History VideoGame / Afterburner

[[caption-width-right:350:The most [[NintendoHard frantic]] flight [[{{SimulationGame}} simulator]] ever made.]]

* NintendoHard: Good lord, you practically need to be acting like you have a seizure to dodge virtually any of the missiles. In ''II'', a first-timer can expect to use all three starting lives by the end of stage 2, or 3 (out of 18 stages total) if they're lucky.

** Also the game ''After Burner Climax'' makes mention of a ''VideoGame/GHOSTSquad''.

** More of an UpdatedRerelease than a sequel, ''After Burner II'' introduces throttle control for faster gameplay, improved weapon firing, new stages, and revamped music. First AB game to be released outside of Japan. A UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS port with 3D functionality, ''3D After Burner II'', was released in Japan in December 2013, and in North America in January 2015.
* ''After Burner III'' (UsefulNotes/SegaCD, 1992)

* ''After Burner: Complete'' ([[UsefulNotes/Sega32X 32X]], 1995)

* ''After Burner: Black Falcon'' (UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, 2007)

** It is slower paced than ''After Burner'' and puts more emphasis on destroying enemies than high-speed maneuvers. A remixed version of this game was released for the R-360 cabinet, a motion cabinet capable of ''rolling upside-down''. Sega went mostly silent on ''G-LOC'' until 2020 when it received a ''SEGA AGES'' port on UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, which includes new features like the AGES ArrangeMode.

* ShoutOut: When landing to refuel you land on a runway that looks suspiciously like a road. When you take off again, the chase car is a [[VideoGame/OutRun red Ferrari Testarossa convertible with a hot blonde in the passenger seat]][[note]]The UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem version at least features a [[VideoGame/HangOn a red motorcycle]] instead[[/note]].

** Runs on the Sega NAOMI hardware. Gameplay is closer to ''G-LOC'', where the player has to destroy certain amount of enemies within a time limit. Flight is slower and more realistic, akin to ''VideoGame/AceCombat''. The major attraction is the usage of three monitors for greater immersion, with one each for your front, left, and right.

* BigBad: In ''Black Falcon'', Colonel Robert Bruty, call-sign "Forge", is the leader of the titular organization that plans on selling "assassin jets" to terrorist organizations and hostile nations.

** More of an UpdatedRerelease than a sequel, ''After Burner II'' introduces throttle control for faster gameplay, improved weapon firing, new stages, and revamped music. First AB game to be released outside of Japan. A port with 3D functionality, ''3D After Burner II'', was released in Japan in December 2013, and in North America in January 2015.

** ''Climax'' offers brand new graphics, a "Climax Mode" that lets you slow down time to lock on to many enemies at once, two new fighters to choose from, and special "Emergency Order" missions. Later ported in 2010 to Xbox Live Arcade and [=PlayStation=] Network, and de-listed in 2014. It was also released on iOS and Android in 2013. Originally a paid app, it became free in 2019.

** The SpinOff, which told us a story about a group of WesternTerrorists called "Black Falcon", comprised of ex-military staff, had gone rogue and stole prototype airplanes. [[NoExportForYou not released in Japan]]. [[invoked]]

** A port of the Japan-only arcade title ''Strike Fighter'', a sequel to arcade title ''G-Loc'', which was ''itself'' basically a first-person ''After Burner''. The Sega CD port allowed for a more traditional at-all-times third-person view, if desired; ''G-Loc'' and ''Strike Fighter'' only switched to third-person if an enemy was on your tail.

There's also a spinoff called ''G-LOC: Air Battle'', in 1992. It is slower paced than ''After Burner'' and puts more emphasis on destroying enemies than high-speed maneuvers. A remixed version of this game was released for the R-360 cabinet, a motion cabinet capable of ''rolling upside-down''. Sega went mostly silent on ''G-LOC'' until 2020 when it received a ''SEGA AGES'' port on UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, which includes new features like the AGES ArrangeMode.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Sky Target''. Arguably ''G-LOC: Air Battle'' as well.

There's also a much lesser-known spinoff called ''G-LOC: Air Battle'', in 1992. It is slower paced than ''After Burner'' and puts more emphasis on destroying enemies. Perhaps the only thing anyone remembers about it is that it had a special version designed for the R-360 cabinet, a motion cabinet capable of ''rolling upside-down.''

* MooksButNoBosses: The Master System port of the original, which features a final boss battle against a flying fortress, as well as ''Black Falcon'', which has [[BigBad Colonel Robert "Forge" Bruty]] as the final boss.

* AntagonistTitle: ''Black Falcon'' is the name of titular terrorist organization.

* MooksButNoBosses

* CoolPlane: The F-14 in the first few games; the F-14D, F/A-18E, and F-15E in ''Climax''. And yes, they are all based on [[RealLife/CoolPlane actual planes]].

* ShoutOut: When landing to refuel you land on a runway that looks suspiciously like a road. When you take off again, the chase car is a [[VideoGame/OutRun red Ferrari Testarossa convertible with a hot blonde in the passenger seat]].

* ExcusePlot: ''II'' (the console version) apparently has you rescuing a DamselInDistress; it's only mentioned in text at two refuel stops and the ending. ''Climax'' has you take on a terrorist organization attempting to [[NukeEm go nuclear]].

* ''After Burner: Complete'' ([[UsefulNotes/Sega32X 32X]])
** A port of ''After Burner II''.

-> ''Brave Fangs, Z is preparing the launch of a nuclear weapon. They'll be launch capable in 48 hours. Our mission is to prevent their launch. Jaguar Flight, alert 5. Good luck!''

* ''After Burner: Complete'' ([[UsefulNotes/Sega32X 32X)

The series spans five games:

* ''After Burner III'' (Sega CD, 1992)

* SelfImposedChallenge: A handful of the EX Options in ''Climax'' bring up red text when selected, and their description always begins with "Caution". Among these include turning you back into a OneHitPointWonder and removing your missile recovery, restricting your missile spams to Climax Mode.

** ''Climax'' offers brand new graphics, a "Climax Mode" that lets you slow down time to lock on to many enemies at once, two new fighters to choose from, and special "Emergency Order" missions. Later ported in 2010 to Xbox Live Arcade and [=PlayStation=] Network, and de-listed in 2014.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Sky Target''.

** The SpinOff, [[NoExportForYou not released in Japan]]. [[invoked]]

* ExcusePlot: ''II'' apparently has you rescuing a DamselInDistress; it's only mentioned in text at two refuel stops and the ending. ''Climax'' has you take on a terrorist organization attempting to [[NukeEm go nuclear]].

** ''Climax'' offers brand new graphics, a "Climax Mode" that lets you slow down time to lock on to many enemies at once, two new fighters to choose from, and special "Emergency Order" missions. Later ported in 2010 to Xbox Live Arcade and [=PlayStation=] Network.

* PointDefenseless: Subverted with the Carrier taking out the missiles with minimal effort and taking only minimal damage to the carrier

** Also, in Climax, at the end, [[spoiler:a pilot that looks suspiciously similar to Maverick from {{Top Gun}} is revealed to be the main character.]]

A series of arcade Flight {{Simulation Game}}s by {{Sega}}'s [=AM2=] division.