After Burner

From Sega Retro

n/a

After Burner Title.png

After Burner
System(s): Sega X Board, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, FM Towns, MSX, NES, PC Engine, Sega Master System, Sharp X68000 and ZX Spectrum
Publisher: Sega
Nintendo Entertainment System
Tengen
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Release Date RRP Code
Famicom
JP		 1989 ¥? ?
Nintendo Entertainment System
US		 1989 $? ?

After Burner (アフターバーナー) is an arcade game designed by Yu Suzuki and developed by Sega AM2 in 1987. The player pilots a F-14 Tomcat jet through 18 levels, destroying enemies with machine gun fire and a limited supply of missiles.

After Burner stands as one of Sega's most successful arcade games, building on the momentum started earlier in the decade with Hang-On, Space Harrier and OutRun. It was one of the earliest games (if not the earliest game) to utilise Sega X Board technology allowing for the easy scaling and rotation of in-game sprites. It is also remembered for its then-revolutionary sit-down cabinet design, complete with a horizontally rotating seat and a vertically rotating cockpit, controlled (like the game) by the integrated flight stick. Upright cabinets were also available.

The original After Burner was released exclusively in Japan, however the western world would receive an updated version of the game, After Burner II in the months which followed. After Burner II is extremely similar in design, bar a few minor tweaks (such as a throttle control, extra levels and slight changes to the missile system), so much so that people often consider it to be a more "complete" version of After Burner than a direct sequel. Due to the similarities and shared cabinet designs and artwork, After Burner II is frequently confused for the original After Burner. A similar relationship would develop with Galaxy Force and Galaxy Force II, also produced by Sega AM2.

Sequels and Rereleases

In its original form, After Burner was only ported to the Sega Master System, however many ports of After Burner II were released under the name of After Burner for home consoles and computers, including the Amiga (twice), Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, FM Towns, MSX, PC Engine, Sharp X68000 and ZX Spectrum.

It was also ported to the Sega 32X by Rutubo Games and went under the name of After Burner Complete. Tengen also took Sunsoft's port of After Burner II to the Famicom and heavily modified it into an unlicensed After Burner for the NES (there are still some remnants of the old version, such as the sound test).

Production Credits

NES Version

Program Director: Hiro-kun
Program: Hiro-kun, Suzuki Kun, Luckyasada
Art Director: Iwata Kun
Music: Kodaka San, Morota San
Hard Ware: A.T
Special Thanks: Don Gavacho, Erica, Yoko Chan
Director: Cho Musow
Marketing: Eguchan, Masato♥Kun, Kozawa, Norichan
Presented by...: Sun Electronics Corporation

Gallery

  • Sit-down cabinet

Physical Scans

Master System Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
70 №7
76
82 №77
60
60 №4
80
70 №2/20
Sega Master System
 71
Based on
7 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ACE (UK)
70
[1]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
63
[2]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
51
[3]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
51
[4]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
51
[5]
Computer Action (DK)
50
[6]
Console XS (UK) PAL
85
[7]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
90
[8]
The Games Machine (UK)
60
[9]
Games Preview (DK)
45
[10]
Génération 4 (FR)
81
[11]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
70
[12]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
51
[13]
Power Play (DE)
50
[14]
Sega News (CZ)
68
[15]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
51
[16]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
25
[17]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
93
[18]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[19]
Software Gids (NL)
72
[20]
Tilt (FR)
75
[21]
Sega Master System
 64
Based on
21 reviews

After Burner

Master System, US
Afterburner ms us cover.jpg
Cover
Afterburner sms us cart.png
Cart
Master System, EU
Afterburner ms eu cover.jpg
Cover
Afterburner sms us cart.png
Cart
Master System, EU
"no limits" variant
AfterBurner SMS EU nolimits cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, EU
® variant
AfterBurner SMS EU r nobarcode cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, JP
AfterBurner SMS JP Box Back.jpgNospine.pngAfterburner ms jp cover.jpg
Cover
Afterburner ms jp cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, AU
AfterBurner SMS AU cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, BR
Afterburner ms sa cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, KR

Amiga Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
70 №21
Amiga
 70
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Amiga
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

After Burner

Amiga, US
AfterBurner Amiga EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
Amiga, EU

Amiga, EU (The Hit Squad)

Amstrad CPC Version

Amstrad CPC, EU (Cassette)

Amstrad CPC, EU (Cassette) (alt)
AfterBurner CPC EU Box Cassette Alt.jpg
Cover
Amstrad CPC, EU (Disk)

Amstrad CPC, ES (Cassette) (MCM)
AfterBurner CPC EU Box Cassette MCM.jpg
Cover
Amstrad CPC, ES (Disk) (MCM)
AfterBurner CPC EU Box Disk MCM.jpg
Cover

Atari ST Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
69 №16
Atari ST
 69
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Atari ST
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

