Windjammers (video game)

{{Infobox video game

|title = Windjammers

|image = Windjammers arcade flyer.jpg

|publisher ={{collapsible list|title={{nobold|Data East}}|SNK (AES/CD)}}

|producer = Takaaki Inoue

|designer = Tomo Adachi

|programmer = Takaaki Inoue
Wataru Iida

|artist = Makoto Nozu
Masateru Inagaki
Masayuki Inoshita
Galactus Mina
Yoshiyuki Urushibara
Hiroshi Tamawashi
Tomoyuki Arakawa

|composer = Seiichi Hamada
Tomoyoshi Sato

|series = Windjammers

|platforms ={{collapsible list|title={{nobold|Arcade}}|Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch}}

|released ={{collapsible list|title={{nobold|1994}}|Arcade{{vgrelease|WW|17 February 1994}} Neo Geo AES{{vgrelease|JP|8 April 1994|NA|8 April 1994|EU|8 April 1994}} Neo Geo CD{{vgrelease|JP|20 January 1995|NA|October 1996}} PlayStation 4{{vgrelease|WW|29 August 2017}} PlayStation Vita{{vgrelease|WW|29 August 2017}} Nintendo Switch{{vgrelease|WW|23 October 2018}} iiRcade{{vgrelease|WW|26 February 2021}}}}

|genre = Sports

|modes = {{flatlist|

|arcade system = Neo Geo MVS

}}

Windjammers{{efn|Known as {{nihongo|Flying Power Disc|フライング・パワー・ディスク|Furaingu Pawā Disuku||lead=yes}} in Japan.}} is a sports arcade game released by Data East on the Neo Geo arcade system in 1994.{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ABeepMD_JP_1994-03.pdf&page=136|title=Oh! Neo Geo Vol. 19 - フライング・パワー・ディスク|magazine=Beep! MegaDrive|issue=54|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=March 1994|page=134|lang=ja}} The game mechanics are essentially the same as Pong or air hockey, where players continuously shoot a flying disc at the goal zone of the opponent attempting to score. The game can be played against the computer or in a 2 player versus. Dotemu ported the game to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in August 2017, Nintendo Switch in October 2018, and iiRcade{{cite web |title=90's Flying Power Disc Arcade Game, Windjammers, Headed to iiRcade |url=https://www.iircade.com/blogs/news/90-s-flying-power-disc-arcade-game-windjammers-headed-to-iircade |website=iiRcade |date=January 30, 2022 |access-date=January 31, 2022 |archive-date=January 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131011511/https://www.iircade.com/blogs/news/90-s-flying-power-disc-arcade-game-windjammers-headed-to-iircade |url-status=dead }} in February 2021. Dotemu would later develop and publish a sequel, Windjammers 2, which was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and Google Stadia on January 20, 2022.{{cite web |title=Windjammers 2 launches January 20, 2022 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/12/windjammers-2-launches-january-20-2022 |website=Gematsu |date=January 20, 2022}}

Gameplay

File:NEOGEO Windjammers (Flying Power Disc).png

Players choose from one of six playable characters, each with their own unique speed/power ratings and special throws. Players maneuver around their respective sides of the court in any of the eight cardinal directions (allowing for almost fluid movement in any direction). They must act as the defense and offense of their side, blocking the disc from entering the goal zone, and throwing the disc back to the opponent's side in an attempt to score. Players throw the disc back and forth (with the speed of the disc generally increasing with each throw) until one of them scores a point, which causes the disc to be reset by the referee, who throws it to the player who was scored on so that they can serve. There are yellow goal zones, worth three points when hit by the disc, and red goal zones, worth five points. In addition, failing to catch the disc while it is in the air (described below) is considered a "Miss" and gives two points to the opponent. Each of the six court types varies in the size and positioning of the goal zones.

While the opponent holds the disc, the player acts defensively by trying to grab the disc and therefore stopping it from entering their goal zone. In order to stop the disc, the player simply needs to make contact with it, by either walking into it or diving for it with a button press (which is done at almost all times due to the high speeds of the disc). Sometimes, the disc may be launched into the air, due to the opponent, the net, barriers, or sometimes bouncing off the player's back, in which a target will appear on the court showing the landing spot of the disc, which can be caught by standing on said target.

