Genesis

Space Harrier II

Space Harrier was a sensation in the arcades because of its speed and sit-down cabinets. However its playability never really matched its looks and sound, and I'm afraid that's true of this game as well. Don't get me wrong, it's fast and furious and great fun, but lacks a variety of gameplay to make it a total winner. The aliens are brilliant, with the difficulty level pitched just right. Still, well worth a gander if fast shoot 'em ups are your thing.

Space Harrier II is an enjoyable game. It's long enough to consider a purchase and should be added to anybody's stack of games at home who like shooters, especially the Space Harrier series. The music is great, the challenge is decent, and the experience is fun. Playing this version is probably the closest thing next to playing the original version in the arcades. Pick this up, it's fun.

Try making a 3D game on a system that doesn't support 3D graphics, and the result might look something like Space Harrier II. You control a guy in a jetpack flying into the horizon, shooting enemies and obstacles that fly approach from the distance. Conveying a realistic illusion of depth requires smooth scaling, which this game is sorely lacking. Heck, your guy doesn't even move sideways smoothly. The result is a bunch of jumpy, pixelated images appearing all over the place. Enemy missiles, which look like rings, are especially tough to see coming. This is a mess.