Legendary game developer Yu Suzuki has brought joy to countless players over the decades with his iconic arcade titles. Going back to foundational hits like Hang-On and Space Harrier in the 1980s, Suzuki had a knack for crafting wildly inventive gameplay concepts paired with cutting-edge technology. Though not quite a household name like some other pioneers, Suzuki’s creations left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape.
After revisiting his magnum opus Shenmue with a long-awaited sequel in recent years, Suzuki is now turning back the clock once more with Air Twister. This new release for modern platforms pays homage to one of Suzuki’s most famous works – the on-rails shooter Space Harrier. Though not explicitly touted as a direct sequel, Air Twister adopts much of the same style and gameplay found in the 1986 classic.
With vivid fantasy environments and a heroine soaring through the skies, Air Twister is banking heavily on nostalgia. But the question remains – does this spiritual successor stand on its own merits all these years later? Or is it merely coasting on the coattails of its forerunner? In this review, we’ll scrutinize every aspect of Air Twister, from its visual splendor to its repetitive core gameplay. Weighing both reverence for the past and expectations for the present, we’ll render a verdict on whether this blast from Suzuki’s past still has a place in the modern gaming landscape. For those eager to revisit Space Harrier’s distinct charms, the answer matters greatly.
Familiar On-Rails Shooting with Some Variety
At its core, Air Twister utilizes the straightforward on-rails shooter mechanics popularized by its spiritual predecessor Space Harrier. Players take on the role of Princess Arch, a young heroine who flies through fantastical environments while firing at incoming enemies. The gameplay perspective sits right behind Arch, letting players see the action from an angled third-person view. Environments auto-scroll to the left as players control Arch’s movements up, down, left and right across the screen.
The main objectives are equally simple – dodge and shoot. Waves of enemies and projectiles will flood the screen, and players must maneuver Arch out of harm’s way while taking down foes. Arch’s primary methods of attack are rapid-fire shots or locking on to targets for a homing barrage. Tapping the shoot button unleashes a steady stream of bullets, ideal for spraying groups of weaker enemies. But for stronger singular foes, players can activate the lock-on by hovering their aim over a target for a few seconds. This initiates a flurry of homing shots that track the locked enemy until it’s destroyed. Mastering when to use each attack is key to maximizing scores.
That scoring system is the backbone of Air Twister’s loop. Taking out enemies in quick succession builds combo meters, with better performance leading to higher grades at the end of a stage. Those grades convert to stars, which are used as currency to unlock items and upgrades on the meta-progression Adventure Map. Top grades on a stage can earn between 5-7 stars, incentivizing mastery. This extends the longevity beyond just chasing high scores, giving meaning to repeated runs.
Most levels take just a few minutes to conquer, ending with a boss fight. These frequent climatic battles provide enjoyable tests of skill, as bosses unleash dynamic patterns requiring precision movement and targeting. But while bosses shake things up, the journey through each stage falls into a predictable rhythm – dodge hazards while eliminating whatever enemies pop up. Without much change to the core mechanics, repetition can set in despite the gorgeous scenery passing by.
A few examples do stand out for altering that formula, though. One stage has rotating barriers that must be navigated through, while another forces players to blast away incoming boulders. These moments help break up the standard shooting galleries. But often just as a novel concept is introduced, the level ends before it’s really capitalized on. The brevity of stages seems tailored for mobile play, but leaves untapped potential for consoles.
Between the grading system, Adventure Map progression, and cosmetic unlocks, Air Twister provides plenty of incentives for continued play and mastery. But most will find that the core on-rails shooting grows stale before those long-term goals pay off. While the gameplay captures the essence of Space Harrier, too little innovation has been injected. Outside of a graphical facelift, this is a largely by-the-books rendition of a classic formula. And while that nostalgia rush resonates initially, most of Arch’s airborne adventure feels like it could have been experienced decades ago. For all its vibrant style, Air Twister lacks enough substance to ascend past its progenitor.
Beyond Arcade Mode for Extended Play
The main Arcade mode in Air Twister consists of 12 distinct levels, each lasting just a few minutes. Players battle through waves of enemies before facing off against an environment-themed boss. With the story progressing after each stage, this mode can be completed in under an hour during a full run. While rewarding at first, the brevity means repetition sets in quickly. Fortunately, Air Twister provides some extended gameplay options.
Challenge mode delivers remixes of Arcade mode’s mechanics for high score chasers. Time Attack challenges test efficiency in destroying targets, while Survival mode ups the difficulty exponentially. Dodge Challenges add obstacles to avoid, and Boss Rushes let players battle consecutive bosses with limited health. These help wring out more value, especially for experienced players.
The Adventure Map also incentivizes continued play, acting as a meta-progression system. Using stars earned by playing Arcade and Challenge modes, players can unlock nodes on a sprawling world map. New weapons, health/defense bonuses, and single-use items are among the acquisitions. These become invaluable for tackling harder difficulties and challenges. With over 50 unique nodes to unlock, the Adventure Map provides long-term goals beyond leaderboards.