While the player holds the disc, they act offensively by trying to throw it into the goal zone of the opponent. The player cannot move while holding the disc, and cannot hold it for more than a few seconds. The player points with the joystick in the desired direction to throw the disc and presses the primary button. The player can throw it either directly at the opponent's goal zone or attempt to bounce the disc off the walls, or barriers (if in a court that contains them).

When playing against computer opponents, the player plays one match against each character (with the next character's difficulty increasing each time) until all are defeated, thus winning the game. When playing 2-player versus, one match is played between the two players. A match consists of 3 sets that last 30 seconds by default and up to 99 seconds on the arcade version (with the timer not stopping when a point is scored, unlike most sports). A set ends when either a player reaches 12 points (in which case that player wins the set) or 30 seconds have elapsed (after which the player with the most point wins the set). If the set ends in a tie, a set win is given to both players. A match is won by winning two sets, but if players tie in both of the first two sets (giving each of them two wins), the game enters a sudden death round in which the first player to score in any way wins the match.

= Characters =

The game features six playable characters, each of which has different statistics and a unique special move.

class="wikitable sortable"

!Characters

!Playstyle

!Special Move

{{Flagicon|ITA}} Loris Biaggi

|Balanced

|Thunder Loop

{{Flagicon|ESP}} Jordi Costa

|Balanced

|Rocket Diagonal

{{Flagicon|GBR}} Steve Miller{{efn|Replaced by "Beeho Yoo" from South Korea in European release}}

|Speed

|Sideburner

{{Flagicon|JPN}} Hiromi Mita

|Speed

|Fire Snake

{{Flagicon|USA}} Gary Scott

|Power

|Missile Throw

{{Flagicon|DEU}} Klaus Wessel

|Power

|Blitzkrieg

Ports

On June 22, 2010, the game was released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan. Following the bankruptcy of Data East, the intellectual rights for this game were acquired by Paon DP, a company which hiring some of ex-Data East employees and also having developed some of Neo Geo Pocket Color titles for SNK (such as SNK Gals' Fighters).{{Cite web |url=https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/53gwj8/the-story-behind-reviving-obscure-neo-geo-classic-windjammers |title=The Story Behind Reviving Obscure Neo Geo Classic 'Windjammers' |date=9 December 2016 |access-date=2018-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826183026/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/53gwj8/the-story-behind-reviving-obscure-neo-geo-classic-windjammers |archive-date=2018-08-26 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.vc-neogeo.d4e.co.jp/title_neogeo/flyingpowerdisc/index.html |title=Flying Power Disc Virtual Console information from D4 Enterprise |access-date=2010-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717133325/http://www.vc-neogeo.d4e.co.jp/title_neogeo/flyingpowerdisc/index.html |archive-date=2011-07-17 |url-status=live }} It was delisted from the Virtual Console on December 24, 2013, making it the only delisted Neo-Geo game for the Virtual Console.

A port of the game with online multiplayer support was released by DotEmu for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on August 29, 2017, with a Nintendo Switch version on October 23, 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://gematsu.com/2018/08/windjammers-coming-to-switch-in-2018 |title=Windjammers coming to Switch in 2018 - Gematsu |date=5 August 2018 |access-date=2018-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805083105/https://gematsu.com/2018/08/windjammers-coming-to-switch-in-2018 |archive-date=2018-08-05 |url-status=live }}{{cite tweet|number=1031512502708912129|user=Dotemu|title=Get ready! @NintendoEurope and us are thrilled to announce that Windjammers is heading to the Nintendo Switch Octob… |date=20 August 2018}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

|title = Contemporary reception

|Edge = (Neo Geo) 5 / 10{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Edge_UK_010#page/n77/mode/1up|title=Testscreen - Windjammers (Neo-Geo)|magazine=Edge|issue=10|publisher=Future plc|date=July 1994|page=78}}

|Fam = (Neo Geo) 28 / 40{{cite magazine|title=NEO GEO GAMES CROSS REVIEW: フライングパワーディスク|magazine=Famitsu|issue=332|publisher=ASCII|date=April 28, 1995|page=24|lang=ja}}

|rev1 = Consoles +

|rev1Score = (Neo Geo) 75%{{cite magazine|last1=Homsy|first1=Richard|last2=Menier|first2=Marc|url=https://archive.org/stream/Console_Plus_Numero_033#page/94/mode/2up|title=Neo Geo Review - Pulstar|magazine=Consoles +|issue=33|publisher=M.E.R.7|date=June 1994|pages=94–95|lang=fr}}

|rev2 = Games World

|rev2Score = (Neo Geo) 72%{{cite magazine|last1=Perry|first1=Dave|author-link1=Dave Perry|last2=Walkland|first2=Nick|last3=Johnson|first3=Jason|last4=Price|first4=Adrian|url=https://archive.org/stream/games-world-01#page/n23/mode/1up|title=Reviews: Neo Geo - Windjammers|magazine=Games World|issue=1|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=July 1994|page=24}}
(Neo Geo CD) 73%{{cite magazine|last1=Perry|first1=Dave|author-link1=Dave Perry|last2=Wilton|first2=Pete|last3=Walkland|first3=Nick|last4=Price|first4=Adrian|url=https://archive.org/stream/games-world-10#page/n17/mode/1up|title=Reviews: Neo Geo CD - Windjammers|magazine=Games World|issue=10|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=April 1995|page=18}}

|rev3 = Hobby Consolas

|rev3Score = (Neo Geo CD) 89%{{cite magazine|last=Herranz|first=Sonia|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AHobbyConsolas_ES_044.pdf&page=84|title=Lo Más Nuevo - Neo Geo: Windjammers – Una De Platillos Volantes|magazine=Hobby Consolas|issue=44|publisher=Hobby Press|date=May 1995|pages=84–85|lang=es}}

|rev4 = Joypad

|rev4Score = (Neo Geo) 74%{{cite magazine|last1=Nini|first1=Nourdine|last2=Morisse|first2=Jean-François|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1798&album=oui|title=Neo Geo (Version Française): Shut Up And Jam – Windjammers|magazine=Joypad|issue=32|publisher=Yellow Media|date=June 1994|pages=120–121|lang=fr}}

|rev5 = MAN!AC

|rev5Score = (Neo Geo) 75%{{cite magazine|last=Gaksch|first=Martin|url=https://archive.org/stream/MANIAC.N007.1994.05-DURiAN#page/n53/mode/1up|title=Spiele-Tests – NG: Windjammers|magazine=MAN!AC|issue=7|publisher=Cybermedia|date=May 1994|page=54|lang=de|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104233215/https://archive.org/stream/MANIAC.N007.1994.05-DURiAN#page/n53/mode/1up|archive-date=2019-01-04|url-status=live}}

|rev6 = Megablast

|rev6Score = (Neo Geo) 62%{{cite magazine|last=Schnelle|first=Michael|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegablast_DE_1994-03.pdf&page=60|title=SNK - Neo Geo: Windjammers|magazine=Megablast|issue=5|publisher=Joker-Verlag|date=March 1994|page=60|lang=de}}

|rev7 = Mega Fun

|rev7Score = (Neo Geo) 82%{{cite magazine|last1=Schneider|first1=Ulf|last2=Girlich|first2=Stephan|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:MegaFun_DE_1994-05.pdf&page=104|title=Test Neo Geo - Windjammers|magazine=Mega Fun|issue=20|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=May 1994|page=112|lang=de}}

|rev8 = Micromanía

|rev8Score = (Neo Geo CD) 80%{{cite magazine|author=F.D.L.|url=https://archive.org/stream/MicromanaTerceraEpocaSpanishIssue3#page/n95/mode/2up|title=Punto De Mira (Neo Geo CD): Windjammers - Deporte y espectáculo|magazine=Micromanía|volume=3|issue=3|publisher=HobbyPress|date=April 1995|pages=96–97|lang=es}}

|rev9 = Neo Geo Freak

|rev9Score = (Arcade) 10 / 20{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/neogeofreak0025#page/n129/mode/1up|title=NF編集部にまる - ネオジオゲームㇱインレビュー: フライングパワーディスク|magazine=Neo Geo Freak|issue=25|publisher=Geibunsha|date=June 1997|pages=124–128|lang=ja}}

