DESCRIPTION

Taking its cues from the flight combat titles found on the Dreamcast and Xbox, AirForce Delta Storm transplants the underlying concept of those games into a top-down, mission-based shooter for the Game Boy Advance. Unlike traditional 2D shooters, AirForce Delta introduces a sense of depth. As players can increase or decrease altitude during combat, they may effectively engage the enemy at varying heights, as well as dive-bomb ground targets. When high in the sky, clouds will surround the craft, while flying at lower altitudes will allow players to engage ground-based threats.

Onscreen meters provide the necessary information, including altimeters that track the height of enemy craft, a map of the mission area, and other pertinent displays. The missions themselves range in scope from destroying enemy installations to intercepting high-speed aircraft. Some will even have players weaving at low-altitude through canyons and other close-quarter environments.

Mission objectives are detailed prior to each sortie, with text updates provided while in flight. An assortment of nine unique aircraft are at the players' disposal, however, some missions will dictate which aircraft will be used. Aircraft vary in ratings such as speed, mobility, power, and defense. To dispatch the varying enemy bogeys that populate the not-so-friendly skies, players are able to make use of machine guns and tone-lock missiles. Ground-based threats are also present, and at times players will be forced to avoid ground-to-air missiles and other dangers. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide