Windjammers 2 Review: Flying Power Disc’s Triumphant Return

comingsoon.net:

Seeing the rich resurgence of Windjammersof all Neo Geo games over the past few years has been something else. Known as Flying Power Discin Japan, the series never found a ton of success at arcades or the home market. However, its surprisingly deep gameplay that is essentially Pongmeets Street Fighter, plus the advent of emulation, allowed it to develop a cult fanbase that led to an online-enabled port in 2017 and now a sequel 27 years after it was released in arcades. It’s a lot to live up to but Windjammers 2maintains the rock-solid foundation and adds a few flairs of its own, resulting in a worth-the-wait sequel to a beloved classic.

While the gameplay of Windjammersis quite simple with the goal of throwing a frisbee in the other player’s goal to score points, there has always been a surprising amount of layers. Using standard fighting game inputs, players can add spin to the disc and pull off special moves as well. Everything from the original carries over here, although there are also quite a few new mechanics that add even more depth to the action, such as the ability to jump and perform spike shots and a quick deflection move that quickly bats the disc back at the opponent.

These new moves initially feel like an unnecessary overcomplication of the original gameplay. Windjammersis simple at its core and wasn’t begging to have more mechanics, making it a little difficult to want to incorporate these new tactics at first. However, these tools can serve as strategic mix-up opportunities that can keep the opposition on their toes and end up being welcome additions. Dotemu’s confidence to contribute to the established formula and put its own spin on it is appreciated, granted established players can push past their