you got sprite sheets and other helpful assets from the arcade developers, when working on a conversion! But seems like it was more; go down to the local arcade and hope the game is there... and don't forget to bring a notepad and a tape recorder! Also hope the owners doesn't throw you out because they think you are trying to hack the games! 😄

There's gossip online the game was written as a 'Tech Demo' for the ST and was originally just a rolling demo with no input. I could well believe it, though don't know if its actually true (or just annoyed gamers because we got a poor port). Apparently, if you don't touch anything after starting the game you complete most levels automatically. I was small when the arcade came out, but I did get to play the cabinate version once (with the auto-gyro thing). It was amazing, but I most recall the stick shuddering as I crashed into the trees lol! My game play lasted what felt like less than one minute (though in fairness, I was awful pilot and the game back then was like 50 pence a go). I recall my parents balwking at at the cost as they had grown up around penny arcades and every other machine was 10 pence a go which was also way expensive; Soon after all the games where like 1 pound, sheesh). Inflation killed arcade economics long before home systems.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Could very well be the fact that no matter how you wrestle with the controls, you seem to have very little effect on what is going on! Could just as well be a rolling demo! And I am not entirely surprised to learn that you could just leave the controls be and finish levels! Probably the best way to enjoy this one! 😁

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148

5 күн бұрын

Jez San has admitted Argonaut only took it on to keep money coming in whilst they developed Birds Of Prey, plus Activision refused to give them the extra 7 days development time they asked for. So yes, it was very much a real product, just a rushed one and a contractual obligation product.

Can't be good but we will see... Thanks!

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

You have predicted the video very well! 😁

Great graphics but the choppiness killed it. I agree with your vector graphics point midway through the video.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

I got my hopes up when I realised that it was Argonaut who developed it, but they quickly sank... along with the frame-rate! 😁

@Maraka77i

6 күн бұрын

As with most sprite scalers this one also runs pretty smooth on stock Mega STe. For some reason sample replay gets corrupted though.

I'm pretty sure if you tap the space bar it will make you go faster. Thanks for the memories

@gearsofgames

4 күн бұрын

Correct, I checked the manual (for all formats) and there seems to be two speeds that one can switch between using space. I did press space, but I think the effect was slightly delayed and I just missed to notice that the speedometer changed. 😅 Glad you enjoyed the vid and thanks for the support!

Yes, weirdly the Spectrum version was much more playable than the 16 bit versions, and was actually a fun game within its terms. We didn't get a decent home version of Afterburner until the Saturn!

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

It was surprisingly often that the 8-bit versions were better than the 16-bit counterparts. At least in the early years.

The Sega Master System version was missing on that list. After Burner was probably inspired by Top Gun that came out the previous year. The motorcycle in this was probably a reference to the Tom Cruise character loving his bikes.

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

You are correct! I usually check Mobygames for ports, but the SMS was listed separately Probably because it was a different release and possibly also because it might have been based on After Burner I instead of II. I didn't notice the additional entry ...

"We want the Speccy's port !" :D

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Yeah, so do I! I might do that one next week!

This is how I remember the ST version as well. I had no idea what I was doing and what the game was doing on its own, but I always got to the same point and then died. I'm curious, how did you find out about arcade games back then? Thinking of how you mentioned that you wanted to play the arcade version but was never able to find it. My knowledge of arcade games were limited to the ones I came across in actual arcades, or more commonly, the odd machines available in the odd restaurant 🙂

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

It was usually via English gaming magazines! I used to sit and drool over pictures of R-Type and After Burner! And then never get to play them! Due to the distinct lack of arcades here! 😭 That's why MAME was so amazing in the late 90s!

There is an STE version of the game with amazing intro music (all the rest are the same).

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Had no idea! Wish they would have made use of that blitter chip as well! But not sure it would have helped that much, this one might be a lost cause...

