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Archon: The Light and the Dark

2025-11-01T19:31:28Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:B9FC:8D6E:3D6E:7790:

{{short description|1983 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Archon: The Light and the Dark
|image = archon box.png
|caption = IBM PC cover art
|developer = [[Free Fall Associates]]
|publisher = {{vgrelease|NA|[[Electronic Arts]]|EU|[[Ariolasoft]]}}
|designer = [[Jon Freeman (game designer)|Jon Freeman]] [[Paul Reiche III]]
|programmer = [[Anne Westfall]]
|series = ''Archon''
|platforms = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Atari 8-bit]]}}|[[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Apple II]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Amiga]], [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]], [[PC-8801|PC-88]], [[Sharp X1]], [[FM-7]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]}}
|released = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|November 1983}}|'''Atari 8-bit'''{{vgrelease|NA|November 1983<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/cb369928-f924-4272-8c95-6efbe447d008 |work=[[Computer Entertainer|The Video Game Update]] |volume=2 |issue=7 |date=October 1983 |pages=16}}</ref>}} '''IBM PC'''{{vgrelease|NA|September 1984<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/b761a092-ca67-4d66-b3a1-77ccaf5001c3 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=3 |issue=6 |date=September 1984 |pages=16}}</ref>}} '''C64'''{{vgrelease|EU|1984|NA|1984}} '''Apple II'''{{vgrelease|NA|Late 1984<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/72c4f6f7-56c1-476a-9000-7ba5007e2882 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=3 |issue=8 |date=November 1984 |page=16}}</ref>}} '''CPC, ZX Spectrum'''{{vgrelease|UK|1985}} '''Amiga'''{{vgrelease|NA|January 1986<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/07a5c316-474a-4ad6-b9f7-7f0f78b5d9f5 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=4 |issue=10 |date=January 1986 |page=14}}</ref>}} '''Macintosh'''{{vgrelease|NA|May 1986<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/d4e32107-2d52-4d81-88e8-f141f8e5a3c1 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=5 |issue=3 |date=June 1986 |page=14}}</ref>}} '''PC-88, X1'''{{vgrelease|JP|1986}} '''FM-7'''{{vgrelease|JP|1988}} '''NES'''{{vgrelease|NA|December 1989<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf |publisher=Nintendo of America |title=NES Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611225644/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf |archive-date=June 11, 2014 }}</ref>}}}}
|genre = [[Strategy video game|Strategy]], [[Action game|action]]
|modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
}}

'''''Archon: The Light and the Dark''''' is a 1983 [[Strategy video game|strategy]]/[[Action game|action]] [[video game]] developed by [[Free Fall Associates]] and one of the first five games published by [[Electronic Arts]]. It is superficially similar to [[chess]], in that it takes place on a board with alternating black and white squares, but instead of fixed rules when landing on another player's piece, an arcade-style fight takes place to determine the victor, and each piece has different combat abilities. The health of the player's piece is enhanced when landing on a square of one's own color.

''Archon'' was originally written for [[Atari 8-bit computers]] and then [[porting|ported]] to the [[Apple II]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Amiga]], [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] (as a [[self-booting disk]]), [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]], [[NEC PC-8801|PC-88]], [[Sharp X1]], [[FM-7]], and [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. It was designed by [[Paul Reiche III]] (who also created the graphics for the game) and [[Jon Freeman (game designer)|Jon Freeman]] and programmed by [[Anne Westfall]].

A sequel was released in 1984: ''[[Archon II: Adept]]''.

==Gameplay==
===Overview and objective===
[[File:C64 Archon.png|thumb|left|C64 screenshot]]
The goal of the game is either to occupy five power points located on the board, to eliminate all the opposing pieces, or to eliminate all but one remaining imprisoned piece of the opponent's. Accomplishing any one of these goals results in a win.<ref name=EA-manual>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/ArchonEAManual/ |title=Archon Manual |author1=Freeman, Jon |author2=Reiche III, Paul |publisher=Electronic Arts |date=1983 |access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref>{{rp|2}}

When one piece lands on the same space as an opposing piece, the removal of the targeted piece is not automatic. Instead, the two pieces are placed into a full-screen 'combat arena' and must battle (action-style, with the players operating the combatants) to determine who takes the square.<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|2}}<ref name=mechanics>[http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/44 Secrets of ''Archon'' at vintagecomputing.com] - detailing mechanics of the Atari 800 version.</ref> A stronger piece will generally defeat a weaker piece, but not always, and a fight can result in both pieces being eliminated. This uncertainty adds a level of complexity to the game. Different pieces have different abilities in the combat phase. These include movement, lifespan, and weapon. The weapons vary by range, speed, rate of firing, and power. For example, the [[pawn (chess)|pawn]] (represented by [[knight]]s on the 'light' side and [[goblin]]s on the 'dark' side) attacks quickly, but has very little strength; its weapon, a sword or club, has limited reach and power. A [[dragon]] is stronger and can attack from a distance, while a [[golem]] moves slowly and fires a slow but powerful boulder.

===Game board===
[[File:Archon board.svg|thumb|right|9×9 board for ''Archon'']]
The board is visually similar to a chessboard and is laid out with nine columns and nine rows. There are five "power points", arranged at the center of each edge and the center of the board. A piece on a power point heals faster and is immune to spells cast by the opponent.<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|3}}

A piece's powers are affected by the square on which the battle takes place, with each player having an advantage on squares of their own color.<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|3}} Each quadrant of sixteen squares (e.g., A1:D4) in each corner of the board has six dark squares, six light squares, and four oscillating squares which cycle between light and dark, making them dangerous to hold over time; these quadrants are separated by oscillating squares along the middle column (E) and row (5). In total, 27 squares on the board ({{frac|3}}) oscillate between light and dark.

The three power points in the middle column (E) are on oscillating squares. The two power points on the left and right edges are permanently assigned (A5 = light, I5 = dark) and are the respective starting squares for the spellcaster/leaders of each side.

