After Burner: Sega’s 1987 Sky-High Thrill!

After Burner, Sega’s 1987 arcade juggernaut, straps you into an F-14 Tomcat for a heart-pounding jet-fighter frenzy! Designed by Yu Suzuki, this rail shooter rockets you through blazing skies, dogfighting enemy jets and dodging missile barrages. Your mission? Blast everything in sight with lock-on missiles and a vulcan cannon while soaring at Mach speed.

The game’s cutting-edge sprite-scaling tech delivers a dizzying 3D illusion, with landscapes zooming past—canyons, oceans, and deserts. You barrel roll and weave through 18 stages, facing relentless enemy waves and massive boss carriers. Controls are simple: a flight stick for movement, buttons for firing, and a throttle for speed boosts. The pulsing soundtrack, like “Final Take Off,” amps up the adrenaline.

After Burner’s deluxe cabinet, with its tilting cockpit, made you feel every dive and turn. Its cinematic visuals and intense action set a new arcade standard, inspiring sequels and ports. A true 80s classic, it’s Top Gun meets turbo-charged chaos.

Ready to rule the skies? Lock on, throttle up, and unleash aerial mayhem in this Sega legend!