Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

After Burner III drops you directly into the cockpit of the iconic F-14 Tomcat and hands you an arsenal of sidewinder missiles and a trusty vulcan cannon. The core loop remains delightfully simple: lock onto enemy aircraft, unleash a volley of missiles, and weave through incoming fire. Unlike its predecessors, this installment is a direct port of Sega’s Japan-only Strike Fighter arcade game, bringing new layers of depth to the series with both cockpit and classic third-person views.

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The inclusion of three distinct gameplay modes—Arcade, Timed, and Hits—provides varied challenges that cater to both newcomers and series veterans. Arcade mode offers an unbridled dogfight experience where you can take on waves of enemy fighters at your leisure. Timed mode, as the name suggests, places you against the clock, encouraging strategic target prioritization to rack up points before time runs out. Hits mode measures pure shooting prowess by demanding precision strikes on specific waves of aircraft.

Mission variety also expands beyond the standard air-to-air engagements found in earlier entries. Players now face air-ground strike objectives, requiring careful lining up of your bombs and missiles against stationary targets. Day and night scenarios further spice up the action. Night missions challenge your depth perception and require sharper focus as you dodge tracer rounds and anti-aircraft fire amid a star-speckled sky.

Controls remain tight and responsive, whether you’re toggling between views or executing a barrel roll to evade incoming fire. While veterans may find the learning curve shallow, newcomers will appreciate the smooth onboarding with clear HUD indicators for speed, altitude, and missile lock. The lack of multiplayer means all challenges are tackled solo, but the three modes and branching mission paths deliver respectable replay value.

Graphics

Visually, After Burner III captures the arcade sheen of early ’90s Sega cabinets with vibrant colors and chunky, well-defined sprites. The F-14 model is detailed enough to satisfy fans of the series, and enemy aircraft come in a variety of silhouettes, making quick identification possible even during intense dogfights. Explosions and missile trails pop against the sky, reinforcing that arcade thrill.

The dual perspectives—first-person cockpit view and the signature third-person chase cam—highlight different graphical strengths. The cockpit view features crisp, minimalist instrument panels and a subtle HUD overlay that keeps your focus on the skies ahead. Switching to the third-person view emphasizes spatial awareness, allowing you to appreciate plume effects from your missiles and see incoming threats from multiple angles.

Night missions stand out for their atmospheric lighting. With darkened terrain and glowing tracers cutting through the gloom, you’re invited to immerse yourself in an environment that feels more dynamic than in broad daylight. On the flip side, some ground textures and distant landscapes can appear flat or repetitive, a concession to the hardware limitations of the era but still acceptable given the fast-paced action.

Overall, the game’s performance remains smooth even when the screen fills with enemy fighters and explosions. Frame rate dips are rare, ensuring that your maneuvers and missile locks stay in sync with the on-screen action. If you’re looking for photorealism, this isn’t it—but as an arcade-style flight sim, After Burner III nails the energetic visual punch fans expect.

Story

After Burner III keeps narrative elements to a minimum, echoing its arcade roots where storyline takes a back seat to high-octane action. You’re cast as an unnamed ace pilot tasked with dismantling a global terrorist network threatening world stability. Each mission briefing offers a concise rationale—protect allied bases, neutralize ground installations, or clear the skies of hostile craft—before you’re catapulted into combat.

While there are no branching dialogue trees or deep character arcs, the variety of mission objectives and alternating day/night settings provide enough context to maintain momentum. The game’s focus is squarely on emergent gameplay rather than scripted story beats, and for players seeking narrative depth, this may feel underwhelming. That said, the brisk pace of the missions keeps you engaged and invested in seeing each sortie through to victory.

Cutscenes are virtually nonexistent; instead, mission success or failure is relayed via on-screen text and brief voice samples. It’s a stylistic choice that emphasizes immediacy and replayability. Every time you wipe out a wave of enemies, you’re quickly ushered to the next challenge without lengthy exposition, mirroring the relentless tempo of the arcade experience.

Ultimately, the story in After Burner III serves as a springboard for the gameplay rather than being a focal point. If you approach the title expecting a robust narrative campaign, you’ll find it lacking. However, for those who relish straightforward, adrenaline-pumping action, the minimal story structure is a welcome feature that keeps the spotlight on the dogfighting thrills.

Overall Experience

After Burner III offers a compelling blend of arcade accessibility and light simulation mechanics. The three gameplay modes provide a range of challenges that extend replayability, even if the absence of multiplayer feels like a missed opportunity. Still, the solo dogfighting action is satisfying enough to keep you coming back for “just one more run.”

Graphically, the game captures the essence of early ’90s arcade cabinets with vibrant sprites, fluid animations, and solid frame rates. Night and day missions lend visual variety, though some environmental textures can appear repetitive. The controls are intuitive, and the option to swap between cockpit and third-person perspectives adds a strategic edge to each engagement.

The thin narrative might disappoint players looking for a story-driven campaign, but it’s entirely in line with the series’ arcade origins. Brief mission briefings and on-screen prompts keep the pace lightning-fast, ensuring that you’re always focused on racking up kills and dodging enemy fire. If deep storytelling isn’t a priority, you’ll appreciate the streamlined design.

All things considered, After Burner III delivers a fast-paced, fun-filled flight combat experience that will resonate with fans of classic Sega arcade titles. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, its solid gameplay foundation, varied mission types, and responsive controls make it a worthwhile addition to any retro flight sim enthusiast’s collection. If you crave high-speed aerial dogfights and nostalgic arcade flair, the F-14 Tomcat is ready for launch.

Retro Replay Score

5.4/10