A Capcom shooter built on the Area 88 manga, with mission based progression and plane purchases. Gripping system, gorgeous mood, a SNES great.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Horizontal shoot-'em-up based on the Area 88 anime featuring fighter pilots in a Middle East conflict. Published by Capcom, released in North America in 1991. Fighter jets with weapons to buy between missions and varied bosses. SNES port of Capcom's U.N. Squadron arcade.
The North American NTSC SNES edition of Capcom's U.N. Squadron from 1991, the port of the Capcom horizontal arcade shooter drawn from the Area 88 manga (renamed U.N. Squadron for export). This is the North American shmup collector's reference for the title, released in fair volume: its value rests mainly on clean CIB, the warp-prone cardboard box rewarding intact copies. Appeal comes from the cult aura of the arcade port and fidelity to the Area 88 material, rather than from print scarcity.
Is U.N. Squadron still worth playing in 2026?
An adaptation of the Area 88 manga by Capcom, this horizontal shmup stands out by inserting a between mission shop where loot can be spent to upgrade and unlock aircraft. The result is a shooter with real progression to manage, a roster of distinctive planes and crisp Capcom pixel art. The pacing stays a touch sedate by modern arcade standards, yet the identity stays unique. Recommended to fans of readable horizontal shmups and to anyone curious about a successful crossover with a cult 1980s manga.
