Fur-lined jacket? ‘Check.’ Goggles? ‘Check.’ Big flappy scarf? ‘Check.’ Looks like MAT YEO’s ready!

Up, up and away! Take to the skies, soar like an eagle and all that guff! It’s time to strap yourself into a real mean machine (and I don’t mean Paul’s clapped-out Mellerick mobile)!

If you fancy trying your hand at being a mini Tom Cruise... you’ve come to the wrong place. What Aerial Assault lacks in speed and excitement it makes up for in sheer dross! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a shoot-’em-up addict, but this thing leaves me pining for Halley Wars!

You’re controlling an advanced jet-fighter as levels scroll from right to left. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell you this plane was bought at Wolverhampton market as part of a job lot!

Double gunners

The fighter has to wing it’s way through level after level of thrilling action (only joking!). Your enemies come screaming out of the sky (well, it’s more like a hum actually) and shower you with missiles.

Reach the end of the level and — surprise, surprise — you find a big, bad guardian.

Your plane’s equipped with standard, forward-firing cannons, but extra weapons can be picked up on the way to increase firepower. Points are gained by blasting enemy planes and picking up bonus items. Get a star and you’ll be blessed with an extra life.

If you can wangle together two Game Gears and two carts (both Aerial Assault, preferably), you can team-up. Two sets of firepower should get you through even the toughest levels!

It stinks!

The graphics are clear and detailed. Backgrounds on later levels are colourful and packed with loads of movement. The sprites, on the other hand, are drab and lack any sense of adventure on the programmers’ part. Sound-wise, there are no realistic sound effects or fun tune.

I have too many gripes about this game. Collision detection’s very dodgy! You have to hit the planes correctly or they keep coming and enemy fire sometimes disappears against the background. The extra weapons are useful but they lack real wallop.

What we have here is a dodo of a cart; slow, unresponsive and downright boring. It’s difficult when it should be fun and dull when it could be eye-popping. There’s potential for a fast, addictive shoot-’em-up but it just doesn’t appear.

MAT

I'm not as unimpressed as Mat. Yeah, the music’s a bit duff, but get into the game and start collecting power-ups and this shoot-‘em soon draws you in. When the opposition builds up, you've got a real battle on your hands. Link up with a mate, Aerial Assault’ll give you a fair run for your money, and a fair amount of fun, too.

CHRIS

Producer
Sega
MS
N/A
MD
N/A
Memory
128K
Players
1 or 2
Price
£23.99

SF Rating

Presentation
55% - Extra lives and three continues
Visuals
64% - No detail on aircraft, good backdrops
Sonics
32% - Naff tune and bad effects
Playability
44% - Starts tough, bad collision detection
Lastability
40% - Lots of levels but too challenging

48%

A rubbish shoot-‘em -up, lacking any thrills.

Rating
48
Reviewer
Sega Force magazine
Region
UK
Scans
Sega Force - Issue 08

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