After Burner (1987). Play online

Summary

After Burner exploded onto arcades in 1987, delivering a blister‑fast, rail‑shooter experience that puts you behind the controls of an American F‑14 Tomcat. Using a third‑person view, the game challenges you to blast enemy aircraft with a machine gun, fire heat‑seeking missiles, and dodge swarms of anti‑aircraft fire while performing barrel rolls and dives. Each of the 18 stages culminates in a refuel‑and‑reload sequence where a waiting tanker restores energy and ammunition. The visual spectacle rests on Sega’s X Board, which pioneered sprite and surface rotation and created realistic missile smoke trails.

What truly set After Burner apart was its motion‑sim cabinet: a hydraulic “taikan” seat that tilted, rolled and even rotated the cockpit in sync with on‑screen action, complete with a head‑level stereo sound system and safety seatbelt. Developed under Yu Suzuki’s direction in the secret Studio 128, the project borrowed inspiration from Top Gun and became Sega’s first true blockbuster, ranking among America’s top five grossing dedicated arcade machines of 1988. An updated “After Burner II” added throttle controls later the same year, and the arcade hit later spawned ports across dozens of platforms. Even decades later, its influence shows up in titles like Shenmue and Bayonetta.

Storyline

In After Burner, the action kicks off as you launch from the aircraft carrier SEGA Enterprise. Your objective is clear: fly through 18 stages and take down waves of enemy jets. Each stage ramps up the intensity, testing your reflexes as you chase down hostile aircraft across the sky.