264:. The player now has more control over where they go, and finding one's way through the massive Fortresses is one of the major challenges of the game. The player must navigate through the maze, fight off enemy robots, security devices, and spacemen with their beam weapon, locate and destroy the central core of the Fortress, and find their ship to escape. The last is perhaps the most difficult part, since the Fortress explodes shortly after the core is destroyed and the player only has a short window of time in which to escape, with the exit never situated in the same place as where the player entered the maze.
354:
349:
429:
424:
344:
339:
334:
419:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
215:
resources and living things in their path. The Space
Federation sent their mightiest fleet, which was quickly eliminated by the powerful Fortresses. In a final gambit they send a single warrior named Hal Bailman, outfitted with a shielded spacesuit, powerful weapons, and small "lightship" to infiltrate the Fortresses and destroy them from the inside out.
224:
247:
that grants access to the Air
Fortress. Along the way, the player must dodge a variety of flying enemies and space station parts. The player also has a chance during this phase to collect energy and "crash beam bullets", a more powerful ammunition that is limited in supply, that can be used inside
251:
In this mode of play, a single hit will destroy the player's ship. In the
Japanese version, if Hal collides with an enemy while on his lightship he must restart the approach sequence from the beginning, but in the American version the player will automatically be respawned from the same point at
214:
The people of the planet Farmel, having recently gained the technology for space travel, eagerly explored the galaxy only to find a herd of monstrous "Air
Fortresses" moving in their direction. They quickly discovered that the Fortresses behaved like interstellar locusts, consuming all of the
32:
477:
remarked that the game offered "a great deal" of originally with its mixture of arcade and adventure aspects, but found the music to be repetitive and felt that the overall design could have used more color.
287:
director, game designer, and programmer
Hiroaki Suga. While the US version credits sound composer Hideki Kanazashi as "Rodeo Kanagushi", the Japanese version credits him as "Jumper Kanagushi".
488:
commended the visuals but noted that the game's difficulty increased quickly after the first fortress, and found the shooter sequences less interesting than the fortresses.
985:
206:. It was released in Japan in August 1987, in North America in September 1989 after an initial test release of 385 copies in 1987, and an Australian release in 1989.
712:
231:
As Hal
Bailman, the player infiltrates the progressively more challenging Air Fortresses. Each Air Fortress has two levels: the Air Base and the Fortress itself.
980:
975:
690:
1005:
1000:
853:
466:
910:
885:
848:
995:
650:
935:
515:
s Shelby Babb said that the game does a good job of combining side-scrolling shooting levels with exploration-style adventure.
787:
753:
970:
203:
93:
522:
s Stan
Stepanic praised the music but felt mixed with the visuals, while criticizing its gameplay and difficulty level.
990:
294:
by mail order through a national advertising campaign. Players who purchased the game through HAL received a free
965:
813:
858:
192:
161:
151:
239:
On approach to the Air
Fortress, Hal Bailman battles the enemy from his lightship. The gameplay is that of a
531:
s Adam King felt overall mixed about the audiovisual presentation but commended the controls. A writer for
877:
818:
676:
261:
758:
58:
46:
782:
736:
524:
484:
gave the game positive ratings to its audiovisual presentation, control, challenge and fun factor.
438:
78:
68:
88:
906:
881:
706:
646:
146:
636:
240:
849:"Video Game Reviews - Air Fortress (HAL America) For the Nintendo Entertainment System"
731:
580:
496:
495:
s Oliver Menne highlighted its smooth scrolling and lack of flickering, while praising
480:
375:
280:
199:
51:
554:
959:
927:
681:
533:
363:
120:
777:
31:
133:
754:"Gaming's Heartbeat — The Video Game Update: Nintendo Software - Air Fortress"
606:
195:
243:. During this phase, the player has three attempts to successfully reach the
844:
474:
823:
830:
223:
686:
641:
508:
325:
244:
283:. "SUGA", the password for the final air fortress, is a reference to
252:
which his ship was destroyed, provided that they have extra lives.
276:
222:
107:
874:
Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988: A Complete
Reference Guide
762:. Vol. 8, no. 8. November 1989. p. 11.
581:"Air Fortress Release Information for NES - GameFAQs"
872:
Weiss, Brett (2009). "Nintendo NES - Air
Fortress".
555:"Game review: Hal's Air Fortress for #Nintendo #NES"
157:
145:
99:
87:
77:
67:
57:
45:
24:
677:"Test de Air Fortress sur NES par jeuxvideo.com"
182:
391:
331:
176:
8:
499:for their work with the graphics and music.
903:Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library
901:Conti, Pat (15 May 2016). "Banana Prince".
711:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
309:
30:
21:
771:
769:
607:"Air Fortress for NES (1987) - MobyGames"
260:Inside the Fortress, the game becomes an
986:Nintendo Entertainment System-only games
854:VideoGames & Computer Entertainment
778:"Classic Review Archive - Air Fortress"
729:"Video Shorts: Air Fortress from Hal".
670:
668:
546:
467:VideoGames & Computer Entertainment
464:garnered average reviews from critics.
807:
805:
748:
746:
724:
722:
704:
630:
628:
739:. September–October 1989. p. 78.
653:from the original on 15 November 2014
7:
314:
981:Nintendo Entertainment System games
537:gave the title a positive outlook.
393:
333:
305:
693:from the original on 11 April 2012
14:
938:from the original on 23 June 2008
790:from the original on 19 June 2010
427:
422:
417:
412:
407:
402:
397:
392:
352:
347:
342:
337:
332:
976:Horizontally scrolling shooters
1006:Video games set in outer space
1001:Video games developed in Japan
1:
204:Nintendo Entertainment System
94:Nintendo Entertainment System
814:"Marios Magic: Air Fortress"
905:. Contri Code Productions.
812:Menne, Oliver (July 1992).
198:developed and published by
183:
1022:
829:(in German). No. 14.
502:Retrospective reviews for
996:Single-player video games
675:Goten67 (23 March 2012).
318:
315:
177:
29:
859:Larry Flynt Publications
926:Stepanic, Stan (2005).
878:McFarland & Company
637:"Air Fortress - Review"
268:Development and release
227:Inside the Air Fortress
506:have been more mixed.
241:side-scrolling shooter
228:
178:エアー・フォートレス Eā Fōtoresu
928:"Air Fortress Review"
635:Babb, Shelby (1998).
587:. CBS Interactive Inc
262:action-adventure game
226:
971:HAL Laboratory games
759:Computer Entertainer
486:Computer Entertainer
387:Computer Entertainer
290:HAL America offered
783:Hardcore Gaming 101
776:King, Adam (2010).
737:Nintendo of America
525:Hardcore Gaming 101
439:Hardcore Gaming 101
312:
184:lit. "Air Fortress"
310:
229:
991:Run and gun games
912:978-0-9973283-0-1
887:978-0-7864-3660-6
647:All Media Network
613:. Blue Flame Labs
458:
457:
279:video game maker
275:was developed by
167:
166:
1013:
966:1987 video games
948:
947:
945:
943:
923:
917:
916:
898:
892:
891:
876:(1st ed.).
869:
863:
862:
841:
835:
834:
827:
809:
800:
799:
797:
795:
773:
764:
763:
750:
741:
740:
726:
717:
716:
710:
702:
700:
698:
672:
663:
662:
660:
658:
632:
623:
622:
620:
618:
603:
597:
596:
594:
592:
577:
571:
570:
568:
566:
559:8-bitcentral.com
551:
530:
521:
514:
494:
472:
432:
431:
430:
426:
425:
421:
420:
416:
415:
411:
410:
406:
405:
401:
400:
396:
395:
357:
356:
355:
351:
350:
346:
345:
341:
340:
336:
335:
313:
190:
189:
186:
180:
179:
137:
124:
111:
83:Hideki Kanazashi
34:
22:
1021:
1020:
1016:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1010:
956:
955:
952:
951:
941:
939:
932:Game Freaks 365
925:
924:
920:
913:
900:
899:
895:
888:
871:
870:
866:
847:(August 1989).
843:
842:
838:
821:
811:
810:
803:
793:
791:
775:
774:
767:
752:
751:
744:
728:
727:
720:
703:
696:
694:
674:
673:
666:
656:
654:
634:
633:
626:
616:
614:
605:
604:
600:
590:
588:
579:
578:
574:
564:
562:
561:. 8-Bit Central
553:
552:
548:
543:
528:
519:
517:Game Freaks 365
512:
492:
470:
459:
428:
423:
418:
413:
408:
403:
398:
353:
348:
343:
338:
308:
304:
270:
258:
237:
221:
212:
187:
174:
141:
132:
128:
119:
115:
112:August 17, 1987
106:
41:
20:
19:1987 video game
17:
16:1987 video game
12:
11:
5:
1019:
1017:
1009:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
958:
957:
950:
949:
918:
911:
893:
886:
880:. p. 35.
864:
857:. No. 7.
836:
801:
765:
742:
735:. No. 8.
732:Nintendo Power
718:
664:
624:
598:
572:
545:
544:
542:
539:
481:Nintendo Power
456:
455:
452:
446:
445:
442:
434:
433:
389:
383:
382:
379:
376:Nintendo Power
371:
370:
367:
359:
358:
329:
321:
320:
317:
306:
303:
300:
281:HAL Laboratory
269:
266:
257:
254:
248:the Fortress.