===Icons===
Each player starts with 18 icons, or pieces, from 8 different types,<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|2}} arranged in the two columns on either side of the board, Light starting on the left and Dark starting on the right.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%;text-align:center;"
|+''Archon'' icons<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|10–11}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mocagh.org/ea/archon-creatures.pdf |title=Archon — Quick Reference Card |publisher=Electronic Arts |date=1983 |access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref>
! style="background:#fff;" colspan=7 | Light
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" colspan=7 | Dark
! rowspan=2 | Qty !! colspan=3 | Movement
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Name
! Weapon !! F{{efn|name=force|Force measures the impact of an individual attack landing on the opponent, rated on a scale of 1–6, with 1 being "minor", 3 being "moderate", 5 being "great", and 6 being "very great".}} !! S{{efn|name=speed|Speed of an individual attack, rated on a scale of 1–6, with 1 being "slow", 3 being "medium", 5 being "fast", and 6 being "instant".}} !! I{{efn|name=interval|Attack Interval is the recharge time before another attack can be made, rated on a scale of 1–6, with 1 being "long", 3 being "average", 5 being "short", and 6 being "very short".}}
! Life{{efn|name=life|Length of this icon's life bar, rated on a scale of 1–6, with 1 being "short", 3 being "average", 5 being "long", and 6 being "very long".}}
! Start{{efn|name=start|Starting square for this icon.}}
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Name
! Weapon !! F{{efn|name=force}} !! S{{efn|name=speed}} !! I{{efn|name=interval}}
! Life{{efn|name=life}}
! Start{{efn|name=start}}
! Type !! Range{{efn|Radius of movement, in squares.}} !! Speed
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Wizard
| fireball || 5 || 3 || 3
| 3
| A5
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Sorceress
| lightning bolt || 3 || 5 || 3
| 3
| I5
| 1 || Teleport || 3 || Normal
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Djinni
| whirlwind || 3 || 3 || 3
| 5
| A4
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Dragon
| fiery breath || 6 || 3 || 1
| 6
| I6
| 1 || Flying || 4 || normal
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Phoenix
| fiery explosion || 5 || 1 || 1
| 5
| A6
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Shapeshifter
| varies || var. || var. || var.
| unknown
| I4
| 1 || Flying || 5 || normal
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Unicorn
| energy bolt || 3 || 5 || 5
| 3
| A3, A7
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Basilisk
| eye beam || 5 || 5 || 5
| 1
| I3, I7
| 2 || Ground || 4(3){{efn|Basilisk has a movement radius of 3; unicorn has a movement radius of 4.}} || normal
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Golem
| boulder || 5 || 1 || 1
| 5
| A2, A8
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Troll
| boulder || 5 || 1 || 1
| 5
| I2, I8
| 2 || Ground || 3 || slow
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Valkyrie
| magic spear || 3 || 1 || 3
| 3
| A1, A9
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Banshee
| scream || 3 || 6 || 1
| 3
| I1, I9
| 2 || Flying || 3 || normal
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Archer
| arrow || 1 || 3 || 3
| 1
| B1, B9
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Manticore
| tail quills || 1 || 1 || 3
| 3
| H1, H9
| 2 || Ground || 3 || normal
|-
! style="background:#fff;" | Knight
| sword || 1 || 6 || 6
| 1
| B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8
! style="background:#000;color:#fff;" | Goblin
| club || 1 || 6|| 6
| 1
| H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H7, H8
| 7 || Ground || 3 || normal
|}
;Notes
{{notelist}}

Each piece has one of three movement types: ground, flying, or teleport. Ground types cannot move diagonally or through an occupied square. Flying and teleport types do not have these restrictions but cannot end their move in a square already occupied by that player's pieces.<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|5}}

Most pieces have missile attacks, except the knight/goblin (short-range swinging attacks) and banshee/phoenix (short-range area attacks). Barriers in the combat arena cycle through light and dark; when the barriers match the background color, they are effectively no longer present.<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|6}}

Some pieces have special abilities. The [[Phoenix (mythology)|phoenix]] can turn into a ball of fire, both damaging the enemy and shielding itself from enemy attacks. The shapeshifter assumes the shape and abilities of whatever piece it is up against. ''[[MikroBitti]]'' magazine once wrote that the phoenix and the shapeshifter facing each other usually end up as the most boring battle in the entire game; both combatants' capabilities are simultaneously offensive and defensive, and they tend to use it whenever they meet each other, and thus both rarely get damaged.

Each side also has a [[Magician (fantasy)|spellcaster]] piece, who are the leaders: the sorceress for the dark side and the wizard for the light side. The sorceress and the wizard can cast seven different spells. Each spell may be used only once per game by each spellcaster.<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|5}}

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%;"
|+''Archon'' spells<ref name=EA-manual/>{{rp|6–7}}
! Name !! class="unsortable" | Effect
|-
! Teleport
| Moves a friendly piece to another location, unless the piece is imprisoned or the destination is not already occupied by a friendly piece or is a power point. Opposing pieces cannot be ''teleported''.
|-
! Heal
| ''Heals'' all wounds to a friendly piece, unless the piece is on a power point.
|-
! Shift Time
| Shifts direction of oscillation cycle (e.g., if squares are changing from light to dark, ''shift time'' will result in cycling back towards light); if the cycle is at its peak, it abruptly shifts squares to the opposite peak (e.g., swaps light for dark tiles).
|-
! Exchange
| Swap the locations of two selected pieces. If either piece is imprisoned or on a power point, an ''exchange'' is not possible.
|-
! Summon Elemental
| ''Summons'' a temporary elemental to battle any opponent piece that is not on a power point; the elemental disappears after the battle, regardless of the outcome. The elemental is one of four types (air, earth, fire, or water), chosen randomly.
|-
! Revive
| ''Revives'' any friendly icon previously removed from the board after combat onto an empty square adjacent to the spellcaster.
|-
! Imprison
| ''Imprison'' confines an opponent piece to the square it is currently occupying, preventing it from moving but combat is still possible if a friendly piece is moved onto that square; if the square is shifting colors, the imprisonment is ended once it matches the opponent's color. Imprison cannot be used for pieces on a power point, nor can it be used on a piece that would be freed based on its background color.
|}

The computer opponent slowly [[dynamic game difficulty balancing|adapts over time]] to help players defeat it.<ref name="bateman198411">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1984-11-computegazette/Compute_Gazette_Issue_17_1984_Nov#page/n53/mode/2up | title=Free Fall Associates: The Designers Behind Archon and Archon II: Adept | work=Compute!'s Gazette | date=November 1984 | accessdate=6 July 2014 | author=Bateman, Selby | pages=54}}</ref> The game is usually won when either one side destroys all the opposing pieces or one of the sides is able to occupy all of the five power points. More rarely, a side may also win by imprisoning its opponent's last remaining piece. If each side has but a single piece, and the two pieces destroy each other in combat, then the game ends in a tie.

==Reception==
''Archon'' was very well received. ''[[Softline (magazine)|Softline]]'' praised the game's originality and said that "it's an announcement that Free Fall does games. And it does them well."<ref name="yuen19830708">{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1983&pub=6&id=12 | title=Archon | work=Softline | date=Jul–Aug 1983 | accessdate=28 July 2014 | author=Yuen, Matt | pages=24}}</ref> ''Video'' magazine reviewed the game in its "Arcade Alley" column where reviewers described it as "truly a landmark in the development of computerized strategy games" and suggested that "no review could possibly do more than hint at [''Archon''{{'s}}] manifold excellence."<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Kunkel |first1= Bill |author-link1= Bill Kunkel (journalist)|last2= Katz |first2= Arnie |author-link2= Arnie Katz|date= October 1983 |title= Arcade Alley: From Pinball to Purgatory at Electronic Arts |journal= [[Video (magazine)|Video]]|publisher= Reese Communications|volume= 7|issue= 7|pages= 30–32|issn= 0147-8907}}</ref>{{rp|32}} ''[[Computer Gaming World]]''{{'}}s reviewer called ''Archon'' "a very good game, with lots of care put into its development".<ref name="willis198310">{{cite magazine | title=Archon: Review and Analysis | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=October 1983 | author=Willis, David | pages=16–18}}</ref> Of the Atari version, the magazine said that it "is a good first step towards what will be an exciting new class of game. Its play, despite the lack of depth or variation that will be possible, is fast moving."<ref name="CGW12">{{cite magazine |last=Doum |first=Allen |title=Atari Arena |magazine=Computer Gaming World |date=October 1983 |volume=1 |issue=12 |pages=43}}</ref> For Amiga version, the magazine recommended both ''Archon'' and ''Adept'' for those interested in a challenging strategy games.<ref name="wagner198611">{{cite magazine | title=Amiga Preferences | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=November 1986 | author=Wagner, Roy | page=38}}</ref> ''[[Ahoy!]]'' in 1986 called ''Archon'' for the Commodore 64 "revolutionary", with excellent graphics and superior gameplay to the sequel.<ref name="ahoy198604">{{Cite magazine |last1=Kunkel |first1=Bill |last2=Katz |first2=Arnie |date=April 1986 |title=Think Fast! Action-Strategy Games for the Commodore 64 |url=https://archive.org/details/ahoy-magazine-28/page/n40/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=2024-09-04 |magazine=Ahoy! |pages=41–45}}</ref>

