Blue Lightning

In this game you take command of a sleek jet-fighter, given new mission orders at the onset of each game level. Some levels allow the on-screen fighter to maneuver freely while hunting down air and land-based targets, while others require precision flying through canyons. Guns and a limited number of missiles can be used against the enemy war machine, and codes allow you to continue at higher levels of play.

Man the first combat flight of the Blue Lightning, a top secret jet that has been pressed into action-even though it hasn't been tested yet. Your must complete nine crucial missions to help the Allies win the war. Using your 81 mm cannon, guided missiles, and battle computer, you'll need all your piloting skills to survive this dogfight.

Lynx owners may recall a great little shooter called Blue Lightning and how intense it was. Well, times have changed, and a brand-new version of it is on its way to the Jaguar.

Load up your plane with an arsenal of missiles and take to the skies. You have a lot of missions to accomplish, and none of them will be a cakewalk. You've got tanks, SAMs, enemy aircraft and worse gunning after you. It's going go be tough, but if you have quick reflexes and nerves of steel, you might have a chance.

If you enjoyed the original, this one is a real improvement.

As the primary pack-in game for the Jag CD, Blue Lightning is a very crucial piece of work for Atari. With an already not-so-spectacular lineup of Jaguar games, along with delayed and sometimes even axed titles, Atari needs a good solid hit more than Patrick Stewart needs hair--and that's no exaggeration.

The original Blue Lightning was released for the Lynx handheld several years back, and received many favorable reviews--mainly due to the fact that the portable unit generated some excellent 16-bit graphics. Developed by Epyx, Blue Lightning ended up being one of the best games the now dead-and-buried Lynx ever had to offer.

If you're familiar with the Lynx version, there's not much more explaining to do. If you haven't played the original, then the best comparison I could give you would be Sega's After-Burner. Once you finish a few training missions and select a plane, you're on your way to a delightful afternoon of killing stuff. Take off, lock onto the evil enemy and blow 'em away--it's actually a whole tub of fun! You can use standard gatling-type guns or get serious by destroying dem bad boys with heat-seekers. Your supply of heatseeking missiles is limited, though, so don't get too crazy. There are a number of other nifty goodies useful for mass damage, ranging from cluster bombs to napalm.

A couple of important things to keep in mind when playing: First, the barrel roll. You can t fire while doing one, but it reduces the chances of getting nailed by enemy guns. Second, the afterburner switch gives you a short burst of speed and is very useful for escort missions. Lastly, the cruise button maintains a steady rate of speed, also good for escorting planes.

The graphics, though not even remotely close to Saturn or PlayStation caliber, are pretty cool. The terrain advances toward you at a fair rate, with minimal clipping. Flying through narrow canyons and underpasses are high points in the game and add to the feeling of realism. The hard rock tunes are perfect for this type of game, although along with the voices, they sound a bit muddy and subdued.

Blue Lightning is a very good effort. Ideally, the smartest thing Atari could have done for the launch of its CD add-on would have been to secure MK3 or at the very least, Primal Rage. Sure, it would've cost some bucks, but so what? It would have been a shot in the proverbial arm! Some may see Atari as the Adam West of the video-game industry--once on top of the world, now typecast as a "one-hit-wonder" and reduced to living on past glories--but with the release of the Jag CD and Blue Lightning, the company just might be able to regain some credibility.