U.N. Squadron 1989

Is it still worth playing?

Capcom's 1989 side scrolling arcade shooter, known in Japan as Area 88, based on that manga, though the North American release omits all references to it. The mission is to stop a terrorist group called Project 4. You choose among three mercenary pilots, Shin Kazama, Mickey Simon and Greg Gates, each flying a specific plane with slightly different capabilities, and all start with 3000 dollars and the basic F8 Crusader. In the shop before each level you can buy special weapons or added defenses, paid for by destroying enemy planes and vehicles, and unused weapons turn back into money when a level ends. Instead of reserve lives, you have an energy bar that drains as you take damage. It was ported to platforms including the Super Nintendo. Spending money between stages makes your loadout part of every run, and that planning is still at its core.