Various weapons expand Arch’s arsenal with enhanced firepower, including a thunderbolt attack and bouncing energy discs. While they reduce the challenge, experimenting with loadouts keeps gameplay fresh. The Adventure Map also grants permanent stat boosts to health, defense, and loot drop rates. Building up these buffers demands grinding through matches, but allows pushing into intense late-game challenges.
Lastly are cosmetic unlocks, providing outfit pieces, accessories, and hair colors for Arch. These have no gameplay effects, simply allowing customization. But they offer incentives to keep leveling up and demonstrate progress. Between item unlocks and outfit collecting, Air Twister’s Adventure Map gives purpose to the repetition.
Despite the variety found in Challenge modes and meta-progression, Air Twister’s legs can only stretch so far. The accessible Arcade mode makes for an entertaining first impression, but ultimately gives way to grinding. For most players, the additional content will only delay slightly the inevitable wearing down of engagement. Still, Air Twister deserves credit for attempting to expand its lifecycle in clever ways. While the well dries up sooner than later, this package provides more replayability than the sparse original Space Harrier could ever hope for.
Vivid Visuals but Oddly Paired Soundtrack
One area where Air Twister shines brightest is its kaleidoscopic visual presentation. Each level drenches players in neon colors and fantastical vistas, evoking a vibrant storybook come to life. Backdrops include floating islands, clockwork cities, and psychedelic space voids. This eye-catching style aims to recapture the whimsical spirit of old-school arcade games. While textures are simple due to the game’s mobile origins, the art direction pops with vivid color.
The graphical polish truly comes through during docked play, where higher resolutions make the dreamscapes sparkle. In handheld mode, visual detail takes an expected hit. But performance remains unwaveringly smooth regardless of platform. This consistent 60fps delivery enhances Air Twister’s flow during frenetic dodging and shooting. Overall, the visuals may not push boundaries, but provide a gorgeous window into Suzuki’s storied imagination.
The same can’t be said for the unconventional soundtrack. Accompanying the dazzling graphics are songs crafted by Dutch musician Valensia. Her oddly operatic, rock-inspired tracks aim for grandeur with layered vocals and symphonic instrumentals. There’s no denying the production quality of the music itself. Yet the style feels woefully mismatched with Air Twister’s flamboyant, arcade-style presentation.
Lyrical numbers evocative of bands like Queen seem out of place as Arch engages in space jousting atop giant mythological birds. The serious, sweeping arrangements want to lend epic weight that the zany visuals just don’t support. While some may find the music complements the offbeat nature, for most it will feel distractingly dissonant. Short of muting, there’s unfortunately no way to tailor the soundtrack within the game.
In the end, the audio portion of Air Twister comes down to personal taste. Some may appreciate the unexpected clashing of styles between foreground gameplay and background songs. But for many, the overly earnest soundtrack will dampen the fantastical escapism promised by the vibrant visuals. Given most will spend dozens of hours traversing these worlds, a score better suited to the wacky action would have been preferable. Still, the splendid landscapes speak for themselves, painting over any musical missteps with their kaleidoscopic charm.
Faithful Homage or Unambitious Rehash?
As a love letter to Yu Suzuki’s seminal classic Space Harrier, Air Twister succeeds wholeheartedly. The frenetic on-rails shooting delivers a potent nostalgia rush, emulating that distinctive arcade feeling. Zipping across stylized landscapes while unleashing torrents of firepower captures the essence of Suzuki’s best work from the 1980s. In updating the presentation with dazzling visuals and refined controls, Air Twister shows reverence for the past while adapting for the present. For fans of Space Harrier, few games could provide a more authentic recreation.
Yet in remaining so faithfully beholden to that dated template, Air Twister betrays a lack of imagination or evolution. Aside from a fresh coat of paint, this experience could have been lifted directly from decades ago. While the core run-and-gun gameplay still provides visceral thrills, too few new ideas have been injected. The brief novelty of revisiting Space Harrier’s glory days soon gives way to a nagging sense of missed potential.
While a few fleeting moments do alter the standard formula, Air Twister seldom capitalizes on or expands those creative sparks. Navigating through rotating barriers and blasting away massive boulders hint at possibilities for demanding greater interaction with environments. But just as quick as those novel twists emerge, they vanish again into repetition. Such conservatism ensures faithfulness to Suzuki’s original vision but deprives players the joy of discovery.
Ocasionally issues do arise from outdated design mentalities as well. The frequent brevity of levels tailored for mobile play leaves them feeling underdeveloped on consoles. And the simplistic enemy patterns can create problems with depth perception and projectile visibility. While difficulty scales up decently in later levels, the learning curve proves demanding only for total newcomers to the genre. After decades of refinement for on-rails shooters elsewhere, Air Twister’s concepts haven’t evolved to match.
The story and prominent cutscenes seem oddly superfluous as well. While the bizarre writing offers some kitschy appeal, the narrative does little to motivate progress. Air Twister succeeds on the purity of its arcade-style gameplay – not from elaborate window dressing. And with repetition setting in quickly, most players will skip cutscenes altogether to maximize scoring efficiency. Beyond admiring the strange worldbuilding, the plot contributes minimally to engagement.
For all these quibbles, Air Twister undeniably nails the core experience Suzuki pioneered long ago. There is skill in adapting such a straightforward formula so faithfully while refining presentation and expanding gameplay incentives. But with such a steep purchase price on consoles, the lasting value comes into question. Outside of diehard arcade enthusiasts, most gamers will find the content grows stale before the price tag feels justified. Air Twister shines brightly but fleetingly, like a firework fading back into empty sky.
Ultimately, Air Twister’s merits depend greatly on one’s perspective. As an affectionate tribute, it delivers exactly as intended for Suzuki’s faithful fans. But in avoiding innovation or evolution of the established template, it feels unambitious as a modern release. For all its vibrancy, this flight of fancy rarely ventures far from its roots. Nostalgia provides some lift, but Air Twister struggles to soar on its own.
A Nostalgic Revival That Lacks Forward Momentum
At its foundation, Air Twister succeeds in reviving the addictive gameplay loop that defined Yu Suzuki’s seminal classic Space Harrier. The sensory rush of dodging and shooting across fantastical landscapes appeals directly to nostalgia for a beloved era. Smooth performance and vivid visuals properly modernize the presentation while maintaining arcade authenticity. For devoted fans eager to revisit the singular charms of these early shooting galleries, Air Twister delivers.
Yet in remaining so slavishly faithful to the established template, this spiritual successor betrays a lack of imagination. Little effort has been made to build upon the simplistic core formula or introduce new dynamics. Outside of a fresh coat of whimsy, this could easily be mistaken for a decades-old experience. That loyalty to Suzuki’s vision is admirable, but limits Air Twister’s ability to engage and surprise modern palates.
The result is an enjoyable but unambitious retread, unlikely to convert skeptics beyond those receptive to pure nostalgia. The repetitive shooting and sparse enemy patterns quickly turn rote without new concepts to master. And the brevity of the main Arcade mode leaves the package feeling thin, padding playtime through grinding rather than depth. Outside of some novel visuals and unlockables systems, Air Twister breaks little new ground in the realm of on-rails shooters.
That isn’t to say there isn’t quality fun here for the right audience. Players with fond Space Harrier memories will delight in revisiting that formula, amplified by HD presentation. The core run-and-gun gameplay still delivers a rush, even if it lacks longevity. And there are some minor environmental twists that hint at untapped potential. But in the end, Air Twister coasts more on its retro appeal than modern merits.
For diehard devotees of arcade-style shooters, this affectionate homage may satisfy. But most gamers require more innovation and variety from their dollars. Air Twister stumbles not due to any glaring flaws, but an unwillingness to move the needle. It engrosses briefly through vintage familiarity before repetitive trappings set in. This is a title relying more on nostalgic fumes than fuel of its own.
In that context, Air Twister is best viewed as a keepsake from a legendary creator rather than a headline-grabbing release. It recaptures faint echoes of genius works from gaming’s past, if not the daring spirit that launched them. There is merit in preserving creative legacies through tributes such as this. But as with reminiscing about better days gone by, the pleasure is fleeting. For all its bursts of vivid style, Air Twister lacks forward momentum. This leaves it worth savoring for certain audiences, but likely not sticking in memory. A decent revival, but one leaving plenty of nostalgic desire still unfulfilled.
The Review
Air Twister
As a tribute to his iconic arcade classic Space Harrier, legendary creator Yu Suzuki succeeds in recapturing the nostalgic thrill of that era with Air Twister. For devoted fans, this offers a vivid hit of retro shooting excitement. Yet its slavish adherence to established formulas also shows a lack of imagination or evolution. While the presentation impresses through kaleidoscopic style, the core gameplay lacks depth or surprises to sustain most modern players. Air Twister provides temporary exhilaration before repetitive trappings set in. Diehard arcade enthusiasts may cherish this affectionate homage. But most will crave more innovation and variety at this price point.
PROS
- Faithfully recreates the fast-paced arcade style of classic rail shooters like Space Harrier
- Vibrant, colorful fantasy environments provide immersive eye-candy
- Shooting down enemies and bosses delivers a nostalgic rush
- Adventure Map provides meta-progression to unlock new weapons/upgrades
- Challenge modes extend gameplay with remixed objectives
- Smooth performance and controls, optimized well from mobile origins
CONS
- Core on-rails shooting gameplay grows repetitive quickly
- Environments are visually appealing but interaction is limited
- Enemy patterns and obstacles lack variety or escalating difficulty
- Frequent brief cutscenes disrupt gameplay pacing
- Story and setting come across as odd and largely irrelevant
- Not enough new ideas or innovations beyond the original formulas
