After Burner II

After Burner

Industry	Video games
Founded	1987
Founder	Yu Suzuki
Products	After Burner (arcade game)
Parent	Sega

After Burner is a rail shooter arcade title created and distributed by Sega in 1987. Players assume control of an American Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, navigating through eighteen different levels while utilizing machine guns and a limited supply of heat-seeking missiles. The game presents a third-person viewpoint reminiscent of Sega's earlier releases such as Space Harrier and Out Run. It operates on the sophisticated Sega X Board arcade hardware, which supports sprite rotation. The arcade cabinet features a hydraulic "taikan" motion simulator that replicates cockpit movements, complete with flight stick controls and seating equipped with seatbelts.

The development was led by Sega veteran Yu Suzuki and the Sega AM2 team, marking Sega's first attempt at a "true blockbuster." Work commenced in December 1986 following the completion of Out Run. Drawing inspiration from the movies Top Gun and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Suzuki chose a Top Gun-inspired visual style to ensure international appeal. Development took place outside the main Sega offices in a location known as "Studio 128," utilizing a flexible work schedule. Later in 1987, an upgraded edition featuring throttle controls, After Burner II, was released.

Commercially, After Burner achieved significant success. It was ranked as Japan's second highest-grossing large arcade game in 1987 and became the top-grossing arcade title overall in 1988. In the United States, it was among the five highest-earning dedicated arcade games of 1988. The game received acclaim for its graphical presentation and engaging gameplay, influencing subsequent releases and inspiring numerous sequels and ports on platforms including the Master System, ZX Spectrum, and Famicom. Sega leveraged this success with follow-up titles like G-LOC: Air Battle. The franchise continues to be referenced in other Sega games such as Fighters Megamix, Shenmue, and Bayonetta.

Gameplay

Players pilot an F-14 Tomcat jet fighter, taking off from the SEGA Enterprise aircraft carrier to engage enemy aircraft across eighteen stages.

The arcade version equips players with a machine gun and a limited number of heat-seeking missiles (with unlimited missiles available in the Master System adaptation), which are replenished after select levels by a support plane. Controls consist of an integrated flight stick that manages aircraft movement, cannon fire, and missile deployment.

In North America, two cabinet models were introduced: a standard upright version and a deluxe rotating cockpit model featuring motion seats and stereo sound. Both cabinets share a grey bezel surrounding the monitor with flashing lights that indicate enemy lock-on status. Japanese arcades also received a commander-style cabinet capable of lateral movement, alongside another commander variant with an open design.

Development and release

After Burner was developed under the direction of Yu Suzuki from Sega AM2, alongside programmer Satoshi Mifune and composer Hiroshi "Hiro" Kawaguchi. Development began in December 1986 after completing work on Out Run, involving much of the same creative team. Conceived as Sega’s inaugural "true blockbuster," the project remained confidential during its creation. It was one of the first titles developed under Sega’s new flextime policy within "Studio 128."

Originally inspired by Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Suzuki shifted toward a visual style more akin to Top Gun to maximize global marketability. The programming was conducted on a PC-98, marking Sega’s first use of personal computers over traditional workstations.

Technical challenges included pioneering sprite and surface rotation techniques, considered advanced for that period, as well as perfecting missile smoke trail effects. Unlike Out Run, which featured real-world locations, all stages were fictionalized due to time limitations. Suzuki initially contemplated using the Soviet Union as antagonists to appeal to Western audiences but abandoned this concept due to thematic conflicts. To enhance gameplay diversity, refueling and landing sequences were incorporated.

The arcade cabinet represented one of Sega’s more expensive machines at launch. The first prototype featured an overly powerful monitor setup that was later scaled back for safety reasons. Suzuki envisioned a gyroscopic cabinet design that eventually evolved into the Sega R360. Although throttle controls were considered during development, they were omitted to preserve gameplay challenge. The game runs on the Sega X Board, hardware also utilized for Thunder Blade (1987) and Super Monaco GP (1989).

After Burner debuted in Japan in July 1987, followed by releases in Europe in September and North America in October 1987. In the UK market, the hydraulic sit-down cabinet was priced at £4,000 (approximately US$5,900 at that time).

After Burner II

Released in 1987 as a successor to the original, After Burner II also ran on the Sega X Board arcade hardware. Rather than a completely new game, it was more of an upgraded version—a strategy Sega later applied to titles like Galaxy Force and its sequel, Galaxy Force II. Players continued to pilot an F-14 Tomcat, battling enemy forces while evading incoming attacks. The game was available in both a traditional upright arcade cabinet and a servo-driven sit-down motion simulator that replicated the aircraft’s maneuvers. Improvements included added throttle controls and refreshed audio tracks featuring rock guitar elements and sharper xylophone tones. It achieved notable commercial success, becoming Japan's top-grossing arcade title in 1988.

The development team, operating under the codename Studio 128, was led by Yu Suzuki, Satoshi Mifune, and Kawaguchi, who maintained strict confidentiality throughout the project.

Arcade

In August 1987, Game Machine ranked After Burner as Japan’s most popular arcade game. It secured the position of second highest-grossing large arcade game in Japan for 1987 (following Out Run) and topped the charts in 1988. In the United States, it was among the five highest-earning dedicated arcade games of 1988 and stayed within the top ten through 1990. Upon its September 1987 release in the UK, it became the leading revenue-generating arcade title.

