Overview
Sonic Wings Special is is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up developed by Video System and released by MediaQuest for the Sega Saturn exclusively in Japan on July 5, 1996, with a Sony PlayStation version released on August 30, 1996. The PS1 version was later released in Europe by Phoenix Games on August 12, 2004.
The fourth game in the Sonic Wings (or Aero Fighters) series, Sonic Wings Special is a remix of the original trilogy. It features a branching path structure making use of stages from all three games, and includes numerous unlockables (including various World War II-era warplanes from Aero Fighters 3). It also features the ability to play in a vertical screen orientation for supporting televisions, similar to the original Aero Fighters.
The game later received a digital re-release for the PlayStation Network (as a PSOne Classics title) in Japan (by Hamster on August 30, 2007), North America (by MonkeyPaw Games on November 16, 2010), and Europe (by MonkeyPaw Games on November 5, 2011).
It was also ported to arcades (using PS1-based Sony ZN-1 hardware) in 1996 as Sonic Wings Limited, with a limited Taiwanese and North American release as Aero Fighters Special. This version does not include all stages and aircraft of the console versions and can play on a vertical resolution.
Aircraft & Characters
From the start, the game includes 10 playable aircraft, each with their own unique weaponry and pilot. Completing a playthrough with each aircraft unlocks the pilot's alternate aircraft based on World War II-era warplanes. Two hidden teams can be unlocked for play by unlocking all alternate aircraft, with one of these teams having their own alternate aircraft, for a grand total of 26 aircraft.
While the game allows players to choose aircraft, regardless of player side (similar to Aero Fighters 2), a second player joining is forced to pick the other player's squadmate of the same nationality (similar to Aero Fighters 3), although this restriction is later removed once the hidden teams are unlocked.
While most pilots are from the earlier games, it includes one new pilot: the ruthless Volk. Most of the other characters from the earlier games appear as cameos in endings, most of which are recycled from the earlier games.
U.S.A.
- F-117 Sea Hawk / F4-U Corsair - Piloted by fighter pilot Blaster Keaton, who is permanently transformed into his cyborg Mecha-Keaton form after one playthrough with him. In the arcade version, he starts in his cyborg form.
- A-10 Thunderbolt II / P-61 Black Widow - Piloted by the veteran fighter pilot Captain Silver, who pals around with his parakeet Flint.
Japan
- Shin FS-X / Gekkou - Piloted by the ninja Hien.
Russia
- Ka-50 Hokum / Mig 3 - Piloted by the ruthless pilot Volk (known as Volk the "No Dead" in the arcade version).
- IL-102 / IL-2 Stormovik - Piloted by the twin sisters Chaika & Pooshka.
Sweden
P.K.F.
France & U.K.
In the console versions, they are unlocked after unlocking all alternate aircraft for the standard 10 pilots.
- F-14 Tomcat / Sword Fish - Piloted by the aristocratic child Cincia and her tutor Ellen.
Bonus Team
In the console versions, they are unlocked after unlocking all alternate aircraft for the standard 10 pilots. They do not appear in the arcade version.
- Aka Usagi - A rabbit-shaped spacecraft (the royal space mecha "USAGI") based on Rabio from the 1987 game Rabbit Punch. Piloted by Kotomi, one of the twin princesses who also appeared in Rabbit Punch.
- Diabloon - A turbo-charged sports car based on the playable ship from the 1991 game Turbo Force. Piloted by an unknown figure, later revealed to be Captain Waffle from the 1990 game Spinal Breakers.
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