@tradinglive

6 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames Certainly yes, the STE blitter performed miracles on Metaslug Demo and on Lotus STE

@Maraka77i

6 күн бұрын

It is not an STe version. Many crackers ditched the digital soundtrack to save disk space. If you have an original 2 disk copy of the game or dump of it, then you also get the great sampled title soundtrack. And yeah, the sound quality is one of the best heard on the standard ST. Maybe that's why people think it has something to do with an STe.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

@Maraka77i Ah OK! I was using Putniks version, so as you say, probably doesn't have the music...

If you have a hard time playing it on MAME then try the Mega Drive version. The guns automatically fire so you just focus on locking on targets and firing missiles. Don't even try to do barrel rolls, just change the speed to help avoid attacks. It plays a lot easier this way. Sadly the ST & Amiga versions play like all the 8-bit After Burner games...flip acreen trash.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Probably has a vastly better framerate too! Seems like quite a few Super Scaler games were successfully converted to the MD!

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148

5 күн бұрын

​@@gearsofgamesbut sadly not the Sega Mega CD which could of handled them much better, shame on you Sega.

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148 I saw that there was a 32X version, but not on CD then. Would have allowed for some sweet music! 😁

I always loved seeing this in the arcade, always hated playing it. I still don’t understand where the gameplay is supposed to be at, maybe I’m just not Ace Pilot calibre, but it seems very confusing to me. I’d take Space Harrier any day over this

@gearsofgames

3 күн бұрын

I think I would have ended up feeling the same, had I ever encountered it. But the initial wow factor would have been significant. 😁

I played Afterburner in the arcade and wasn't that impressed. I then played the ST version and was even more unimpressed.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Seems like the visuals, the moving cab and the concept was the things that were impressive about the arcade version. Game play could have been more impressive I feel. But at least they did address some of the gameplay shortcomings with After Burner II.

the arcade version looks like a game i'd love to have on my phone back in the school days. the ST version is insultingly worse :D

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Have you tried Blue Lighting on the Lynx? A portable rip-off of After Burner, that was portable already back in the late 80s! 😁 Also managed to be fun, if a bit too easy...

@istdaslol

6 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames no, to big of a generational gab :). But I saw it got a steam release so I might check it out later. Maybe on a steam deck to get the full retro experience ^^

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

@istdaslol That sounds like a good plan! That way you don't have to suffer having your eyes fall out of their sockets due to the Lynx screen! 😁

@istdaslol

3 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames I got myself the bundle for the switch and that game is weird, gladly I tested another game in the bundle wich is way more fun. But overall both are nice time killer

I only played this game (a lot of times) because it was included in the Power Pack, it's a good attempt and looks ok, but the gameplay... I prefer most of the oher Power Pack games, it' more fun to play Bomb Jack, Xenon or Nebulus😅

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

Yeah, it probably wasn't the brightest shining disk in the Power Pack! But at least you got a bunch of other games that were good, to make you feel better! And shut up all those Spectrum owners that were laughing at the ST version! 😁

@jaysmith2858

6 күн бұрын

I also had the Power Pack. I didn't particularly like Nebulus or Xenon.

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

@jaysmith2858 They were both pretty punishing, but oh so technically impressive! I played Xenon the most of the two, at least I could get somewhere there. Until the game would just stomp me, after I losing all my upgrades! 😁

@jaysmith2858

5 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames As you saw with my first Afterburner comment, it takes a lot to impress me. If a game (or film) doesn't grab me very quickly it tends to get kicked to the curb. It also doesn't help having a low frustration tolerance. With that being the case you can imagine me trying to play games such as Yolanda. 🤬

Nobody felt bad about pirating this game back then :D

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

For sure, I would have been utterly devastated if I spent all my allowance on this!

