Aero Fighters 2, 1994 Video System (20 From '94 Part 18)
6Also known as SONIC WINGS 2, this is a beautiful, smooth shoot-em-up (shmup) for the NEO GEO cabinet. Additional fighters are added to this game from the last, and it retains the terrific weapon-increasing system from the last (GREAT power-ups, and they're collected as floating "P" icons). Characters are the robot ROBO KEATON, the old pilot SILVER (and his parrot), ninja HIEN, pop star MAO MAO, sisters CINDY and ELLEN, dolphin (!) SPANKY, fey punk star RAFALE and baby (!) BOBBY. The standard secondary weapon bomb is here, in limited supply, and can also be picked up after defeating certain enemies. 2 stages (out of the 10) will give you a chance to really stock up on P icons-- each enemy here doesn't shoot but can easily be taken out for your upgrades. You really only get to upgrade your craft a handful of times-- the final time grants you extra-fast shots for about 5 seconds or so. Cutscenes between levels (and after beating the 10th level) are nicely-detailed and humorous (sometimes funny, sometimes just dumb or meh). You must then play the game through again, this time with greater difficulty and no cut-scenes. Then you see the credits. Somehow, you might see a different boss than usual-- I only have fought the ghost-like boss. There is also an eye boss and possibly another boss. If you take too long to dispose of a boss you will get a bad end. If you run out of lives on the final level you must start it over! Fun, crisp, attractive and worthy sequel to Aero Fighters.