Steel Talons
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | August 23, 1991 |
| Founder | Atari Games |
| Products | Combat flight simulator arcade video game |
Steel Talons is a combat flight simulator arcade video game launched by Atari Games in 1991. In this title, players control an "AT1196 Steel Talons" combat helicopter within a three-dimensional setting created using flat-shaded polygons powered by the TMS34010 CPU and graphics chip. The game was later adapted for the Genesis, Lynx, Atari Falcon, and SNES platforms.
Gameplay
As an arcade air combat simulator, Steel Talons lets players pilot a helicopter equipped with a machine gun, rockets, and a finite supply of air-to-surface guided missiles. Initially released as a two-player cockpit arcade cabinet, it supports both cooperative and competitive gameplay modes. The single-player and co-op options feature 19 distinct missions, while the competitive mode challenges players to face off against one another.
The arcade setup includes a joystick, an analog collective lever for altitude adjustments, and rudder pedals. A seat-mounted speaker delivers auditory feedback when the helicopter sustains damage. Additionally, a "real heli mode" button increases the flight challenge but grants enhanced maneuverability, particularly beneficial during multiplayer sessions.
Release
The official release date for the game was August 23, 1991. It was presented at the 1991 Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) exhibition held in Las Vegas. By November of the same year, Steel Talons had been launched globally—published by Sega in Japan and by Atari across Europe.
Versions were produced for the Genesis, Lynx, Atari Falcon, and SNES systems. Although an Atari Jaguar edition was announced, it ultimately never reached the market.
Reception
In the United States, Steel Talons dominated the RePlay arcade rankings for dedicated arcade cabinets from October 1991 through February 1992 and led deluxe cabinet charts from November 1991 until April 1992. In Japan, Game Machine listed it as the third highest-grossing upright arcade game in March 1992.
At its AMOA 1991 unveiling, The One commended the title for pushing 3D helicopter simulation forward beyond Taito’s Air Inferno (1990), emphasizing its user-friendly nature without compromising control depth. Upon its European launch, Sinclair User rated it among the finest implementations of 3-D technology, awarding an 87% score. Meanwhile, Julian Rignall from Computer and Video Games gave it a rating of 96%.
In 1992, the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) nominated Steel Talons for the "Most Innovative New Technology" award.
The Sega Genesis adaptation earned favorable reviews, with GameFan giving it a score of 172 out of 200.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1991 video games
- Arcade video games
- Atari arcade games
- Atari Lynx games
- Atari ST games
- Cancelled Atari Jaguar games
- Combat flight simulators
- Cooperative video games
- Helicopter video games
- Multiplayer and single-player video games
- NuFX games
- Polygames games
- Sega arcade games
- Sega Genesis games
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
- Tengen (company) games
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games scored by Brad Fuller