Description
A playthrough of Capcom's 1988 shooter for the NES, Legendary Wings.
Straddling a generational divide, Legendary Wings is a game that bridges the gap between Capcom's simpler mid-80s coin-op fare (like https://youtu.be/a7YFJXuPPKQ and https://youtu.be/MYnCPHcxSxw) and their high octane releases of the late 80s/early 90s (like UN Squadron, Forgotten Worlds) that were made possible with the introduction of the CPS-1 platform. Though the NES hardware was quite limited in comparison, Capcom's evolving design sensibilities were also leading to huge boosts in the quality of their console output, and Legendary Wings was a prime example of that trend. It was an ambitious adaptation, and the changes made for the home version gave it a significantly more modern and refined feel than the lion's share of what Capcom had been producing to that point.
Legendary Wings' premise is a bit bonkers. Some time in the distant future, the computer that has played God to mankind for eons apparently grows tired of working for the advancement of the human race, and it has kicked off a campaign to rid itself of its burden. Ares has granted you - the chosen warrior - with the power of flight, and it's up to you (decked out in a fetching pink thong and matching gogo boots) to save humanity.
There are five stages, all beginning with a vertically-scrolling section that sees you flying over a landscape (usually littered with ancient ruins and such). You then enter a temple, where the action shifts to a horizontally-scrolling side view, and follow a corridor that ultimately leads to a fight against a giant spaceship made out of brains and eyeballs. Each stage has also an optional "penalty" area (where you'll be pulled if you're caught in the gusty breath of a giant face) and a "bonus" area (which is opened by bombing its hidden entrance). You can upgrade your firepower multiple times, and in your top form, you transform into a phoenix, which is just as awesome as it sounds.
The gameplay is smooth, the perspective shifts and optional areas provide a nice bit of variety, and the challenge is balanced to be approachable. It won't push the skills of shooter junkies, but I suspect that for most people, it'll be a game that can be conquered with some practice and little frustration. Calling it legendary would be overselling it, but Legendary Wings is a good game with a fun theme, appealing graphics, great music, and solid controls, and it's arguably better than the arcade game it's based on.
It's worth checking out.
(And did anyone else notice how the sound your guy makes when he flies into a giant mouth is the same as the sound the ghosts make in DuckTales?)
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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