Excellent vertical shooter with four pilots and varied stages. Smooth reading, imposing bosses and offbeat humour. A small Neo Geo shoot reference too often overlooked.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Co-op
Description
Ace pilots from different nations face invaders in this Video System vertical shooter. Published by Video System, released in the US in September 1994. Vertical shoot'em up with four planes featuring distinct pilots and weapons, two-player co-operation, varied and intense bosses. US edition.
Sonic Wings 2 ~ Aero Fighters 2 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The aircraft are drawn after real models, recognisable silhouettes of contemporary fighters, and that initial realism makes the liberties later taken with the opponents all the more conspicuous, absurd machines and flying fortresses. The level endings are punctuated by drawn vignettes in which the pilots each react in their own way.
The writing stays frankly martial, brass in parallel chords and a marked snare, a military march register the game applies without irony even to the most whimsical pilots. The end-of-level themes, short and brisk, close each stage on a clean resolution that contrasts with the continuous tension of the flight phases.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Short"
Technical info
💾0,54 GB📅09/09/1994
Published by Video System
Sonic Wings 2 ~ Aero Fighters 2 (Neo Geo CD) price, value & rarity
Behind its absurd humor and its colorful pilots, this vertical shooter hides snappy gameplay and replayability boosted by its multiple endings. Drowned among the countless shmups of the era, it left little mark. Ideal in two-player for anyone after a fun, funny, no-fuss vertical scroller.
Is Sonic Wings 2 ~ Aero Fighters 2 still worth playing in 2026?
Sonic Wings 2, alias Aero Fighters 2, is a Video System vertical shoot'em up in which aces from different nations face invaders, with a roster of pilots with distinct quirks and an offbeat tone. The character choice, the humor and the snappy action full of nods make it an endearing and replayable shmup. The high difficulty and a classic flow temper the originality. For fans of retro vertical shooters with characters and Japanese humor, it is a likable success, particularly enjoyable in pairs.