Critics lauded After Burner for its engaging gameplay and innovative motion cabinet design. Clare Edgeley from Computer and Video Games described it as a "fabulous game," highlighting its lock-on targeting mechanic reminiscent of Data East’s Lock-On (1986). Top Score praised its "stunning animation," calling it "one of the most beautiful and realistic shooting games ever produced," despite noting somewhat simplistic gameplay. The magazine Sinclair User awarded it an 8 out of 10, while Your Sinclair recommended it even though it carried a higher cost. Robin Hogg of The Games Machine commended its visuals and gameplay but criticized the £1 price tag in the UK.

At Japan’s 1987 Gamest Awards, After Burner earned Best Graphics and ranked second for Game of the Year, alongside honors for Best Ending, Best VGM, Best Sound Synthesis, and Most Popular Game. It also received a Special Award at the 1988 edition of the same awards. In the United States, it won "Most Innovative Game" at the 1988 Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) Games Awards.

After Burner II

In Japan, both After Burner II and its predecessor shared the distinction of being the highest-grossing arcade games in 1988.

The Mega Drive port was placed at number 38 in Mega’’’s Top Mega Drive Games of All Time. Additionally, MegaTech praised this version for its smooth, rapid gameplay and quality sound design.

Ports

The original After Burner saw numerous conversions across various platforms such as Amiga, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, X68000, FM Towns, Commodore 64, Master System, PC Engine, Sega Saturn, MSX, and ZX Spectrum. The Commodore 64 release came in two variants: a European edition by U.S. Gold and a U.S. version published by Activision and Weebee Games. Rutubo Games developed a version for the 32X titled After Burner Complete, which was released in Japan and Europe. An unauthorized NES port was created by Tengen, later reworked by Sunsoft for an exclusive Japanese NES launch. The Game Boy Advance iteration appeared within the compilation Sega Arcade Gallery.

Sega’s Master System adaptation became one of their best-selling titles in the U.S. during 1988. Computer Gaming World complimented its detailed aircraft models, impressive backgrounds, and explosive effects. The ZX Spectrum version from Activision (1988) earned favorable reviews—receiving a 90% score from Sinclair User and an 86% rating by Crash. In contrast, the Commodore 64 port was poorly received; Zzap!64 gave it only 17%, criticizing both graphics and audio quality. A subsequent PC review by Computer Gaming World rated it one star out of five, citing significant inferiority compared to the arcade original.

The 32X edition received positive remarks from GamePro, which highlighted enhancements in visuals, sound fidelity, and gameplay mechanics. However, these improvements were minor compared to the Genesis version of After Burner II, making it primarily attractive to newcomers.

Ports of After Burner II were also released on platforms including PC Engine, X68000, Mega Drive/Genesis, Famicom, FM Towns Marty, Atari ST, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and Sega Saturn. Later on, this title was updated with stereoscopic 3D support as part of Nintendo’s Nintendo 3D Classics series for the Nintendo 3DS.

Legacy

Sequels and Related Titles

Although the After Burner franchise lay inactive for an extended period, Sega produced multiple flight combat games centered around the F-14 Tomcat, featuring gameplay mechanics reminiscent of the original series and often regarded as spiritual successors. Notable examples include G-LOC: Air Battle and its follow-up Strike Fighter, which was later renamed After Burner III for home console editions. Subsequent installments such as Sky Target advanced the series by incorporating 3D graphics while preserving fundamental gameplay elements, and Sega Strike Fighter introduced an arcade flight combat experience with free-roaming capabilities, starring the F/A-18 Hornet as the primary aircraft.

In 2006, Sega revived the franchise with After Burner Climax, launched on Sega Lindbergh arcade hardware—marking the first arcade release under the After Burner name since After Burner II. This title was subsequently adapted for Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, followed by a spin-off titled After Burner: Black Falcon released for PSP in 2007. Although removed from digital storefronts in 2014, After Burner Climax resurfaced in 2019 on mobile platforms as part of the Sega Forever initiative, available as a free download supported by advertisements.

In Japan, After Burner II received a re-release on PlayStation 2 within the Sega Ages classic collection. The developer M2 later converted it for the Nintendo 3DS eShop, initially in Japan (2013) and then globally (2015), under Sega’s 3D Classics label. This edition faithfully replicates the arcade original while introducing Touch Controls, several screen layout options emulating different cabinet styles, and a new unlockable Special mode. The Special mode features a time-slowing "Burst" mechanic inspired by After Burner Climax, presenting an alternate storyline and modified stages without continues or stage selection, thereby emphasizing player skill.

Appearances in Other Games

An emulated version of After Burner is accessible within the arcade cabinet found in Shenmue 2. Additionally, the signature fighter jet makes a brief appearance in Fighters Megamix, unlocked via cheat code.

The franchise’s soundtrack is sampled in a remix named "Route 666" featured in Chapter 8 of Bayonetta, developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. This remix also appears in both Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, played on the Bayonetta stage.

Areas inspired by After Burner, such as "Carrier Zone," are incorporated as a tennis court in Sega Superstars Tennis and as a racing circuit in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. The latter features a playable character named AGES whose vehicle transforms into an F-14 Tomcat during aerial segments.

A remix of the series' music is included in both arcade and console versions of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA, showcasing vocals from Vocaloid.