[[Orson Scott Card]] reviewed the game for ''[[Compute!]]'' in 1983. He gave ''Archon'' and two other EA games, ''[[M.U.L.E.]]'' and ''[[Worms?]]'', complimentary reviews, writing that "they are original; they do what they set out to do very, very well; they allow the player to take part in the creativity; they do things that only computers can do."<ref name="card198311">{{cite news | url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue42/gamesgrowup.php | title=Home Computer Games Grow Up | work=Compute! | date=November 1983 | accessdate=27 January 2015 | author=Card, Orson Scott | pages=162 | authorlink=Orson Scott Card}}</ref> [[Leo LaPorte]] of ''Hi-Res''—a tournament chess player—unfavorably compared the complexity of its rules to that of chess and [[Go (game)|Go]], but concluded that ''Archon'' was "a very good game" that "struck a fine balance between a strategy game and an arcade shoot-'em-up."<ref name="laporte19840506">{{cite news | url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/hi-res/v1n4/reviews.php | title=ARCHON | work=Hi-Res | date=May–June 1984 | accessdate=22 December 2014 | author=LaPorte, Leo G. | pages=14}}</ref> ''[[BYTE]]''{{'}}s reviewer called the Atari version one of the best computer games he ever played. While wishing for less advantage to arcade skill, and more game options, he concluded that ''Archon'' was "rewarding and varied enough to be played again and again".<ref name="williams198406">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1984-06/1984_06_BYTE_09-06_Computers_and_Education#page/n317/mode/2up | title=Archon | work=BYTE | date=June 1984 | accessdate=23 October 2013 | author=Williams, Gregg | page=317}}</ref> ''The [[Addison-Wesley]] Book of Atari Software 1984'' gave the game an overall A+ rating, describing it as "one of the most creative and original games that has come along in several years ... It has great graphics, and will give a lifetime of pleasure."<ref name="aw1984">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/stream/Atari_Software_1984#page/n161/mode/2up | title=The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software | publisher=Addison-Wesley | year=1984 | pages=162 | isbn=0-201-16454-X |editor1=Stanton, Jeffrey |editor2=Wells, Robert P. |editor3=Rochowansky, Sandra |editor4=Mellid, Michael}}</ref> ''[[InfoWorld]]'s Essential Guide to Atari Computers'' also recommended the game.<ref name="mace1984">{{Cite book |last=Mace |first=Scott |url=https://archive.org/details/InfoWorlds_Essential_Guide_to_Atari/page/n87/mode/2up?view=theater |title=InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers |date=1984 |publisher=Harper & Row |isbn=978-0-06-669006-3 |pages=77–78}}</ref>

In 1984 ''Softline'' readers named ''Archon'' the most popular Atari program of 1983.<ref name="stgame19840304">{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1984&pub=6&id=16 | title=The Best and the Rest | work=St.Game | date=Mar–Apr 1984 | accessdate=28 July 2014 | pages=49}}</ref> It was awarded "1984 Most Innovative Video Game/Computer Game" at the 5th annual [[Arkie Awards]], where judges noted that "few games make better use of a computer's special abilities than ''Archon''."<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Kunkel |first1= Bill |author-link1= Bill Kunkel (journalist)|last2= Katz |first2= Arnie |author-link2= Arnie Katz|date= February 1984 |title= Arcade Alley: The 1984 Arcade Awards, Part II |journal= [[Video (magazine)|Video]]|publisher= Reese Communications|volume= 7|issue= 11|pages= 28–29|issn= 0147-8907}}</ref>{{rp|29}} In 1996, ''Computer Gaming World'' ranked ''Archon'' as the 20th best game of all time.<ref name="cgw199611best">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148 | title=150 Best Games of All Time | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=November 1996 | accessdate=25 March 2016 | pages=64–80}}</ref> It was also ranked as the 50th top game by [[IGN]] in 2003, who called it a "perfect marriage of strategy and action". The reviewer commented: "Whether on the computer or NES, ''Archon'' is an intense, engaging match of wits and reflexes, and boasts some of the coolest battles in gaming history."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.top100.ign.com/2003/41-50.html |title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time |publisher=Uk.top100.ign.com |accessdate=2013-11-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104104024/http://uk.top100.ign.com/2003/41-50.html |archivedate=2013-11-04}}</ref> In 2004, ''Archon'' was inducted into [[GameSpot]]'s list of the greatest games of all time.<ref name="Gamespot">{{cite web|last=|first=|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-41.html|title=The Greatest Games of All Time: ''Archon''|website=[[GameSpot]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008133944/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-41.html |archivedate=October 8, 2007}}</ref> They also highlighted it among their ten games that should be remade.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050131233259/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_remake/page3.html Ten Games that Should be Remade - Archon] from GameSpot</ref> In 2005, IGN ranked it again as their 77th greatest game.<ref name="IGN 2005">{{cite web | url = http://top100.ign.com/2005/071-080.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050723234200/http://top100.ign.com/2005/071-080.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2005-07-23 | publisher = IGN | title = IGN's Top 100 Games (2005)}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Free Fall developed a sequel for the same platforms, ''[[Archon II: Adept]]'', released by Electronic Arts in 1984. Ten years later an enhanced version of the original was published by [[Strategic Simulations]] as ''[[Archon Ultra]]''.

The original game was rewritten for [[Palm OS]] in 2000 by Carsten Magerkurth, who contacted members Free Fall Associates for feedback on creating an improved version released in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://palm-os.appmobilize.com/apps/21/archon |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117024826/http://palm-os.appmobilize.com/apps/21/archon |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-17 |title=Archon - Palm OS Apps |publisher=Palm-os.appmobilize.com |accessdate=2013-11-07}}</ref>

''Archon: Evolution'' used [[source code|code]] from the original 8-bit version with the blessing of Jon Freeman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archonevolution.com/game/game.asp |title=Archived archonevolution.com website, mentioning Freeman's involvement |date=2004-01-01 |accessdate=2013-11-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040101083910/http://www.archonevolution.com/game/game.asp |archivedate=January 1, 2004}}</ref>

In 2008, React Games acquired the license from Free Fall to develop the ''Archon'' title across multiple platforms. It released an [[iPhone]] version in June 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/app/archon/id320050617?mt=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430225600/https://itunes.apple.com/app/archon/id320050617?mt=8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-04-30 |title=App Store - Archon |publisher=[[iTunes]] |date=2009-10-31 |access-date=2013-11-07}}</ref> A follow-up title ''Archon: Conquest'' was released in October of the same year for the iPhone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/archon-conquest/id331383905?mt=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027013633/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/archon-conquest/id331383905?mt=8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-10-27 |title=App Store - Archon:Conquest |publisher=[[iTunes]] |date=2009-10-15 |access-date=2013-11-07}}</ref> ''Archon: Classic'' for Windows was released in November 2010 with optional gameplay elements not found in the original game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archonclassic.com/ |title=ArchonClassic_Home |publisher=Archonclassic.com |accessdate=2013-11-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131122073348/http://www.archonclassic.com/ |archivedate=2013-11-22}}</ref>

Archon influenced Reiche's game ''[[Star Control]]'', which featured a similar combination of turn based strategy and real-time combat.<ref name="IGN 2005"/>

