| Aero Fighters Assault | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Paradigm Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Video System |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Combat flight simulator |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: K-A |
Aero Fighters Assault, known in Japan as Sonic Wings Assault (ソニックウィングス アサルト), is a 1997 combat flight simulator developed by Paradigm Entertainment and published by Video System for the Nintendo 64. It was first released in North America on November 1, 1997, then in Japan on March 19, 1998, and finally in Europe on April 15, 1998. It is the first and only game in the Aero Fighters series (known in Japan as the Sonic Wings series) with 3D computer graphics, as well as the sixth and final title of the series before Video System filed for bankruptcy sometime in 2001. It pits a group of four pilots going after a fictional world-dominating organization Phutta Morgana.
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The game is arcade style, meaning that the object is to go through the entire game and score as many points as possible. Points are awarded for having all wingmen survive, how many defensive countermeasures and special weapons the player has remaining, and how many hits the plane has remaining when the stage ends. In many cases, earning high point values yields unlocking a bonus mission during gameplay, with a total of 4 bonus missions in all.
There are 4 aircraft to choose from at the beginning, each with a different special weapon and missile type. Two more aircraft can be unlocked; one via push-button code, and the other by successfully completing all of the missions in the game including the bonus missions.
Aero Fighters Assault contains a two-player deathmatch option in which two players face off against each other. Additional planes can also be unlocked for the multiplayer mode based on progress in the single player campaign.
The aircraft paint scheme for the four main characters is changeable by pushing the R-button in the selection screen.
Playable characters in Aero Fighters Assault:
| Pilot Name | Country | Age | Aircraft | Main Weapon | Missile | Defense | Special Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawk | 17 | Tomcat F-14B | 20 MM Vulcan cannon | Phoenix | Chaff | Tomahawk | |
| Glenda | 30 | Thunderbolt II A-10A | 30 MM Gatling gun | Rockets | Chaff | FAE | |
| Volk | 30 | Super Flanker SU-35 | Fire Arrow | Fire Ball | Air Mines | Fire Wave | |
| Hien | 25 | FS-X | Stars | Kunai Shot | Makibishi | Ninja Beam |
There are also two secret characters:
| Pilot Name | Plane | Main Weapon | Missile | Defense | Special Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mao Mao | F-15E Strike Eagle | 20 MM Vulcan Cannon | Phoenix | Jamming Chaff | Ninja Beam |
| Spanky | X-29A | Beam Sabre | Phoenix | Air Mines | FAE |
Unlockable aircraft in 2-Player Deathmatch, armament sets are (modified) copies of the four main character aircraft:
| Aircraft | Complete level to unlock | Weapon set from |
|---|---|---|
| Su-25 | Tokyo | A-10 (with Fire Ball instead of Rockets) |
| Mig-31 | Pacific Ocean | A-10 (with Fire Ball and Fire Wave) |
| F-22 | Air Battle | A-10 (with Air Mines, plus hard to lock on (Stealth)) |
| KFIR | Desert | A-10 (with Air Mines) |
| EFA | Fortress | F-14 |
| Rafale | Antarctic Ocean | FS-X (red instead of blue) |
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 59.43% |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7/10 |
| GameSpot | 5.4/10 |
| IGN | 5/10 |
| Archive 64 | 3.2/5 |
| AntKids.com | 58/100 |
| Hot Games | 3/5 |
| Gamecenter | 3/5 |
The game received mixed reviews from critics.
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