|rev10 = Play Time

|rev10Score = (Neo Geo) 83%{{cite magazine|last=Schneider|first=Ulf|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:PlayTime_DE_1994-06.pdf&page=107|title=Neo Geo Review: Windjammers|magazine=Play Time|issue=36|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=June 1994|page=147|lang=de}}

|rev11 = Player One

|rev11Score = (Neo Geo) 79%{{cite magazine|last=Delpierre|first=Christophe|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=32&num=1905&album=oui|title=Tests – Neo Geo: Windjammers|magazine=Player One|issue=42|publisher=Média Système Édition|date=April 1994|pages=90–91|lang=fr|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217111927/https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=32&num=1905&album=oui|archive-date=2020-02-17|url-status=live}}

|rev12 = Superjuegos

|rev12Score = (Neo Geo) 87%{{cite magazine|last=Iturrioz|first=Javier|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superjuegos_027#page/n85/mode/2up|title=Neo Geo - Review: Disco MANIA – Windjammers|magazine=Superjuegos|issue=27|publisher=Grupo Zeta|date=July 1994|pages=86–89|lang=es}}

|rev13 = Ultimate Future Games

|rev13Score = (Neo Geo CD) 73%{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/ultimate-future-games-05#page/n88/mode/1up|title=Ultimate review sector: Flying Power Disc (Neo Geo • Data East)|magazine=Ultimate Future Games|issue=5|publisher=Future Publishing|date=April 1995|page=89}}

|rev14 = Video Games

|rev14Score = (Neo Geo) 71%{{cite magazine|last=Schaedle|first=Wolfgang|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=18742|title=Warpzone - Neo Geo: Diesmal haben wir für Euch das zweite Neo-Geo-Spiel vom japanischen Spielhallenspezialisten Data East genau unter die Lupe genommen – Windjammers|magazine=Video Games|issue=31|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=June 1994|page=40|lang=de}}

}}

In North America, the April 1994 issue of RePlay reported Windjammers to be the fourteenth most-popular arcade game at the time.{{cite magazine|title=Player's Choice - Top Games Now in Operation, Based on Earnings-Opinion Poll of Operators: Best Video Software|magazine=RePlay|volume=19|issue=7|publisher=RePlay Publishing, Inc.|date=April 1994|page=8}} The July 1994 issue of Play Meter later listed it as the nineteenth most-popular arcade game at the time.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/play-meter-volume-20-number-8-july-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%208%20-%20July%201994%20%28Compressed%29#page/11/mode/1up|title=Equipment Poll - Video & Pinball Combined|magazine=Play Meter|volume=20|issue=8|publisher=Skybird Publishing|date=July 1994|page=11}}

In Japan, Game Machine listed Windjammers on their May 1, 1994 issue as being the twenty-second most-successful table arcade unit of the month, outperforming titles such as Samurai Shodown.{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=471|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 May 1994|page=25|lang=ja}} According to Famitsu, the Neo Geo CD version sold over 4,307 copies in its first week on the market.{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search|title=Game Search|website=Game Data Library|access-date=2020-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424035430/https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search|archive-date=2019-04-24|url-status=live}}

= Retrospective reviews =

{{Video game reviews

|title = Retrospective assessments

|GR = (Switch) 81.78%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/switch/245046-windjammers/index.html|title=Windjammers for Nintendo Switch|work=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=2019|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209010912/https://www.gamerankings.com/switch/245046-windjammers/index.html|archive-date=2019-12-09|url-status=live}}
(PS4) 78.94%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/ps4/202547-windjammers/index.html|title=Windjammers for PlayStation 4|work=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=2019|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209013143/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps4/202547-windjammers/index.html|archive-date=2019-12-09|url-status=live}}

|Allgame = (Arcade) {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Weiss|first=Brett Alan|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11552&tab=review|title=Windjammers (Arcade) - Review|work=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|date=1998|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115073404/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11552&tab=review|archive-date=2014-11-15|url-status=live}}
(Neo Geo) {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Knight|first=Kyle|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17086&tab=review|title=Windjammers (Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System) - Review|work=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|date=2007|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115031743/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17086&tab=review|archive-date=2014-11-15|url-status=live}}

