U.N. Squadron

"Too close for missiles, going to guns...."

Shooters, while having lost much of their notoriety over the years, deserve special recognition from gamers in that they have probably permeated far longer than any other genre of game. Shooters were around in the time of Pac Man and Donkey Kong, when games were simplistic, and live on today alongside such cinematic experiences as Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil. There have been many to come and go throughout the years, some quite remarkable and enjoyable, others just epileptic seizures of frustration and/or boredom.

UN Squadron was one that deserved much sharper recognition than it received. It was released at a time where the genre was starting its phasing out of the lime light, and unless you were tried and true shooter(i.e. R-Type or Gradius) it was hard to make a mark in the gaming market.

This game had a very entertaining premise; you choose to be one of three members of a badass band of mercenary pilots that are pursued to take out some Axis of Evil. There is Shin, stereotype young bright eyed hero pilot, Mickey, the smarmy looking hot shot, and Greg, the gruff old Veteran. Pick your pilot, spend some time in the hangar picking a jet and trick it out with some intense firearms, and then take to the unfriendly skies to go obliterate anything from your standard old school Bismarck looking Battleship to bizarre upside down factories that shoot lasers at you. Get ready to start writing checks with your mouth that your butt can't cash...

GRAPHICS) 9/10. This game definitely has some stunning visuals. Details are just as sharp on the lavish backgrounds as they are on the relatively teensy fighters you pilot. You experience everything from skimming the Jungles looking for missile silos to navigating a huge thunderstorm in pursuit of a giant stealth bomber. Particularly effective at the time was the battle with the Wolfpack, which has cloud cover passing in FRONT as well as behind you, with the stage height being 1.5 times the size of the monitor. The weapons fire is excessive and explosive, but not so much that you can't see a darned thing, like in many shooters today.

SOUNDS) 9/10. Speaking of explosions, get ready for a good deal of pyrotechnic sound bytes to accompany the visuals. Sound effects alternate between quite believable and realistic explosions and missile fire, to sci fi lightening strikes. Both add fully to the fun. The music is fitting in just about every situation; it possesses that old Capcom SNES feeling. Upbeat tunes to get you plowing through the drones, and then dramatic scores to make that boss seem all the more imposing. Certain bosses have different themes, which I always prefer. The fantastic guitar riff that plays when you complete a stage makes completing the often arduous battles with the stage bosses very satisfying.

PLAYABILITY) 8/10. Like any shooter, this game provides quite a challenge, namely in the later stages, where enemies seemingly jump out of nowhere to take you down. Your ability to make last second swerves will be pushed to the hilt. Fortunately, unlike many shooters, this game offers a considerable deal of customization for your fighter. First, the three fighters each have their own strengths: Shin levels up the main cannon quicker when he gets bonuses, Mickey is able to bring more special weapons with him, and Greg is able to recover from damage substantially better (for first timers, he's probably the best overall choice.) Furthermore, each of the six fighter jets you can purchase provides you with differing characteristics: some can juke and zig out of harms way, whereas some provide numerous weapons options so you can hammer away at bosses. This quasi customization provides you with a much greater chance of success than simply relying on your ability to maneuver.

STORY) 6/10. Nothing too elaborate here. Your essentially given the indication that you're a member of a rogue force of sky fighters that blows up stuff for cash. The guy with the X in his forehead on the map screen gives you some indication as to what the ENEMY is planning to do next, but its never really indicated why they want to do so. The ending battle against a monstrosity of a craft is never really explained before the credits roll, just a ''Great Job guys, lets fly into the sunset!!'' However, like I always say, games such as this are gameplay driven, not story driven, so it doesn't really bring down the play experience much.

TIMELESSNESS) 7/10. Like most of the fabulous first generation Super NES games, UN Squadron, with its fantastic visuals and enjoyable gameplay, is easy to come back to on a long day. A memory or password option would've been nice though, considering how much you have to save up for the more expensive jet crafts.

OVERALL FUN FACTOR) 8/10. Pure and simple this game is great fun. It possesses some realistic, modern dog fighting elements as well as hints of space shooters with some of the weapons and enemies you encounter. Anyone who enjoys the genre should not overlook this title when shopping for cheap used titles.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/06/02, Updated 08/06/02