==See also==
* ''[[Dark Legions]]'', a 1994 [[MS-DOS]] game described as "Archon-like".
* ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deception]]'', has a Chess Kombat [[Minigame|mini game]] that is very similar, with almost the same rules.
* ''[[The Unholy War]]'', a 1998 [[PlayStation]] game with a similar structure.
* ''[[Wrath Unleashed]]'', a 2004 [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] game with a similar structure.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{moby game|id=-group/archon-series|name=The ''Archon'' series}}
* {{Internet Archive game|msdos_Archon_1984|Archon: The Light and the Dark}}
* [http://www.c64sets.com/archon.html ''Archon'' at c64sets.com] - images of the package and manual.
* [http://bringerp.free.fr/RE/Archon/news.php5 A reverse engineering of ''Archon'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archon: The Light And The Dark}}
[[Category:1983 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Amstrad CPC games]]
[[Category:Apple II games]]
[[Category:Ariolasoft games]]
[[Category:Atari 8-bit computer games]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Digital board games]]
[[Category:Electronic Arts franchises]]
[[Category:Electronic Arts games]]
[[Category:Fighting games]]
[[Category:FM-7 games]]
[[Category:Free Fall Associates games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:NEC PC-8801 games]]
[[Category:NEC PC-9801 games]]
[[Category:Sharp MZ games]]
[[Category:Sharp X1 games]]
[[Category:Turn-based strategy video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Action-strategy video games]]

After Burner

2025-11-01T19:12:45Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:B9FC:8D6E:3D6E:7790: /* Ports */

{{Short description|1987 video game}}
{{About|the video game|the concept|Afterburner|other uses|Afterburner (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = After Burner
| image = AfterBurner JParcadeflyer.png
| caption = Japanese arcade flyer
| developer = [[Sega AM2|Studio 128]]
| publisher = [[Sega]]
| designer = [[Yu Suzuki]]
| programmer = Yu Suzuki Satoshi Mifune
| composer = [[Hiroshi Kawaguchi (composer)|Hiroshi Kawaguchi]]
| series = ''After Burner''
| platforms = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]}}|'''''After Burner''''' [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Master System]]'''''After Burner II''''' [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Amiga]], [[FM Towns]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[X68000]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Video Challenger]], [[Mega Drive/Genesis]], [[TurboGrafx-16|PC Engine]], [[Sega Saturn]], [[Nintendo 3DS]]}}
|release = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|July 1987}}|'''''After Burner''''' '''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|July 1987|EU|September 1987<ref name="YS23"/>|NA|October 1987<ref name="Akagi"/>}} '''Master System'''{{vgrelease|JP|December 12, 1987<ref>{{cite web |title=Software List |url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html |website=Sega Hard Encyclopedia |publisher=[[Sega|Sega Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621034428/https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html |archive-date=2019-06-21 |language=ja}}</ref>|NA/EU|March 1988<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/e45a949e-7d1a-4cf0-bbd1-a63b79ef58e8 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=7 |issue=1 |date=April 1988 |page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=4 Mega Classic |url=https://segaretro.org/images/3/38/SMSGamesCatalogueUK.pdf|work=The Sega Master System Game Catalog (1988)|publisher=[[Mastertronic]]}}</ref>}} '''''After Burner II''''' '''Arcade''' September 1987<ref>{{cite web |title=アフターバーナー 2 ROMキット |trans-title=After Burner 2: ROM type |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M728340 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] |language=ja |access-date=5 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=アフターバーナー 2 シティタイプ |trans-title=After Burner 2: Sit-in type |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M728341 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] |language=ja |access-date=5 October 2021}}</ref> '''Atari ST, C64, CPC, ZX Spectrum, MSX'''{{vgrelease|EU|November 1988<ref name="tgmdec88">{{cite magazine |author= |date=December 1988 |title=Previews |url=https://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-13/page/n15/mode/2up |magazine=[[The Games Machine]] |publisher=[[Newsfield]] |issue=13 |page=17}}</ref>}} '''Amiga'''{{vgrelease|EU|December 1988<ref name="tgmdec88"/>}} '''NES'''{{vgrelease|JP|March 30, 1989<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/|title=All Famicom games sorted from the latest release to the earliest|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|archive-date=October 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015061257/https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/|url-status=dead}}</ref>|NA|December 1989<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/cff99160-03fe-4527-80d8-2cd40ae1a436 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=8 |issue=10 |date=January 1990 |page=22}}</ref>}} '''MS-DOS'''{{vgrelease|NA|September 1989<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/6b755cf7-58b4-4bfe-bdde-7ba0eccc7ae9 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=8 |issue=7 |date=October 1989 |page=14}}</ref>}} '''X68000'''{{vgrelease|JP|1989}} '''Mega Drive/Genesis'''{{vgrelease|JP|March 23, 1990<ref name="3rd party titles - Sega JP">{{cite web |title=Software List (Released by Soft Licensees)|url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html |website=セガ製品情報サイト |publisher=Sega |access-date=May 15, 2023 |language=ja}}</ref>|NA|July 1990<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20013%20%28August%201990%29/page/n22/mode/1up|title=Review Crew: Afterburner 2|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=13|date=August 1990|page=22|access-date=April 10, 2022}}</ref>|EU|1990}} '''PC Engine'''{{vgrelease|JP|September 28, 1990<ref>{{cite web |title=PC Engine Software List 1990 |url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NEC1_PCE1990.html |website=GAME Data Room |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907011033/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NEC1_PCE1990.html |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |language=ja}}</ref>}} '''Saturn'''{{vgrelease|JP|September 27, 1996}} '''Nintendo 3DS'''{{vgrelease|JP|December 18, 2013|WW|January 15, 2015}}
}}
| genre = [[Rail shooter]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rignall |first1=Jaz |title=3D Afterburner II 3DS Review: Too close for missiles, I'm switching to guns |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1762&tab=review |website=[[VG247]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |access-date=18 February 2023 |date=22 January 2015 |archive-date=14 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114223155/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1762&tab=review |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| arcade system = [[Sega X Board]]
}}

{{Nihongo foot|'''''After Burner'''''|アフターバーナー|Afutā Bānā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1987 [[rail shooter]] [[video game]] developed by [[Sega AM2|Studio 128]] and published by [[Sega]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]].<ref name="KLOV"/><ref name="YS26"/> The player controls an American [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14 Tomcat]] fighter jet and must clear each of the game's eighteen unique stages by destroying incoming enemies. The plane is equipped with a machine gun and a limited supply of heat-seeking missiles. The game uses a third-person perspective, as in Sega's earlier ''[[Space Harrier]]'' (1985) and ''[[Out Run]]'' (1986). It runs on the [[Sega X Board]] arcade system which is capable of surface and [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]] rotation. It is the fourth Sega game to use a hydraulic "taikan" [[motion simulator]] [[arcade cabinet]], one that is more elaborate than their earlier "taikan" simulator games.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=The Sega Arcade Revolution: A History in 62 Games |date=6 July 2018 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-1-4766-3196-7 |page=131 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qZhDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA131 |quote=''After Burner'' was the fourth and most extravagant of Sega's taikan simulators and topping it would not be easy.}}</ref> The cabinet simulates an aircraft cockpit, with [[flight stick]] controls, a chair with seatbelt, and hydraulic motion technology that moves, tilts, rolls and rotates the cockpit in sync with the on-screen action.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Lendino |first1=Jamie |title=Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games |date=27 September 2020 |publisher=Steel Gear Press |page=331 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d6wCEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA331}}</ref>

Designed by Sega veteran [[Yu Suzuki]], ''After Burner'' was intended to be Sega's first "true blockbuster" video game. Development began in December 1986, shortly after the completion of ''Out Run'', and was kept as a closely guarded secret within the company. Suzuki was inspired by the 1986 films ''[[Top Gun]]'' and ''[[Laputa: Castle in the Sky]]''; he originally planned for the game to have an aesthetic similar to ''Laputa'', but instead went with a ''Top Gun'' look to make the game approachable for worldwide audiences. It was designed outside the company in a building named "Studio 128", due to Sega adopting a [[flextime]] schedule to allow for games to be worked on outside company headquarters. An updated version with the addition of [[throttle]] controls, '''''[[#After Burner II|After Burner II]]''''', was released later the same year.

