Air Twister

Air Twister is a fun arcade-feeling game directed by Yu Suzuki that has a great soundtrack and a decent gameplay loop. Though, it can get very repetitive if you are trying to play for long spurts of time.

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"Air Twister" is a rail shooter game, marking Yu Suzuki's return to the genre. Players navigate through various levels, battling enemies and bosses while avoiding obstacles. The game features fast-paced action, sharp graphics, and a variety of weapons to choose from, providing an immersive and thrilling experience for fans of the shoot 'em up genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews

music31 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

Air Twister is a worthy successor to Space Harrier, featuring responsive controls and engaging gameplay that captures the essence of classic rail shooters.
The game boasts a visually stunning presentation with colorful graphics and a unique, theatrical soundtrack heavily influenced by Queen, enhancing the overall experience.
There is a wealth of unlockable content, including weapons, abilities, and customization options, providing good replayability and a sense of progression.

The gameplay can feel shallow and lacks the challenge and intensity of its predecessors, making it more suitable for casual players rather than hardcore fans of the genre.
The soundtrack, while unique, is polarizing and may not appeal to everyone, with some players finding it repetitive and distracting.
The game suffers from issues with visibility during chaotic moments, and some players have reported technical problems, such as soft locks on certain platforms.

music
96 mentions
32 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its epic and whimsical qualities, particularly noting its resemblance to Queen's style and the cinematic achievements of composer Valensia. However, others criticize the soundtrack for being repetitive and poorly integrated into the gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience for some players. Overall, while many find the music to be a highlight, personal taste plays a significant role in the enjoyment of the soundtrack.
- “The OST for Air Twister is genuinely one of the best video game soundtracks you’ll ever hear.”
- “The music is definitely incredible, giving an epic and whimsical feeling as you play.”
- “That's all backed up by a real highlight of the game, and that is its excellent music.”
- “Game is fun and looks great but this music is godawful.”
- “80% I was screaming 'make it stop!' so put on your own soundtrack.”
- “The issue lies with the implementation of said soundtrack.”
gameplay
27 mentions
15 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Air Twister is generally considered enjoyable but lacks depth and challenge, with many players finding it too easy even on harder settings. While it features familiar mechanics reminiscent of the original Space Harrier, the overall experience is described as shallow, focusing on basic actions like flying, shooting, and dodging. However, the game does offer unlockable content and unique boss mechanics, along with a slower initial tempo that picks up in later levels, complemented by an unlockable turbo mode for those seeking a faster pace.
- “I dig the lock-on mechanic where it feels like you are literally painting with a brush over the targets you want to explode, but it's not so overtuned that there are times when spamming normal shots (or normal+homing taps which allow you to effectively double up on shots) makes more sense.”
- “Yu Suzuki doesn't miss when it comes to arcade gameplay, and he's spot on the mark here with Air Twister.”
- “Air Twister is a fun arcade-feeling game directed by Yu Suzuki that has a great soundtrack and a decent gameplay loop.”
- “So there's a severe lack of challenge here, even on the harder settings in the arcade mode, but regardless the gameplay just doesn't feel as tightly crafted or satisfying as the original Space Harrier anyway.”
- “Although the gameplay is fairly shallow - fly, shoot, dodge - and it won't take you more than a couple of tries until you finish it, there's a fair bit of unlockable content to keep you interested for a good while.”
- “The gameplay tempo is also a fair bit slower than you might expect, but the later levels speed things up quite a bit and on top of that there is an unlockable turbo mode that speeds up the gameplay an almost comical amount.”
graphics
26 mentions
50 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are described as bright, smooth, and colorful, effectively blending a dreamlike aesthetic with surreal environments that evoke nostalgia for classic arcade shooters. While some reviewers noted a lack of detail in the environments and occasional cheapness in the visuals, the overall artistic vision and style were praised for creating a captivating and trippy experience. Despite being a mobile port, the graphics are considered a highlight, showcasing a successful transition from retro to modern design.
- “The visuals here are that perfect blend between familiar and outlandish, and the adventure which you fly through feels very surreal.”
- “The music is an amazing, cinematic achievement and the graphics are beautiful.”
- “It may be a mobile game port, but Air Twister is a hidden gem for those who miss old school shooter arcades with modern tech and graphics.”
- “Basically, many enemies get thrown into stage aesthetics they don't fit with because the low number of enemies means they needed to be reused.”
- “Although the environments generally lack detail, the graphics are bright, smooth, and colorful.”
- “Visually, the graphics themselves can feel a bit cheap, but the game's style and surreal sceneries really help getting into it anyway.”
- “[Becomes quickly dull owing to a lack of nuance and creative ideas, what worked well as a mobile phone score attack game desperately demands more elaboration on home console, graphically dubious at times in its upscaling and in need of a touchup]”
story
23 mentions
17 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story in the game is surprisingly deep and engaging, featuring a mix of heartbreaking moments and intriguing lore that enhances replayability through various unlockables. Players appreciate the unique incorporation of scripted sequences requiring quick timed button presses to advance the narrative, alongside a high fantasy setting that is visually stunning. Overall, the story serves as a compelling introduction to a broader gameplay experience filled with challenges and rewards.
- “The story is heartbreaking at times, the sound design marrying perfectly with the action on screen to produce a delicate harmony of thematic elements.”
- “There is a 'story', complete with cutscenes at the start, before each boss, and the ending.”
- “A fun, simple storyline rooted in high fantasy world building that seems at least partly inspired by Valensia's music.”
- “These sequences are scripted story sequences that feature quick timed button presses necessary to advance the story.”
- “Eventually you have to get a job to advance the story.”
- “The story mode is more or less the intro to the rest of it which is challenges, new weapons and outfit unlocks so there's enough variety to play around more than once (especially with challenge modes and a reward board).”
replayability
7 mentions
57 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to numerous unlockables, a rich lore, and various challenge modes that extend beyond the main campaign. Players appreciate the engaging visual presentation and the simple arcade fun, particularly on platforms like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. However, some users note that replay value may dip due to factors like the soundtrack and lack of online leaderboards.
- “There’s a lot to unlock under the surface, giving it good replayability. The visual presentation is ridiculously fantastic, and there is a lot of strange and interesting lore to read about in the world journal. The story is more fleshed out than I expected.”
- “There are a ton of challenge modes to try out beyond the main 12-stage campaign to extend replayability.”
- “The game is simple arcade fun with pretty good replayability, especially if you're playing on a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck.”
- “The replay value dips significantly after completing the main campaign, leaving little incentive to return.”
- “The lack of online leaderboards diminishes the competitive aspect, affecting overall replayability.”
- “While there are challenge modes available, they don't offer enough variety to keep players engaged long-term.”
grinding
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and unrealistic, with some achievements requiring an impractical amount of time, such as 100 hours of gameplay. This has led to frustration among those who have other commitments and wish to enjoy the game without being burdened by grind-heavy tasks.
- “My only significant complaint is extremely nitpicky - the achievements in this game are dreadfully grindy and unrealistic for even the most dedicated of players (one requires 100 hours of play, for example).”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features a deeply emotional story that can be heartbreaking, enhanced by a well-crafted sound design that complements the on-screen action. While the protagonist Ryo's voice may occasionally lack emotional depth, this is attributed to his upbringing, contrasting with the emotional complexity of his character.
- “The story is heartbreaking at times, the sound design marrying perfectly with the action on screen to produce a delicate harmony of thematic elements.”
- “Ryo's voice sometimes lacks emotion; however, I believe this is primarily because of the way he was raised. His character is very emotional.”
monetization
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game features a straightforward monetization model with a one-time purchase of $25, and there are no microtransactions or time-limited systems, although daily and weekly challenges are available. While it is a port of an iOS game, the focus remains on delivering a solid gameplay experience without ongoing costs. However, some users note that the main menu UI is unattractive.
- “Yes, it's a port of an iOS game. No, I don't care, and neither should you, as the only monetization is you drop 25 bucks to play a solid but trippy rail shooter made by the guy who made Space Harrier and OutRun back in the day.”
- “Yes, it's a port of an iOS game. I don't care, and neither should you, as the only monetization is you drop 25 bucks to play a solid but trippy rail shooter made by the guy who made Space Harrier and OutRun back in the day.”
- “There are no microtransactions or time-limited systems (though there are daily and weekly challenges), but its origin is clear and the main menu UI is pretty ugly.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is subtle and often leans towards earnestness, suggesting a balance between lightheartedness and sincerity without fully embracing comedic elements.