After Burner

Atari ST, EU
After Burner AtariST EU Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngAfter Burner AtariST EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
Atari ST, EU (The Hit Squad)

Commondore 64 Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
Commodore 64
 Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Commodore 64
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

After Burner

Commodore 64, US
AfterBurner C64 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, EU (The Hit Squad)
AfterBurner C64 EU Box THS.jpg
Cover

DOS Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
77 №3, p145
IBM PC compatibles
 77
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
IBM PC compatibles
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

After Burner

DOS, US
AfterBurner DOS US Box Front.jpg
Cover

FM Towns Verison

FM Towns, JP
AfterBurner FMTowns JP Box Front.jpg
Cover

MSX Version

MSX, ES (MCM)
After Burner MSX EU MCM Box.jpg
Cover

NES Version

NES, US
AfterBurner NES US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngAfter Burner NES US Box.jpg
Cover
After Burner NES US Cart.jpg
Cart
NES, JP
AfterBurner NES JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
After Burner NES JP Cart.jpg
Cart

Sharp X68000 Version

Sharp X68000, JP
<div style="margin:auto; max-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x80pxNospine-small.pngAfter Burner X68000 JP Box.png
Cover

ZX Spectrum

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
66
90 №86
ZX Spectrum
 78
Based on
2 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ZX Spectrum
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

After Burner

ZX Spectrum, EU (MCM)
After Burner Spectrum EU MCM Box.jpg
Cover
ZX Spectrum, EU (MCM) (Alt)
After Burner Spectrum EU MCM Box Alt.jpg
Cover
ZX Spectrum, EU

After Burner Spectrum EU Disk.jpg
Disk
ZX Spectrum, EU (The Hit Squad)
Afterburner zx-spectrum eu the-hits-squad outer-sleeve.jpgAfterburner zx-spectrum eu the-hits-squad inner-sleeve.jpg
Cover
Afterburner zx-spectrum eu the-hits-squad tape.jpg
Cassette




Games in the After Burner Series
Arcade
 After Burner (1987) | After Burner II (home computers) (1987) | G-LOC: Air Battle (home computers) (1990) | Strike Fighter (1991) | Sky Target (1995) | Sega Strike Fighter (2000) | After Burner Climax (2006)
Sega Master System
 After Burner (1987) | G-LOC: Air Battle (1991)
LCD handheld game
 After Burner (1988)
Sega Mega Drive
 After Burner II (1990) | G-LOC: Air Battle (1993)
Sega Game Gear
 G-LOC: Air Battle (1990)
Sega Mega-CD
 After Burner III (1992)
Sega 32X
 After Burner Complete (1995)
Sega Saturn
 Sega Ages After Burner II (1996) | Sky Target (1997)
Windows PC
 Sky Target (1997)
Mobile phone
 After Burner II (200x) | After Burner II DX (2007)
Sony PlayStation 2
 Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 10: After Burner II (2004)
Sony PlayStation Portable
 After Burner: Black Falcon (2007)
Xbox 360
Sony PlayStation 3
 After Burner Climax (2010)
Nintendo 3DS
 3D After Burner II (2013)
Google Android OS
iOS
 After Burner Climax (2013)
After Burner related media
Music
 Sega Game Music Vol. 3 After Burner (1987) | After Burner (1990) | Strike Fighter (1991) | Yu Suzuki Produce After Burner II (1997) | Yu Suzuki Produce G-LOC/R360/Virtua Racing (1998) | After Burner Climax Sound Track (2006) | After Burner 20th Anniversary Box (2007) | After Burner II (2018) | G-LOC Air Battle: Series Music Collection (2020)
Film
 After Burner (1987) | After Burner / Super Hang-On (1987)
  1. ↑ ACE, "April 1988" (UK; 1988-xx-xx), page 51
  2. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "März 1988" (DE; 1988-02-19), page 41
  3. ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 47
  4. ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 89
  5. ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 52
  6. ↑ Computer Action, "Juli/August 89" (DK; 1989-0x-xx), page 34
  7. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 137
  8. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "March 1988" (UK; 1988-02-15), page 122
  9. ↑ The Games Machine, "March 1988" (UK; 1988-02-18), page 54
  10. ↑ Games Preview, "8/9 1989" (DK; 1989-xx-xx), page 67
  11. ↑ Génération 4, "Eté 1988" (FR; 1988-0x-xx), page 20
  12. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Enero 1990" (ES; 19xx-xx-xx), page 27
  13. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 132
  14. ↑ Power Play, "Ausgabe 3" (DE; 1988-02-22), page 91
  15. ↑ Sega News, "Říjen 1996" (CZ; 1996-xx-xx), page 27
  16. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 40
  17. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
  18. ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 18
  19. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70
  20. ↑ Software Gids, "Mei/Juni 1990" (NL; 1990-05-xx), page 31
  21. ↑ Tilt, "Mai 1988" (FR; 1988-0x-xx), page 100
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=After_Burner&oldid=122537"