Overview – developed by SUCCESS Corp, with publishing handled by Red Art Games and Hamster, Sonic Wings Reunion is a vertical shooter, where the world is threatened by a mysterious organisation. Play as one of eight pilots and take to the skies on a mission to save the world from this mysterious threat. This version of the game is available on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch platforms, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Red Art Games for providing the copy of Sonic Wings Reunion that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting off with the story. I will be covering the core experience of the game, as there are some secrets that I do not want to spoil for players. Please Note, this game is also known as Aero Fighters, with the name of the game changeable within the settings.
Story – In the year 20XX, various cities from around the world have come under attack. The perpetrator of these attacks is the mysterious Fata Morgana group, who possess powerful super weapons and have seized the world’s military arsenal. To deal with this global threat, the international secret rescue team Project Blue are deployed. This group of intrepid pilots are the only thing that stands between peace and global domination.
Gameplay – Sonic Wings Reunion is a fairly straight forward vertical SHMUP, with the option for single player or two player co-op. From the main menu, players can select Arcade Mode or Training Mode, with Training locked when first starting the game. In Arcade mode, players will take on the 8 stages of the game in either single player or two player co-op. After selecting the number of players, the difficulty can then be chosen from Easy to Very Hard.
There are 8 characters in total that players can select from, with each of the pilots having their own bullet patterns and special attacks. Each of the characters have elements related to their nationality, as well as their overall character theme. These include the Ninja pilot, who uses Kunai missles, the dolphin Whity with sea mines and the Idol Mao Mao, who can freeze time with her bombs. Each character offers a unique and distinct style of play.
After selecting their character, if playing in single player mode, a Wingman can be chosen allowing their special attack bomb to be used. If the player chooses not to select a Wingman, they will get a bonus of one additional bomb that can be used. When selecting their character, players will also be able to select from three distinct music soundtracks. These are the regular soundtrack, a new rearrangement and the special Mao Mao mix.
The core of the game is made up of 8 stages, with the first four appearing in a random order, with locations including Tokyo and Florida. After these first four stages have been cleared, the final four will always play out the same, with Venezuela, the bonus stage and the Arctic Ocean in order. Once all of the main stages have been cleared the player will reach the final stage, a psychedelic warzone where the player will encounter the final boss.
As the player clears each stage, a scene will play out with the chosen pilot. As a single player, these will be single interactions, but if there are two active players or a Wingman, these will be interactions between the two characters. Once the last boss has been taken care of, the player will see the ending for their character. There are many different possible endings for the various character combinations, with each pair having their own ending scene.
After clearing the final stage and seeing the ending, a second harder loop will occur with the player needing to play through the stages again. This second loop will have harder bullet patterns, additional phases for some bosses and increased hazards, making it even tougher. If the player is able to complete this second loop, they will get to see the ending again and then after the end credits, the game will be completed.
When completing the games two loops, or by choosing not to continue when all lives are lost. The high score for the player will be added to the global rankings, with a leaderboard for all characters, individual characters and each difficulty setting. This adds to the replay value for the game, as players can challenge themselves and the world, getting better and climbing the rankings to try and be the best player in the world.
Once the player has cleared the game at least once, the training mode will be unlocked. This allows players to practice and improve their skills, so that they will be able to climb the rankings and try to reach the top spot. There will also be additional secrets that players will unlock for fulfilling special requirements, further adding to the replay value for this release. While the game itself is short, there is plenty of content on offer to keep players coming back for more.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – Sonic Wings Reunion uses a relatively standard control system, with only two buttons needed to play, with one for firing main weapon and the other for special attacks. The movement is done through either the D-Pad or thumbstick, with the D-Pad offering for more precise experience for players. For those who are looking for that arcade experience, using an arcade stick is an excellent choice for all players.
Difficulty – this title has four difficulty settings, allowing players to choose an option that fits their skill level. This is a good way for players to increase their skills in not just this game, but with vertical shooters in general. At the lower settings, the bullet patterns and enemy attacks are the most manageable, but at the higher settings this will become more intense. This difficulty increase is most noticeable when it comes to the second stage loop.
Presentation – visually, the game looks very good, with a lot of details and color used for the landscapes of the stages, the ships and the bosses that appear. The portrait arts that are used throughout the game are beautiful, with each of the characters standing out. Then there is the music, which gives the game that distinct arcade feel, with the exciting tracks in both arrangements and the fun Mao Mao theme mix.
Final Thoughts – I do enjoy vertical shooters and the Sonic Wings series, having a lot of love for the SEGA Saturn and Neo Geo releases. So when I was given the chance to check out Sonic Wings Reunion, I was more than happy to play it. During my time playing, I cleared the game numerous times, having a lot of fun with it. The characters have a lot of charm to them, with their playstyles, interactions and stories making them all unique.
There is also the tremendous amount of content on offer, with the distinct endings and interactions between characters. However, this game is not without its faults, as some player crafts and enemies can get lost against the backdrops, with the same occurring at times with enemy shots. But with enough time spent playing, this issue can be adapted to making it easier to play. Overall, I am happy to recommend this game to fans of the vertical shooter genre.
In the end, I give Sonic Wings Reunion a final score of 4.75/5. This is an excellent vertical shooter, offering challenging but balanced gameplay, charming characters and a fantastic soundtrack, with a tremendous amount of content and fun that can be enjoyed solo or with another. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
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