Alpha Mission II (also known as ASO II: Last Guardian) is a classic vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo arcade system. In this sequel to the original Alpha Mission, players pilot the Armored Scrum Object fighter through intense futuristic stages, battling the ruthless Seven Star Alliance. The game features a unique armor power-up system that allows players to collect and equip various modular weapons to adapt to different combat situations.
How to Play
Your objective is to navigate through enemy-filled stages, surviving waves of attacks and defeating challenging bosses. The game uses standard arcade shoot ’em up controls:
- Movement: Use the Arrow Keys (or D-Pad) to pilot your ship.
- Standard Fire: Press the Z key to shoot your primary weapon and air-to-ground missiles.
- Armor Activate/Retract: Press the X key to equip or unequip your currently selected armor power-up.
- Start/Insert Coin: Press Enter or Shift to begin the game.
Tips for Success
- Manage your armor energy: Using your special armor slowly drains its energy gauge. Keep an eye on your energy levels and grab ‘E’ icons to recharge it.
- Retract your armor to save it: If your armor runs out of energy or takes too much damage, it is destroyed. Retract it before it breaks, letting you recharge and use it later.
- Collect gold pieces: Gather the ‘G’ icons dropped by enemies to buy powerful armor upgrades between stages.

Leave a Comment / Review: