Aero the Acro-Bat | Xbox Review
Nostalgia is a funny thing. If you grew up playing retro games, you’re more than likely very forgiving of titles from your younger years. After all, our resources were limited when we were kids, so any game we could get our hands on felt awesome. We did our best to take any joy out of a game regardless of its quality. But it’s impossible for any of us to have played every game from even a single platform, much less all of the games from the early days of our gaming career. Visiting classic games for the first time is often a crap shoot. Without the nostalgia behind it, the flaws stand out much more and it makes it much more difficult to enjoy. Such was the case for me with my first experience playing Sunsoft‘s Aero the Acrobat. I simply missed this title from the ’90s, despite seeing the box art multiple times at my local rental store. If I had grown up with the title, I might have more fondness for it. Unfortunately, I found myself with more moments of frustration than enjoyment now that I finally got a chance to play it. It has its bright spots, for certain, but they’re few and far between.
A Circus of a Circus
Is there a story in Aero the Acrobat? If there is, I can’t tell. I obviously had no physical instruction manual to read through on the way home like I did as a kid. The game just opens up with a bat character dressed like a super hero in a 2D circus setting. You’re given various tasks including collecting items, finding keys, or rescuing characters from locked cages. But there’s no real purpose or narrative behind your actions. Let’s be honest, this was a standard for many platformers of the ’80s and ’90s, but even Mario and Sonic had a princess to rescue or an evil villain to conquer. I don’t know that this is a detriment to the game, as not every one needs a ton of motivation. As long as it’s fun to play, it doesn’t matter, right?
It’s too bad that this one isn’t much fun to play. It has a lot of promise. The circus theme is fun, and there’s trampolines to bounce on and cannons to shoot yourself from. It’s also pretty cool to see that Aero doesn’t only move from left to right. The level design has you navigating its maze by going back and forth to find what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear which direction is the right one to follow.
Your path isn’t the only part of the game that’s confusing. Your abilities and items aren’t explained very well, either. You have the ability to propel yourself at a forty-five degree angle up or down while jumping. This acts as one of your attacks, but it’s frustrating to determine how to hit enemies with it. The hit box seems so narrow, it feels more up to chance whether or not you’ll defeat an enemy. On top of that, it takes a lot of trial and error to learn what difference collectibles are for. I didn’t even realize at first that I could shoot projectiles, an ability that requires collected stars for ammo. But even that ability is very limited.
Some Things Can’t Be Fixed
That’s not to say there aren’t any positives about Aero the Acrobat. I don’t have the original game’s memory to compare, but the remaster has been very kind to the visuals of this title. The sprites are crisp and clean, and everything surrounding the game’s atmosphere pops. On top of that, the music for each level is fantastic. Some include familiar circus tunes, and all of them stand on their own with unique energy that fit the game perfectly.
There’s been a lot of love and polish put into this title. You can experiment with various filters to play in any style you prefer. As with many retro titles brought back to life, this one also has a rewind feature. This is very much welcome, as the game is very frustrating in ways that don’t often feel due to the fault of the player. In games that are more fun to play, it’s not a chore to go back and replay portions of a level after missing a jump or hitting an insta-kill spike. But in this case, I almost always rewound after making a mistake, because I truly didn’t want to try an entire area over again.
My favorite parts were the mini games in between certain acts. During these moments, you’re given the opportunity to participate in various circus performances. Why? Again, I don’t know. But these were the more fun moments. One particular section has you diving into a pool of water from a great height, navigating through rings in a way very reminiscent of the original Pilotwings. It’s too bad these are short-lived, because they’re the more interesting part of the game.
Aero the Acro-Bat Final Verdict
I wish I had earlier experience with Aero the Acrobat. If I had, I might have enjoyed it more. I feel bad speaking so negatively about a game that others probably enjoyed a great deal when they were younger. This experience left me wondering why other, better titles got picked over for this one. There’s a massive library from the 16-bit era of games that feel much more deserving. So the one positive I can say about the existence of this one is that maybe there’s hope for the future of classic titles getting revitalized. Here’s to hoping.
To hear me talk more about Aero the Acro-Bat, be sure to listen to our August 9th, 2024 podcast episode around the 1:23:15 time stamp.
This review is based on an Xbox copy of Aero the Acro-Bat provided by PR Hound for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
Aero the Acro Bat
$5.99
Pros
- Vibrant Sprite Work
- Fantastic Soundtrack
- Fun Circus-Themed Mini Games
- Rewind Feature Very Welcome
Cons
- Frustrating Controls
- Mechanics Not Explained Well
- Hit Box Detection Unclear
- Pathway Forward Unclear
- Nostalgia Required for Fun