|JXV = (Neo Geo) 17 / 20{{cite web|author=Rockstar78|url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00019209-windjammers-test.htm|title=Test de Windjammers sur NEO par jeuxvideo.com|work=Jeuxvideo.com|publisher=Webedia|date=December 10, 2013|access-date=2020-04-23|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207035655/http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00019209-windjammers-test.htm|archive-date=February 7, 2018|url-status=live}}
(PS4/PSV) 14 / 20{{cite web|author=akazan|url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/test/706902/windjammers-un-depoussierage-dans-le-vent.htm|title=Test de Windjammers par jeuxvideo.com|work=Jeuxvideo.com|publisher=Webedia|date=September 10, 2017|access-date=2020-04-23|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807220449/http://www.jeuxvideo.com/test/706902/windjammers-un-depoussierage-dans-le-vent.htm|archive-date=August 7, 2019|url-status=live}}

|NLife = (Switch) {{Rating|8|10}}{{cite web|last=Lopes|first=Gonçalo|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/windjammers|title=Windjammers Review (Switch eShop) - Insert disc to play|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=October 23, 2018|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320130928/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/windjammers|archive-date=March 20, 2020|url-status=live}}

|rev1 = MAN!AC

|rev1Score = (PS4) 75%{{cite web|last=Steppberger|first=Ulrich|url=https://www.maniac.de/tests/windjammers-im-test-ps4/|title=Top Hunter – im Test (PS4)|work=MAN!AC|publisher=Cybermedia|date=October 1, 2017|access-date=2020-04-23|language=de}}

|rev2 = Video Chums

|rev2Score = (PS4) 7 / 10{{cite web|last=Palmer|first=Stephen|url=https://videochums.com/review/windjammers|title=Windjammers Review - The original disc thrower whizzes onto PlayStation|website=videochums.com|publisher=Video Chums|date=September 10, 2017|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008121823/https://videochums.com/review/windjammers|archive-date=October 8, 2019|url-status=live}}

}}

Video game website Giant Bomb began regularly playing the game on camera in 2013, eventually giving it their "Old Game of the Year" award.{{cite web|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/giant-bomb-s-2013-game-of-the-year-awards-day-one/1100-4803/|title=Giant Bomb's 2013 Game of the Year Awards: Day One|work=Giant Bomb|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=December 23, 2013|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228194204/https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/giant-bomb-s-2013-game-of-the-year-awards-day-one/1100-4803/|archive-date=December 28, 2019|url-status=live}} The same website later classified the game as a runner-up for "2017's Old Game of the Year" at the Game of the Year 2017 Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/game-of-the-year-2017-day-one-old-disappointing-sh/1100-5699/|title=Game of the Year 2017 Day One: Old, Disappointing, Shopkeepers, and Looks|work=Giant Bomb|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=December 25, 2017|access-date=2020-04-23|archive-url=https://archive.today/20171226024701/https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/game-of-the-year-2017-day-one-old-disappointing-sh/1100-5699/|archive-date=December 26, 2017|url-status=live}}

In 2014, HobbyConsolas identified Windjammers as one of the twenty best games for the Neo Geo AES.{{cite web|last=Alonso|first=Álvaro|url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reportajes/20-mejores-juegos-neo-geo-aes-63205|title=Reportaje: Los 20 mejores juegos de Neo Geo (AES)|work=HobbyConsolas|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=February 12, 2014|access-date=2023-02-06|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302075308/https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reportajes/20-mejores-juegos-neo-geo-aes-63205|archive-date=2014-03-02|url-status=live}}

The game has also enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to a growing competitive scene. In 2018, it appeared at the Evolution Championship Series (EVO) annual fighting game championships in Las Vegas as a side tournament.{{cite web|last=Moyse|first=Chris|url=https://www.destructoid.com/windjammers-has-one-of-the-highest-number-of-entrants-at-animevo-2018-514870.phtml|title=Windjammers has one of the highest number of entrants at AnimEVO 2018 - Beats out KoF XIV, BlazBlue and Garou|work=Destructoid|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=July 30, 2018|access-date=2020-04-23}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Notes

References

External links

[https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/564208-windjammers Windjammers] at GameFAQs
[https://www.giantbomb.com/windjammers/3030-11500/ Windjammers] at Giant Bomb
[https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10441 Windjammers] at Killer List of Videogames
[https://www.mobygames.com/game/windjammers Windjammers] at MobyGames