''After Burner'' was a worldwide commercial success, becoming Japan's second highest-grossing large arcade game of 1987 and overall arcade game of 1988 as well as among America's top five highest-grossing dedicated arcade games of 1988. It was acclaimed by critics for its impressive visuals, gameplay and overall presentation, and is seen as being important and influential. It was followed by a series of sequels and ports for many platforms, including the [[Master System]], [[ZX Spectrum]], and [[Famicom]]. Sega also produced several successors to the game to capitalize on its success, such as ''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]''. ''After Burner'' has also been referenced in many other Sega video games, such as ''[[Fighters Megamix]]'', ''[[Shenmue]]'', and ''[[Bayonetta (video game)|Bayonetta]]''.

==Gameplay==
[[File:After Burner screenshot.png|thumb|320px|left|Arcade version]]
The game allows the player to control an [[F-14 Tomcat]] jet airplane. At the start of the game, the player takes off from an aircraft carrier called the ''SEGA Enterprise'' on a mission to destroy enemy jets over 18 stages.

In the arcade version, the jet employs a machine gun and a limited number of heat-seeking missiles (in the [[Master System]] version the player has unlimited missiles). These weapons are replenished by another aircraft, after beating a few stages. The aircraft, cannon and missile buttons are all controlled from an integrated [[Joystick|flight stick]].

The game itself was released in two variations in the US: a standard upright cabinet and a closed rotating cockpit ''deluxe'' version. In the cockpit version, the seat tilted forward and backwards, and the cockpit rotated from side to side.<ref name="KLOV">{{cite web |url=http://www.klov.com/A/After_Burner.html|title=KLOV entry for After Burner |website=[[Killer List of Videogames]] |access-date=2009-04-23}}</ref> It featured two speakers at head-level for stereo sound, and had a seatbelt to hold the player when the cockpit moved. Both cabinets contained a grey monitor frame with flashing lights at the top that indicated an enemy's "lock" on the player's craft. Japan also received a commander cabinet that moved left and right. A third variation, called ''commander'', released elsewhere, featured an open cabinet.

==Development and release==
''After Burner'' was designed by [[Yu Suzuki]], with assistance from programmer Satoshi Mifune and composer Hiroshi "Hiro" Kawaguchi.<ref name="Interviews">{{cite web |title=After Burner II - Developer Interviews |url=http://shmuplations.com/afterburner/ |website=Shmuplations |access-date=27 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230191946/http://shmuplations.com/afterburner/ |archive-date=30 December 2019}}</ref> Development of the game begin in early December 1986, shortly after work on ''[[Out Run]]'' was completed, with much of the development team having worked on ''Out Run''.<ref name="Interviews"/> ''After Burner'' was intended to be Sega's first "true blockbuster" video game; as such, the project was kept as a closely guarded secret within the company during the entirety of its development cycle.<ref name="Interviews"/> When the game was in its initial concept stages, Sega had adopted a [[flextime]] work system, allowing development of games to be done outside the company; ''After Burner'' was one of the first games to be produced under this new system, with development taking place in a building named [[Sega AM2|Studio 128]].<ref name="Interviews"/>

Suzuki was inspired by the film ''[[Laputa: Castle in the Sky]]'' and initially wanted to employ a similar aesthetic for ''After Burner'', but this idea was scrapped early on in favor of a style akin to the movie ''[[Top Gun]]'', as Suzuki wanted the game more approachable for a worldwide audience.<ref name="Interviews"/> The game was programmed and tested on a [[PC-98]] system, making it the first Sega-published video game to be developed using [[personal computer]]s rather than [[workstation]]s.<ref name="Interviews"/>

[[File:Sega Afterburner.jpg|thumb|right|The interior parts of a ''commander'' sit-down arcade cabinet for ''After Burner'']]

One of the biggest challenges the team had to overcome was researching and implementing sprite and surface rotation, which for the time was considered a milestone in video games.<ref name="Interviews"/> The team also struggled with creating the smoke trails made by firing missiles, seeing several tweaks and revisions as development progressed.<ref name="Interviews"/> Unlike their earlier game ''Out Run'', which featured real-world locations in its levels, Suzuki lacked the time to visit any specific places or landmarks, so he and his team made up their own stage settings.<ref name="Interviews"/> Suzuki toyed with the idea of having the [[Soviet Union]] as the antagonists to potentially increase sales in the west, but decided against it later on after struggling to tie it together with the game's level designs and settings.<ref name="Interviews"/> The refueling and landing sequences were created to add variety.<ref name="Interviews"/>

The ''After Burner'' arcade cabinet was significantly more expensive than most of Sega's other machines at the time.<ref name="Interviews"/> The first prototype unit constructed, which consisted of the monitor attached to a steel frame, was claimed by Mifune to have "amazing power", but was considered too dangerous to operate and had the power levels lowered.<ref name="Interviews"/> Suzuki also thought of the game using a gyroscopic arcade cabinet that spun the player around, an idea that later became the [[Sega R360|R-360]].<ref name="Interviews"/> A throttle control was briefly considered, but was abandoned as it would have destroyed the game's difficulty balance. It uses the [[Sega X Board]], which was also used for games such as ''[[Thunder Blade]]'' (1987) and ''[[Super Monaco GP]]'' (1989). ''After Burner'' was officially released in Japan in July 1987, and in October of that year in North America.<ref name="Akagi">{{cite book|last=Akagi|first=Masumi|url=https://archive.org/stream/ArcadeGameList1971-2005#page/n37/mode/1up|title=セガ社 (Sega); Sega; A|work=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編 (1971-2005)|edition=1st|publisher=Amusement News Agency|date=13 October 2006|pages=36, 131, 145|isbn=978-4990251215|language=ja}}</ref> In Europe, it was released in September 1987,<ref name="YS23"/> with the hydraulic sit-in cabinet costing £4,000, or {{US$|{{To USD|4000|GBR|year=1987|r=-2}}|1987|long=no|round=-3}}, in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Jenkins |first1=Chris |title=Back to the Future: Coin-ops in 1988 |magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]] |date=4 February 1988 |issue=6 (March 1988) |pages=25–27 (25) |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/10/358}}</ref>

==''After Burner II''==
[[File:After Burner II.jpg|thumb|European box art of ''After Burner II'' (note erroneous use of [[F-15]])]]

''After Burner'' was followed by ''After Burner II'', which was released in the same year (1987),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6822 |title =After Burner II |publisher =The International Arcade Museum |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200120152913/http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6822 |access-date =1 Nov 2013 |archive-date =2020-01-20}}</ref> also released for the [[Sega X Board]] arcade system. Some consider this game to be more of a revision of its predecessor, rather than an entirely new game, a practice later repeated by Sega for ''[[Galaxy Force (arcade game)|Galaxy Force]]'' and ''Galaxy Force II''. In the game, players fly an [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14 Tomcat]] jet fighter, gunning down enemies while avoiding incoming fire. ''After Burner II'' came both a standard [[arcade cabinet]] and a [[Servomechanism|servo]] actuated, sit-down [[motion simulator]] version which moved according to the motion of the plane onscreen. The cockpit would bank in the same direction the on-screen aircraft was banking. It is an updated version of ''After Burner'', with the addition of [[throttle]] controls, and some of the music being changed, for example in the song After Burner, the rock guitars were added, and the xylophone and chords were put an octave up. It was a commercial success, becoming Japan's highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.

