After Burner

After Burner is a rail shooter where players control an F-14 Tomcat-style jet fighter as it flies straight through eighteen levels destroying everything that moves, primarily enemy aircraft and missiles. Gameplay involves firing a machine gun and limited heat-seeking missiles (unlimited missiles in the Master System version), with auto-scrolling movement, multiple enemy waves, and increasing difficulty through scenery and attacks; the jet can lock on targets for missile guidance. There is no traditional story, but the game is set in a post-war conflict with intense aerial combat against waves of enemy jets and ground targets. It features no playable characters beyond the player's jet. What stands out is the intense, high-speed action and spectacular explosions, making it one of the earliest rail shooters and a bestseller on the Master System, with the arcade version directed by Yu Suzuki.