I was very disappointed by this game back then. I found Blue Lightning on Lynx way better. Too much lag, poorly designed, mostly unplayable. Though, for some reason called nostalgia, it’s still a cool memory 😅

@gearsofgames

6 күн бұрын

I really enjoyed Blue Lightning too! It was pretty easy and short, but it was amazing to have After Burner in your hand! 😁

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148

5 күн бұрын

​@@gearsofgamesTry First Strike by Elite on the C64, it's Afterburner but with more deoth

Barrel roll - hit a diagonal such as up left, then pull in the opposite direction (down right) and it'll roll. That's how the arcade worked anyway. Like space harrier, it was a stupidly easy game to complete on one coin by doing much the same, although not quite as easy as harrier constantly move in a circle thing. Like space harrier, a crap game in hindsight, but they were a real eye opener and quite spectacular in the arcades at the time, and were always worth a play through on one coin for the eye candy and ride in the sit down cab. The catch being that unless you knew the flawed routine to play them, you'd last about a minute. The computer ports were all dire. I had the ST and Amiga versions on cracktro disks and both were totally forgettable and totally not worth paying for. I'd have rather spent £20 on twenty arcade play throughs than wasted my money on any of the ports. The 16 bit version were bad. The 8 bit versions were the epitome of the facepalm portraits found in bad Zzap 64 reviews :D It'd be interesting to see how well it could be ported today given the kinds of tricks and optimization witnessed in the demoscene that can be pulled off now.

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

Yeah, spending the money in the arcade would have been a way better idea, than actually buying any home versions! 😁 And the publishers just kept insisting on converting impossible arcade games! I always felt they should have gone for the slightly older ones. Where it would have been possible to capture the experience much easier and end up with an actual good game!

@X1L3

4 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames Totally agree with you there. There were a ton of arcade ports at the time that were shockingly bad due to the hardware not being up to the job and i guess what would have been tight deadlines to get the ports released. Things like Afterburner and space harrier were always going to be dire, especially on the 8 bit platforms. It's quite nice to see occasional ports of games i liked back then done today though. The Amiga port of Trojan is a good example. Although it doesn't require the kind of sprite scaling heavy lifting of something like afterburner, it's still cool to see such an authentic port and what was in theory possible back in the day :)

@X1L3

4 күн бұрын

@@gearsofgames Something i now remember which you point out at the end of this vid with this game are the quite good spectrum ports of a few arcade games. It was always weird how the spectrum managed to pull these things off quite admirably and you'd get a good playable game out of it with a quite impressivee take on the graphics given the limitations. The C64 was another matter. In contrast i remember the C64 port of space harrier. It was i suppose a brave attempt, but one which was shockingly bad 🤣

@gearsofgames

4 күн бұрын

@X1L3 Yeah, Space Harrier on the Speccy didn't deserve to be as good as it was! 😁 Also After Burner is better than on the ST, I know, not saying much. Gameplay is still not great though. I just made a video about it, will be up on Friday...

Wow I've never played the ST version I had a amiga 500 I can see why after playing on my 500 my mate got rid of his st and bought a amiga 😂 what a dreadful version

@gearsofgames

5 күн бұрын

So the Amiga version is passable or maybe even, good? Because comparing it to the ST version really doesn't say much! 😁

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148

4 күн бұрын

​@@gearsofgamesGameplay wise, the Amiga version suffers from the same issues as the ST version, it just has better sound.. Music, SFX and speech.

@gearsofgames

4 күн бұрын

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148 Oh well, at least they got better sound!

After hyping the literal backside off just how good the 16-bit home conversions were going to be, better than Buggy Boy, the complex software based sprite-scaling routines Argonaught had developed for the conversion, Jez San much later admitted they only took the conversion on as a source of income, whilst in-house Argonaut games like Birds Of Prey, were taking longer to develop than expected abd he blamed Activision for rushing the game out before Argonaut were ready. Jez.. The extra 7 days development time you wanted from Activision would of done nothing to save this one. It's at it's core a very, very shallow game, nothing without the custom arcade cabinet behind it. The ST and Amiga were way below the hardware levels of the Arcade boards, it was a fools errand convetdion I'd much rather play the likes of Elite's First Strike on the C64 or Blue Lightning on the Lynx, than this crap.