The game was mostly created by three men: [[Yu Suzuki]], Satoshi Mifune, and Kawaguchi. During development, it was codenamed ''Studio 128'' to specify the secrecy of the project.<ref>{{Cite web|author=blackoak|url=http://shmuplations.com/afterburner/|title=shmuplations.com|website=shmuplations.com|access-date=2019-09-01}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| ARC = true
| C64 = true
| PC = true
| SMD = true
| SMS = true
| ZX = true
| CGW_PC = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="brooks199206"/>
| CGW_SMS = Positive<ref name="cgw198808"/>
| CRASH_ZX = 86%<ref name="Crash"/>
| CVG_ARC = Positive<ref name="CVG"/>
| CVG_SMS = 9/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Takoushi |first1=Tony |title=Mean Machines Special: After Burner |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=15 February 1988 |issue=77 (March 1988) |pages=122–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-077/page/n121/mode/2up}}</ref>
| GameFan_SMD = 232/300 {{small|([[32X]])}}<ref name="GameFan">{{cite magazine |last1=Halverson |first1=Dave |author1-link=Dave Halverson |last2=Rox |first2=Nick |last3=Lee |first3=K. |title=Viewpoint |journal=[[GameFan]] |date=April 1995 |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=18–9 |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_3_Issue_04/page/n17/mode/2up}}</ref>
| GamePro_SMD = 15.5/20 {{small|(32X)}}<ref name="GamePro"/>
| SUser_ZX = 90%<ref name="SU-ZX"/>
| TGM_ARC = Positive<ref name="TGM"/>
| SUser_ARC = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Coin Ops |magazine=[[Sinclair User]] |date=18 March 1988 |issue=73 (April 1988) |pages=82–3 |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/105/10}}</ref>
| YSinclair_ARC = Positive<ref name="YS26"/>
| Z64_C64 = 17%<ref name="Z64"/>
| rev1 = ''[[Console XS]]''
| rev1_SMS = 85%<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Software A-Z: Master System |magazine=[[Console XS]] |date=23 April 1992 |issue=1 (June/July 1992) |publisher=[[Paragon Publishing]] |location=United Kingdom |pages=137–47 |url=https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/137}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''Top Score''
| rev2_ARC = Positive<ref name="TopScore">{{cite news |title=Sega's After Burner |work=Top Score |date=November–December 1987 |issue=5 |page=7 |url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3596-top-score-issue-5-novdec-1987/}}</ref>
| award1Pub = 1987 [[Gamest|''Gamest'' Awards]]
| award1 = Best Graphics (1st) [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] (2nd) Most Popular Game (3rd) Best VGM (4th) Best Ending (6th) Best Sound Synthesis (8th)<ref name="Gamest87"/>
| award2Pub = 1988 AMOA Games Awards
| award2 = Most Innovative Game<ref name="CB"/>
| award3Pub = 1988 [[Gamest|''Gamest'' Awards]]
| award3 = Special Award<ref name="Gamest88"/>
| award4Pub = ''Computer and Video Games''
| award4 = C+VG Hit<ref>Game review, Computer & Video Games issue 86, December 1988, page 52</ref>
}}

===Arcade===
''Game Machine'' listed ''After Burner'' as the most popular arcade game of August 1987 in Japan,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=315|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 September 1987|page=23|lang=ja}}</ref> where it went on to be the second highest-grossing large arcade game of 1987 (just below ''Out Run'')<ref>{{cite magazine |title=87' ゲーメスト大賞〜ベストインカム |trans-title=87' Gamest Awards – Best Income |magazine=[[Gamest]] |date=December 28, 1987 |volume=17 (February 1988) |url=https://archive.org/details/gamest0017/page/n40/mode/2up |pages=25-38 (36-7) |lang=ja}} [http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v017.html alternate url]</ref> and the overall highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=December 27, 1988|title=第２回ゲーメスト大賞〜年間ヒットゲームベスト100|trans-title=2nd Gamest Awards – Best 100 Hit Games of the Year|url=https://archive.org/details/gamest0029/page/n44|magazine=[[Gamest]]|language=ja|volume=29 (February 1989)|pages=25–41 (41)}} [http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v029.html alternate url]</ref><ref name="onitama.tv">{{cite magazine |title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '88 ''/ "Game of the Year '88" By Game Machine'' |magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]] |issue=348 |publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]] |date=15 January 1989 |pages=10–1, 26 |lang=ja |url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19890115p.pdf#page=6}}</ref> In the United States, it was one of the top five highest-grossing dedicated arcade games of 1988,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=AMOA Awards Nominees |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=1988-09-10 |page=27 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox52unse_8/page/27 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref> and remained a top ten earner at various arcades through 1990.<ref name="RePlay">{{cite magazine |title=News Feature: Sega's 'G-Loc' – trade may crown air combat simulator "arcade hit" of the season |magazine=RePlay |date=May 1990 |volume=15 |issue=8 |pages=66, 68 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-14-issue-no.-8-may-1990-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2014%2C%20Issue%20No.%208%20-%20May%201990/page/66}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it was the top-grossing arcade game upon release in September 1987.<ref name="YS23">{{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=[[Your Sinclair]] |date=12 October 1987 |issue=23 (November 1987) |pages=72–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-23/page/n71/mode/2up}}</ref>

The arcade game received positive reviews from critics. Clare Edgeley of ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' called it a "fabulous game" with praise for the gameplay and motion cabinet while noting it has a lock-on mechanic similar to the [[Data East]] arcade game ''[[Lock-On (video game)|Lock-On]]'' (1986).<ref name="CVG">{{cite magazine |last=Edgeley |first=Clare |title=Arcade Action: After Burner |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=15 October 1987 |issue=73 (November 1987) |page=134 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-073/page/n133}}</ref> ''Top Score'' said it has "all the finger-numbing action of the best arcade shoot-em-ups, combined with some of the most stunning animation ever seen in a video game" and that it was "a glossy air combat game that ranks higher than similar efforts that have preceded it". The review called it "one of the most beautiful and realistic shooting games ever produced" with "somewhat shallow" gameplay that is nevertheless "definitively worth the price of admission" especially in the "cockpit simulator" cabinet.<ref name="TopScore"/>

''[[Sinclair User]]'' reviewed the arcade game, scoring it 8 out of 10.<ref name="SU">{{cite magazine |title=After Burner |magazine=[[Sinclair User]] |date=18 March 1988 |issue=73 (April 1988) |pages=82–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/sinclair-user-magazine-073/page/n81/mode/2up}}</ref> Ciarán Brennan of ''[[Your Sinclair]]'' said that, despite the higher price point, do not "let a little thing like a [[pound coin]] stand between you and action like this".<ref name="YS26">{{cite magazine |last=Brennan |first=Ciarán |title=Slots of Fun |magazine=[[Your Sinclair]] |date=January 1988 |issue=26 (February 1988) |pages=22–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-26/page/n77/mode/2up}}</ref> Robin Hogg of ''[[The Games Machine]]'' called it the "hottest Sega release so far" with praise for the graphics and gameplay, but with some criticism towards the £1 UK price.<ref name="TGM">{{cite magazine |last1=Hogg |first1=Robin |title=Coin-Op Confrontation |magazine=[[The Games Machine]] |date=21 January 1988 |issue=3 (February 1988) |pages=116–8 |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/20/10}}</ref>