236:
233:
220:
217:
211:
208:
200:HAL Laboratory
165:
164:
159:
155:
154:
149:
143:
142:
140:
139:
129:
127:
126:
125:September 1989
116:
114:
113:
103:
101:
97:
96:
91:
85:
84:
81:
75:
74:
71:
65:
64:
63:HAL Laboratory
61:
55:
54:
52:HAL Laboratory
49:
43:
42:
35:
27:
26:
18:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1018:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
963:
961:
954:
937:
933:
929:
922:
919:
914:
908:
904:
897:
894:
889:
883:
879:
875:
868:
865:
861:. p. 36.
860:
856:
855:
850:
846:
840:
837:
833:. p. 88.
832:
828:
825:
820:
815:
808:
806:
802:
789:
785:
784:
779:
772:
770:
766:
761:
760:
755:
749:
747:
743:
738:
734:
733:
725:
723:
719:
714:
708:
692:
688:
685:(in French).
684:
683:
682:Jeuxvideo.com
678:
671:
669:
665:
652:
648:
644:
643:
638:
631:
629:
625:
612:
611:mobygames.com
608:
602:
599:
586:
582:
576:
573:
560:
556:
550:
547:
540:
538:
536:
535:
534:Jeuxvideo.com
527:
526:
518:
511:
510:
505:
500:
498:
491:
487:
483:
482:
476:
469:
468:
463:
453:
451:
448:
447:
443:
441:
440:
436:
435:
390:
388:
385:
384:
380:
378:
377:
373:
372:
368:
366:
365:
364:Jeuxvideo.com
361:
360:
330:
328:
327:
323:
322:
311:Review scores
301:
299:
297:
293:
288:
286:
282:
278:
274:
267:
265:
263:
255:
253:
249:
246:
242:
234:
232:
225:
218:
216:
209:
207:
205:
201:
197:
194:
185:
173:
172:
163:
162:Single-player
160:
156:
153:
150:
148:
144:
135:
131:
130:
122:
118:
117:
109:
105:
104:
102:
98:
95:
92:
90:
86:
82:
80:
76:
72:
70:
66:
62:
60:
56:
53:
50:
48:
44:
39:
33:
28:
23:
953:
940:. Retrieved
931:
921:
902:
896:
873:
867:
852:
839:
817:
792:. Retrieved
781:
757:
730:
695:. Retrieved
680:
655:. Retrieved
640:
615:. Retrieved
610:
601:
589:. Retrieved
585:gamefaqs.com
584:
575:
563:. Retrieved
558:
549:
532:
523:
516:
507:
503:
501:
489:
485:
479:
465:
462:Air Fortress
461:
460:
449:
437:
386:
374:
362:
324:
296:Air Fortress
295:
292:Air Fortress
291:
289:
285:Air Fortress
284:
273:Air Fortress
272:
271:
259:
256:Air Fortress
250:
238:
230:
213:
171:Air Fortress
170:
169:
168:
73:Hiroaki Suga
59:Publisher(s)
47:Developer(s)
38:Air Fortress
37:
25:Air Fortress
942:11 December
822: [
794:11 December
697:11 December
657:11 December
617:11 December
591:11 December
565:11 December
504:Air Fortess
316:Publication
193:run-and-gun
152:Run and gun
89:Platform(s)
79:Composer(s)
69:Designer(s)
40:NES version
36:Box art of
960:Categories
845:Eddy, Andy
541:References
196:video game
819:Play Time
490:Play Time
475:Andy Eddy
450:Play Time
307:Reception
302:Reception
298:T-shirt.
936:Archived
831:Computec
788:Archived
707:cite web
691:Archived
651:Archived
277:Japanese
245:Air Lock
235:Air Base
219:Gameplay
202:for the
147:Genre(s)
687:Webedia
642:AllGame
509:AllGame
326:AllGame
158:Mode(s)
100:Release
909:
884:
826:]
529:'
520:'
513:'
493:'
471:'
381:3.5/5
369:16/20
319:Score
210:Story
191:is a
944:2022
907:ISBN
882:ISBN
796:2022
713:link
699:2022
659:2022
619:2015
593:2015
567:2015
444:8/10
138:1989
497:HAL
454:69%
962::
934:.
930:.
851:.
824:de
816:.
804:^
786:.
780:.
768:^
756:.
745:^
721:^
709:}}
705:{{
689:.
679:.
667:^
649:.
645:.
639:.
627:^
609:.
583:.
557:.
473:s
181:,
134:AU
121:NA
108:JP
946:.
915:.
890:.
798:.
715:)
701:.
661:.
621:.
595:.
569:.
188:)
175:(
136::
123::
110::
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.