a 1998

scrolling shooter In computer displays, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display, vertically or horizontally. "Scrolling," as such, does not change the layout of the text ...

arcade game by

Seibu Kaihatsu was a Japanese manufacturer of arcade games. The company was founded in 1982 in video gaming, 1982 at Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan as , but changed to its current name sometime in 1984. It is currently owned by Hitoshi Hamada. One ...

. It is a sequel to '' Raiden Fighters 2'', released one year later. ''Raiden Fighters Jet'' retains the same game mechanics as its predecessors, while introducing new ones in a departure from the previous games.

Gameplay

The Hybrid Attack from ''Raiden Fighters 2'' returns in this game. This special attack has been given a graphical facelift, but otherwise remains the same functionally. A mechanic introduced in this game gauges stage progression on player performance. If the player performs well in a stage, the next stage will have a higher level number, allowing the player to reach the real levels (Phase 1 and Phase 2) earlier. Players not performing well will be sent to a lower level number, or the game session ends early. Additional game modes include playing through all boss encounters only, and a mode in which enemies return fire after being destroyed.

Fighter craft

Most of the fighter craft from '' Raiden Fighters 2'' appear in this game. Players can choose the color of their selected craft. This game introduces the Ixion, an aircraft with a

forward-swept wing A forward-swept wing is an aircraft wing configuration in which the quarter-chord line of the wing has a forward sweep. Typically, the leading edge also sweeps forward. Characteristics The forward-swept configuration has a number of characteri ...

configuration, similar to the

Grumman X-29 The Grumman X-29 was an American experimental aircraft that tested a forward-swept wing, canard control surfaces, and other novel aircraft technologies. The X-29 was developed by Grumman, and the two built were flown by NASA and the United St ...

and the

Sukhoi Su-47 The Sukhoi Su-47 ''Berkut'' (russian: Сухой Су-47 Беркут, translation=Golden Eagle) ( NATO reporting name Firkin), also designated S-32 and S-37 (not to be confused with the twin-engined delta canard designButtler, Tony and Gordon ...

. Players can either select the Ixion directly at the beginning of the game, or their selected fighter (that is not a secret fighter like the ''Raiden II'' and ''Viper Phase 1'' ships) is upgraded to the Ixion upon reaching Phase 1, equipping it with the original fighter's secondary weapons while using the Ixion's primary weapon and movement speed.

Plot

''Raiden Fighters Jets stage branching mechanic is explained in the game as being part of a training simulation that gauges the player's performance in the simulation. Players who perform well in the simulation will get a chance to pilot a new experimental fighter in a real mission. Depending on the player's performance in the real mission, they will be either given the chance to fight a bomber carrying a nuclear cruise missile or be forced to withdraw before engaging it.

Music

''Raiden Fighters Jets soundtrack was composed by Yasuhiro Hashimoto and consists of rave and

techno Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...

music in a departure from the more melodic pop orientated style of the original ''Raiden'' game series.

Ports and conversions

A compilation of all three ''Raiden Fighters'' games for the

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...

, titled ''

Raiden Fighters Aces is a 2008 video game for the Xbox 360, published by Japanese computer software company Success Corporation. It is a compilation of all three video games in the ''Raiden Fighters'' series by Seibu Kaihatsu: the first ''Raiden Fighters'' (1996), ' ...

'', was published by Japanese software company

Success Corporation is a Japanese video game and online game developer and publisher, based in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and founded on 7 June 1978. They are best known for their ''Cotton'' series of shooter games, '' Zoo Keeper'' and others. Games developed and/or publ ...

and released on March 27, 2008.

Other versions

''Raiden Fighters Jet 2000'', a clone for the Chinese market, runs on cheaper hardware and features notoriously inferior sound than the original. A newer single-board version was released for the US market. This version of ''Raiden Fighters Jet'' is a standalone version that has all fighters available from the start.

Reception

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Raiden Fighters Jet'' on their October 1, 1998 issue as being the sixth most-successful arcade game of the month.

References

{{Raiden series 1998 video games Arcade video games Vertically scrolling shooters Fabtek games Seibu Kaihatsu games Video game sequels Video games developed in Japan Windows games