At the 1987 [[Gamest|''Gamest'' Awards]] in Japan, ''After Burner'' won the Best Graphics award, while being a runner-up for [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] (2nd place), Best Ending (6th place), Best VGM (4th place), Best Sound Synthesis (8th place) and Most Popular Game (3rd place).<ref name="Gamest87">{{cite magazine |title=87' ゲーメスト大賞 |trans-title=87' Gamest Awards |magazine=[[Gamest]] |date=December 28, 1987 |volume=17 (February 1988) |url=https://archive.org/details/gamest0017/page/n40/mode/2up |pages=25–38 |lang=ja}} [http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v017.html alternate url]</ref> ''After Burner'' also won a Special Award at the 1988 ''Gamest'' Awards.<ref name="Gamest88">{{cite magazine |title=第２回ゲーメスト大賞 |trans-title=2nd Gamest Awards |magazine=[[Gamest]] |date=December 27, 1988 |volume=29 (February 1989) |url=https://archive.org/details/gamest0029/page/n28 |pages=25–41 |lang=ja}} [http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v029.html alternate url]</ref> In the United States, ''After Burner'' won the award for "Most Innovative Game" at the Amusement & Music Operators Association's 1988 AMOA Games Awards.<ref name="CB">{{cite magazine |title=Coin Machine: AMOA Jukebox, Games & Cig Vending Awards Winners |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=November 26, 1988 |page=30 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1988/CB-1988-11-26.pdf#page=30}}</ref>

===After Burner II===
{{Video game reviews
| title = Reviews (ports)
| ACE = SMD: 695/1000<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fitzgerald|first=David|date=October 1991|url=https://ia800604.us.archive.org/view_archive.php?archive=/1/items/World_of_Spectrum_June_2017_Mirror/World%20of%20Spectrum%20June%202017%20Mirror.zip&file=World%20of%20Spectrum%20June%202017%20Mirror/sinclair/magazines/ACE/Issue49/Pages/ACE4900078.jpg|title=Afterburner 2|magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]]|issue=49|page=78|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref> TG16: 666/1000<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Haynes|first=Rik|date=December 1990|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_37597|title=Afterburner II|magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]]|issue=39|page=104|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| IGN = Mobile: 5/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Buchanan|first=Levi|date=June 29, 2005|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/06/29/after-burner-ii|title=After Burner II|work=[[IGN]]|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| JS = SMD: 79%<ref>{{cite magazine|author=J.M. Destroy|url=https://archive.org/details/joystick006/page/n79/mode/2up?q=afterburner|title=After Burner II|language=fr|magazine=[[Joystick (magazine)|Joystick]]|issue=6|date=June 1990|page=80|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref> TG16: 72%<ref>{{cite magazine|author=J'm Destroy|url=https://archive.org/details/joystick010/page/n121/mode/2up?q=afterburner|title=After Burner II|language=fr|magazine=[[Joystick (magazine)|Joystick]]|issue=10|date=November 1990|page=123|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| MMS = SCD: 22/100<ref>{{cite magazine|author1=Paul|author2=Gus|date=March 1993|url=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:MeanMachinesSega06UK.pdf&page=70|title=After Burner II|magazine=[[Mean Machines Sega]]|issue=6|pages=74–76|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| PO = 92%<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Crevette|first=Tom|date=April 1991|url=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File%3APlayerOne_FR_008.pdf&page=36|title=After Burner II|language=fr|magazine=[[:fr:Player One|Player One]]|issue=8|page=36|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| Retro = 90%<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_139/page/102/mode/1up|title=3D After Burner II|date=March 2015|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=139|page=102|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| Zero = 90/100<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://amr.abime.net/amr_popup_picture.php?src=zero/magscans/zero09_1990_07/074.jpg&c=35273|title=After Burner II|date=July 1990|magazine=[[Zero (video game magazine)|Zero]]|issue=9|page=74|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[Compute!|Compute's Guide]]''
| rev1Score = SMD: 19/25<ref>''Compute's Guide to Sega'', Steven A Schwartz, 1990, {{ISBN|0-87455-238-9}}, p5</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[MegaTech]]''
| rev2Score = SMD: 90%<ref>''[[MegaTech]]'' rating, [[EMAP]], issue 5, page 78, May 1992</ref>
}}
In Japan, ''After Burner II'' was tied with ''After Burner'' as the highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.<ref name="onitama.tv"/>

''[[Mega (magazine)|Mega]]'' placed the Mega Drive version at number 38 in their Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.<ref>Mega magazine issue 1, page 76, [[Future plc|Future Publishing]], Oct 1992</ref> ''MegaTech'' magazine praised the smooth and fast gameplay, as well as the sound.

==Ports==
[[File:ARC After Burner II.png|thumb|320px|left|Arcade version screenshot]]
The game was ported to the [[Amiga]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari ST]], [[X68000]], [[FM Towns]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Master System]], [[PC Engine]], [[Sega Saturn]], [[MSX]], [[ZX Spectrum]]. The C64 has two versions: a European version by [[U.S. Gold]], and a US version by [[Activision]] and Weebee Games. A port for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]] was released in Japan by [[Sunsoft]] and for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] in North America by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]] (the latter version of which was not licensed by [[Nintendo]]). A port to the [[32X]] was done by Rutubo Games, and was known as ''[[After Burner Complete]]'' in Japan and Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vgrebirth.org/games/game.asp?id=721&redirect=%2Fgames%2Fsearch%2Easp%3Fdevelopers%3D1437|title=VGRebirth entry for After Burner Complete|access-date=2008-06-06|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726212247/http://www.vgrebirth.org/games/game.asp?id=721&redirect=%2Fgames%2Fsearch.asp%3Fdevelopers%3D1437 |archive-date=2011-07-26}}</ref> A port to the [[Game Boy Advance]] was included in the arcade compilation ''[[Sega Arcade Gallery]]''.

''After Burner'' for the Master System was a bestseller for Sega in the United States during 1988.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gellene |first1=Denise |title=The Joystick Lives: New Technology, Better Marketing Give Video Games a Second Life |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21593457/nintendo-report-1987-super-mario/ |access-date=13 September 2021 |work=[[The Los Angeles Times]] |date=13 June 1988 |pages=57}}</ref> ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' reviewed ''After Burner'' on the Master System, citing aircraft depicted in "remarkable detail", "spectacular" scenery, and excellent explosions.<ref name="cgw198808">{{cite magazine | title=Video Gaming World | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=August 1988 |author1=Katz, Arnie | author2=Kunkel, Bill | author3=Worley, Joyce | issue=50 | pages=44}}</ref> The ZX Spectrum port was well-received, with ''[[Sinclair User]]'' calling it a "top-class coin-op conversion destined for the top of the charts" and giving it 90%,<ref name="SU-ZX">{{cite news |title=After Burner review |url=http://zxspectrumworld.co.uk/mag_issues/sinclair_user/081/Sinclair-User-081.html |access-date=30 July 2019 |work=Sinclair User, p.12-13 |date=December 1988 |archive-date=30 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730121126/http://zxspectrumworld.co.uk/mag_issues/sinclair_user/081/Sinclair-User-081.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> whilst [[Crash (magazine)|''Crash'']] magazine gave it 86% overall.<ref name="Crash">{{cite journal |title=After Burner review |journal=Crash |date=December 1988 |issue=59 |page=9 |url=http://zxspectrumworld.co.uk/mags/crash/reviews/spectrum_48k/activision/After-Burner-000.html |access-date=30 July 2019 |archive-date=30 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730121127/http://zxspectrumworld.co.uk/mags/crash/reviews/spectrum_48k/activision/After-Burner-000.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Zzap!64]]'''s reviewers were unimpressed with the Commodore 64 version, which was described as "incredibly disappointing" with "laughably bad" graphics and sound. It was given an overall rating of 17%.<ref name="Z64">{{cite magazine|author1=Maff|author2=Cordo|date=March 1989|url=https://archive.org/details/zzapp_64_issue_047_600dpi/page/n77/mode/2up?q=AfterBurner+|title=Afterburner|magazine=[[Zzap!64]]|issue=47|page=78|access-date=September 8, 2021}}</ref> A later ''Computer Gaming World'' review for the PC was much more critical, giving the game one star out of five and stating that it was inferior to the arcade version.<ref name="brooks199206">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=95 | title=The Modern Games: 1950 - 2000 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=June 1992 | access-date=24 November 2013 | author=Brooks, M. Evan | pages=120}}</ref>

