Awesome 16-bit graphics? Check. A head rocking soundtrack? Check. A creative game design unlike many brick and mortar arcade shooters? Check. A tough but well balanced challenge? Check. Ah yes! This my friends is 1991’s UN Squadron for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

In a time where most arcade to home consoles ports were at some times a dull executed attepmt for a quick cash grab, UN Squadron is a notable exception to this rule when it was released by Capcom.

The arcade version of UN Squadron is just your basic side scrolling shooter involving somewhat realistic fighter jets. You insert a quarter into the machine, select a fighter pilot, and after a few minuets of trying to survive through bullet hell – - game over. Rinse, wash, and repeat. And while this is the same formula used for the SNES version, you can tell from the onset how wonderfully polished and dissimilar this game is when compared to it’s arcade brother.

UN Squadron is actually based on a Japanese graphic novel (manga) called “Area 88.” The series centers around three mercenary pilots as they fight against the armed forces of a terroist group in a fictional war torn land; protecting the only alliance base left from enemy attack.

What is so great about UN Squadron, is that without much need for cinematics, it tells a story like a real action movie that beats the pants off Top Gun. Just check out the intro for the game; it’s pretty epic and just pretty to look at.

Speaking of pretty, the graphics – - including many of the backgrounds used in all of the stages are incredably drawn. Not to mention that Capcom’s usual sprite work is, as with most of their 2D games, at top notch.

But what makes UN Squadron totally different from most side scrolling shooters like R-Type and Gradius, is a simple life bar found in most fighting games and brawlers. Where most games in this genre have the one hit and you’re done rule, UN Squadron changes this up by giving the player a life bar.

If you take a hit in the game, your life bar grows shorter, and you enter into a vulenerable state for a temporary time period which lengthens depending on how much energy is left in your bar – but you never just die after taking one hit. This is unless you get hit while still in this state, then yes – - down you go.

It is a rather interesting feature that lessens some of the tension that most shooters have. Now whether this is a good or bad thing depends how much of a shooting purist you are; I personally found it innovating. Plus the action in UN Squadron is frantic and addictive; capped off  with a touch of toughness that alone make up for the supposed lack of tension.

Another unique and fun thing about this game is how Capcom added a bit of stragedy not commonly found in most side scrolling shooters. Just as if you were playing a Mega Man game, you’re given a choice of which enemy strong hold to attack first. And despite only have a limited number of stages, it still portrays a sense of non-linear design – - again something usually lacking in this type of game.

UN Squadron was one of the first games I recieved when I got my Super Nintendo. It was packaged as an awesome Christmas gift from my grandfather; who unforunately passed away last year. So I have very fond memories for this game.

Toughness was a word I used when describing the game play, and I’m certainly not lying about that distinction. The later levels in UN Squadron are brutal to beat, but it’s never a challenge that feels cheap. Sadly though, I could never beat them when I was kid, and thus never got a chance to see the ending which is cinematic bliss. (Thank goodness for Youtube though.)

This game is a great addition to anyone’s SNES collection – - although there are some issues with the game. There’s slow down in some of the stages and again the difficulty is fierce, but other than that UN Squadron is perhaps one of the best 2D shooters of the 16-bit generation.

Even if you have a slight distaste for 2D shooters in general, the soundtrack alone is reason enough to get it. It’s a metal inspired chip-tunes music that sound simply impressive and to me just timeless.