U.N. Squadron

Gameplay

The game is a typical side scrolling shooter, going against the trend of other Capcom shooters, such as 1942 and 1943: The Battle of Midway, which are vertically scrolling shooters. Like other Capcom shooters, the player has an energy bar that is consumed over the course of a single life as the player sustains damage. This trait is highly uncommon among other comparable arcade-style shooters which normally use a system of reserve lives, where one of which is lost upon a single enemy hit. Before entering a level, the player can purchase special weapons or added defenses in the shop. The player earns money to buy weapons by destroying enemy planes and vehicles during levels and, when the level is finished, any unused weapons are converted back into money.

The player can choose between three mercenary pilots: Shin Kazama, Mickey Simon, and Greg Gates. Each pilot flies a specific plane and has slightly different capabilities.

In the Super NES version, each pilot can use a range of planes. All pilots start out with $3000 and the basic F8 Crusader, and can buy other aircraft and weapons as they progress.

Development

Capcom director Yoshiki Okamoto commented that the game was part of a broader strategy of Capcom at the time to appeal to a wider audience by using established characters from other media, as their original characters could be too niche. In addition to Area 88, he cited games based on Willow and Tenchi wo Kurau as part of this strategy.

Release

Area 88 was ported to the home console Super NES and released in Japan on July 26, 1991. In North America and Europe it was re-titled U.N. Squadron by Capcom. The illustration for the U.N. Squadron poster was created by well known illustrator Marc Ericksen, the illustrator of the covers to Capcom's other games Mega Man 2 and Strider. A version for the Capcom Power System Changer was planned and previewed but never released.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed U.N. Squadron on their September 15, 1989 issue as being the sixth most-successful table arcade unit of the month. In North America, it was a major hit, becoming the top-grossing software conversion kit on the RePlay arcade charts in February 1990.

Upon its home console release, the Japanese gaming publication Weekly Famitsu gave the Super Famicom version a score of 28 out of 40.

Entertainment Weekly gave the Super NES version of the game an A, and picked the game as the #12 greatest game available in 1991.

Super Gamer gave the SNES version an overall score of 93%, commending the graphics, aircraft selection, gameplay, and sound.

Accolades

IGN ranked U.N. Squadron 37th on its "Top 100 Super NES Games" list, which made it the highest ranking side scroller shooter game on that list. In 2018, Complex listed U.N. Squadron 23rd on its "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time" list and called the game the best side scrolling shooter on the SNES. In 1995, Total! rated the game 63rd on their Top 100 SNES Games list.

Notes

References

References

1. Shintani, Kaoru. (1991). "U.N. Squadron Area 88 (エリア88) - Game Manual scan". DAIPRO / Shogakukan (小学館) / CAPCOM.
2. (2017-05-31). "Developer Interview Capcom Developer: Yoshiaki Okamoto, Noritaka Funamizu". [[Shinseisha]] Ltd..
3. "エリア88 [スーパーファミコン] / ファミ通.com".
4. Parish, Jeremy. (2014-02-05). "Daily Classic: U.N. Squadron's SNES Identity Change".
5. (Spring 1994). "カプコン アーケードオリジナルボード CPSシリーズ+CPSチェンジャー 限定販売決定!!". [[Capcom]].
6. "U.N. Squadron SNES Gamerankings review score".
7. (September 1991). "U.N. Squadron".
8. (15 September 1989). "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Amusement Press.
9. (April 1990). "Cover Story: "This Is the Good Time" – Capcom's CPS system brings success to the firm... and offers direction for a troubled video market".
10. (February 1990). "RePlay: The Players' Choice".
11. "The latest video games". EW.com.
12. "Video Games Guide". EW.com.
13. (May 1994). "U.N. Squadron Review". [[Paragon Publishing]].
14. "UN Squadron - #37 Top 100 SNES Games - IGN".
15. Knight, Rich. (April 30, 2018). "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time".
16. (July 1995). "Top 100 SNES Games". Total!.
17. "Super NES Games". [[Nintendo]].
18. "U.N. Squadron Release Data". [[GameFAQs]].