One of the best 2D side-scrolling shooters out there!
PLOT:
Playing as either Shin Kazama, Mickey Simon, or Greg Gates, your mission is to help defeat the terrorist group known as Project 4.
The game doesn't really go beyond that, but it doesn't need to.
GAMEPLAY:
When you first boot up the game, you'll have to select from one of three skilled pilots. You have Shin Kazama, Mickey Simon, and Greg Gates. All three have unique advantages that contribute to their overall piloting skills. Shin increases his firepower quickly, Mickey can fire two special weapons at the same time, and Greg recovers from hits faster than anyone else. Personally, I find Greg to be the best pilot. Later on in the game, the levels get much more difficult, and one wrong move can spell death for you. Greg's fast recovery rate means a much better chance of survival.
After selecting your character, you'll then meet a strange looking man with an 'X' on his forehead. Behind him is a huge map of the land you'll be fighting in. Here, you'll choose what missions you feel like doing next, and he'll give brief descriptions on them. You'll see this guy after every mission you complete.
Then, you come to a shop, where a gaunt, but jolly elderly man greets you. At the shop, you can purchase planes and weapons. In the beginning, you don't have much money at all, and your choices are very limited. You start out with one basic plane and only a few weapon choices. Later on, when you've gathered up enough cash by destroying enough enemies, you'll be able to purchase the big boy weapons, so don't worry about your restrictions.
The screen fades, and then you start your first mission. As you begin your first mission, a squad of helicpoters dart in and you take them out. As you delve deeper into the level, you'll see swarms of helicopters and tanks all gunning at you. But, with that catchy, upbeat music playing in the background, you get temporary adrenaline boosts which help you demolish every enemy that crosses your path.
At the end of the level, you'll see a massive tank with an array of missle launchers attached to the top of it. Unleash your fury on it, and it'll go down with no problems. When you've completed your first mission, you'll see the man with the 'X' on his head, and the process repeats itself over and over again. This is basically how the game plays.
GRAPHICS:
UN Squadron is unique in the fact that it doesn't sport the space theme that most of the 2D side-scrolling games did in that era. Instead of bizarre UFO's and such, you'll see much more recognizable objects, such as planes, boats, helicpoters, and tanks.
Every level also has it's own natural, detailed environment. You'll be flying over the vast ocean, soaring through the clouds, and cruising over a forest.
Once in awhile, you will experience a brief drop in framerate, but it's not too much of a problem, and it won't intrude on the gameplay.
It's a nice looking game, and in my opinion, one of the best looking on the SNES.
SOUND:
Simply put, this game sounds PHENOMENAL.
The soundtrack is nothing short of amazing. It complements the gameplay perfectly, and will give you the occasional adrenaline boost to help you get through a difficult segment of a level. There is no weak soundtrack in this game. Every single song is catchy in it's own way. This is the kind of soundtrack you'll be humming in the shower and in the car when you're driving to work.
BOTTOM LINE:
This is the best 2D side-scrolling shooter EVER. It's better than Gradius, folks. It plays so smoothly, and it has a surprising amount of depth to it. Unfortunately, it hasn't been released for the Virtual Console yet, but please, buy it on eBay or go to your local pawn shop and pick it up there for 5 bucks. This game is definantly worth playing, especially if you've never tried it yet.
It gets a 5/5.
