Air Fortress

The Good
The setup for this game is that there are 8 Air Fortresses (they look kind of like large, fat ice cream cones) headed towards earth to take it out. You are the lone warrior who can stop them.

I always welcome games that have varying types of action and Air Fortress does not disappoint. The game features 2 types of action: First, you must penetrate an Air Fortress's outer defenses in a one-way sideways-scrolling shooting action sequence where you will perish when hit once. You gain powerups during this phase. Then you enter the actual Air Fortress where you can explore in all directions and take lots of damage. The goal is to find and destroy the main reactor and then find an escape route before the Air Fortress reaches critical mass.

I liked exploring the insides of the Air Fortresses. They were laid out well and took a lot of time to navigate, particularly in the later levels.

The game was well-designed in the way that the challenge gradually escalated throughout the Air Fortresses, starting from easy and going to impossible (you reach the impossible level before the final Air Fortress).

The Bad
I didn't like the fact that I could never get past the 6th Air Fortress, and not for lack of trying!

The Bottom Line
If you think you're good at action games, pick up the NES controller for this game. The later Air Fortresses are likely to put you in your place.

The Good
This game was truly a breakthrough. It displayed what the NES was (and still is) capable of. However, the graphics stand out. They ROCK! The metal around you as you fly on your little ship increases. It's cool.

The Bad
??? What's NOT to like?

The Bottom Line
GET THIS GAME. This is an ORDER. If you do not listen, I will fire at your core.