Reviewing the 32X version, ''[[GamePro]]'' commented that the graphics, sound, and gameplay are all great, but that the only difference between it and the Genesis version of ''After Burner II'' are some minor graphical and audio enhancements, making it only worthwhile to gamers who have never played an ''After Burner'' game before.<ref name="GamePro">{{cite magazine|title=ProReview: Afterburner|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=78|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=March 1995|page=60}}</ref>

''After Burner II'' has been translated and [[Porting|ported]] to numerous home systems: [[PC Engine]], [[X68000]], [[Mega Drive/Genesis]], [[Famicom]], [[FM Towns Marty]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amiga]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[Sega Saturn]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Neo_Kobe_Fujitsu_FM_Towns_2016-02-25|title=FM Towns ROM Archive}} After Burner II FM Towns ROM.</ref>{{Better source needed|date=November 2025}}

The game was rebuilt with [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic 3D]] feature as one of [[Nintendo 3D Classics|3D Classics]] for [[Nintendo 3DS]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}

{{clear}}

==Legacy==
===Sequels and related games===
Although the ''After Burner'' brand was long dormant, Sega created a number of aerial combat games centered on the [[F-14]] Tomcat with many similar features, which are frequently regarded as part of the series.<ref>[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=after-burner-commander-model&page=detail&id=19580 Arcade-history.com]</ref><ref>[http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=698&page=1#1847 System16.com]</ref> These include ''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]'' and its sequel ''[[Strike Fighter]]'' (later rebranded ''[[After Burner III]]'' in its home release). Later games associated with the series include ''[[Sky Target]]'' (which retained similar gameplay and presentation to the original, but with the addition of 3D graphics) and ''Sega Strike Fighter'' (an arcade flight combat game which featured free-roaming movement, boasting similar music but with an F/A-18 Hornet as the main plane).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=5566&image=2|title=Arcade Flyer for Sega Strike Fighter|access-date=2012-04-17}}</ref>

In 2006, Sega released a new sequel on [[Sega Lindbergh]] hardware, ''[[After Burner Climax]]'', the first arcade game to bear the brand since ''After Burner II''.

''After Burner Climax'' was later ported to [[Xbox Live Arcade]] and [[PlayStation Network|PSN]]. It was followed by the spin-off ''[[After Burner: Black Falcon]]'' for the [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]] in 2007. ''After Burner Climax'' was de-listed in December 2014, leaving the game no longer available for purchase, only to be brought back in March 2019 to digital mobile platforms for free, with ads, under the ''[[Sega Forever]]'' brand.

In Japan, ''After Burner II'' was released on the [[PlayStation 2]] as part of the ''[[Sega Ages]]'' classic series.

[[M2 (game developer)|M2]] ported ''After Burner II'' in Sega's [[Nintendo 3D Classics|3D Classics]] series to the [[Nintendo 3DS]] [[Nintendo eShop|eShop]] in Japan on 2013 and worldwide in 2015. This version is faithful to the original arcade game with additions, including Touch Controls and screen layouts that resemble the Upright as well as the Commander and Deluxe cabinets. An unlockable new Special mode was also added, which used a time-slowing "Burst" system similar to ''[[After Burner Climax]]'', and featured a different story and altered stages. This mode has no stage select or continues, and instead depends on frequent acquisition of extra lives over the course of the game in order to complete it.<ref>[http://archives.sega.jp/3d/ab2/index.html Sega 3D Classics After Burner II page (Japan)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211111318/http://archives.sega.jp/3d/ab2/index.html |date=2015-02-11}}</ref>

===In other games===
An emulated version of ''After Burner'' is playable at the in-game arcade in ''[[Shenmue 2]]''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Shenmue II Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shenmue-ii-review/1900-2829777/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=2015-11-20 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109215416/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shenmue-ii-review/1900-2829777/ |archive-date=January 9, 2016}}</ref>

The plane from ''After Burner'' makes a cameo in ''[[Fighters Megamix]]'', accessed with a cheat code.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Rich|last=Leadbetter|title=The MegaMix Continues! |magazine=[[Sega Saturn Magazine]]|issue=17|publisher=[[Emap International Limited]] |date=March 1997|page=55}}</ref>

The music from ''After Burner'' appears in a remix in Chapter 8, entitled "Route 666", of ''[[Bayonetta (video game)|Bayonetta]]'' (developed by [[PlatinumGames]] and published by Sega).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/30-hidden-references-in-bayonetta/a-2010011493658559064|title=30 'hidden' references in Bayonetta|last=Reparaz|first=Mikel|date=January 14, 2010|work=GamesRadar UK|access-date=November 8, 2010|archive-date=June 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615185748/http://www.gamesradar.com/f/30-hidden-references-in-bayonetta/a-2010011493658559064|url-status=dead}}</ref> This remix is reused in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U|Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' on the ''Bayonetta'' stage, Umbra Clock Tower.

An area based on ''After Burner'', "Carrier Zone", appears as a tennis court in ''[[Sega Superstars Tennis]]'' and as a race track in ''[[Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/18/sega-superstars-tennis-review-3 |title=SEGA Superstars Tennis Review (Wii) |last=Casamassina |first=Matt |date=March 18, 2008 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Schilling |first1=Chris |title=Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/15/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed-review |website=[[IGN]] |date=September 4, 2021 |access-date=September 4, 2021}}</ref> The latter also features a playable racer, AGES, whose vehicle transforms into an ''After Burner''-inspired F-14 Tomcat during flight segments.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ogilvie |first1=Tristan |last2=Reilly |first2=Luke |last3=Shea |first3=Cam |last4=Cardy |first4=Simon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/05/22/igns-top-25-favourite-kart-racers| title=IGN's Top 25 Favourite Kart Racers |date=May 22, 2019 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=December 13, 2021}}</ref>

A remix of ''After Burner'' appears in ''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA]]'' on both the arcade & console versions, complete with [[Vocaloid]] vocals.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{KLOV game|id=6821}}
* {{KLOV game|id=6822}}
* [http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/afterburner/afterburner.htm Retrospective of the series at Hardcore Gaming 101] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702185557/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/afterburner/afterburner.htm |date=2016-07-02}}
* {{Lemon Amiga game|id=38}}
* {{WoS game|id=0000103}}
* {{moby game|id=/after-burner}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Ha0Bi2bKk ''After Burner Arcade Walkthrough'']
* [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=40 ''After Burner II''] at Arcade History
* {{cite web | title=After Burner II game footage | website=[[YouTube]] | date=27 February 2015 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65weTx0haog | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/65weTx0haog | archive-date=2021-12-13 | url-status=live | access-date=2020-05-24}}{{cbignore}}

{{After Burner series|state=expanded}}
{{Franchises owned by Sega Sammy Holdings}}
{{Yu Suzuki}}
{{Sega}}
{{Authority control}}

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