Review by Jon Donnis
There's something oddly comforting about a game that still looks and feels like it just rolled out of a 90s arcade cabinet. Sonic Wings Reunion, or Aero Fighters Reunion if you prefer the Western name, is exactly that. A throwback to the days when your job was simple: fly up the screen, shoot anything that moves, and try not to blink.
I'll admit, as someone who sank hours into the SNES version back in the day, as well as spending a fair wodge of coin in the arcade game, firing this up gave me that instant jolt of nostalgia. The pixel art isn't trying to impress anyone, and maybe that's what I like about it. It's rough in places, sure, but it's faithful to what those games looked like. You can almost hear the hum of an arcade cabinet behind it.
To its credit, there's a decent amount packed in. You've got more than eight characters, each flying their own aircraft with little quirks, and eight stages that whisk you around the world in rapid bursts of colour and chaos.
The local co-op is still a joy, especially if you've got someone who remembers how to weave through a wall of enemy fire. And the Tate Mode, where you can flip the screen into a proper vertical setup, is a thoughtful touch for purists.
But let's be honest, the price hurts. Somewhere between £25 and £33 for what's essentially an old-school shooter feels off. Nostalgia only stretches so far, and this one pushes it. The soundtrack doesn't help much either. It's serviceable, but there's not a single tune that sticks. You'll hear it once and forget it ten minutes later.
That said, I still found myself having a good time. Maybe that's habit talking, maybe it's comfort. There's something satisfying about that familiar panic when the screen floods with bullets and you somehow scrape through untouched. It's not thrilling in a modern sense, but it scratches a very specific itch.
Sonic Wings Reunion isn't going to win over anyone new, and maybe it doesn't care to. It feels made for the people who were there the first time round. I can't quite decide if that's charming or lazy, but it works well enough.
Score: 7 out of 10.
Out Now on Nintendo Switch
