Sonic Boom is a vertically-scrolling shoot-’em-up that Sega released to arcades in December 1987, running on the same System 16B hardware that powered several of the company’s shooters that decade. You take command of a lone fighter jet and fight through six stages of enemy aircraft, tanks, trains, and turret emplacements, working to stop an assault before it destroys the world. It leans on established genre rules rather than reinventing them — contemporary reviewers noted it played a lot like Toaplan’s Flying Shark — but it was popular enough in Japan to rank third among arcade games there in February 1988.
How to Play
Clear each level’s waves of enemies to reach a boss fight that has to be beaten inside a time limit before you can move on. Defeating enemies drops upgrades that add support ships to your fighter’s flanks and increase its shot power and range, and you carry a limited supply of bombs that wipe out or heavily damage whatever is in front of you — useful for punching through a crowded wave or a tough boss. Up to two players can take on the game, alternating turns with three lives and five continues each.
In the browser, move with the arrow keys and use Z, X, and C for the cabinet’s three action buttons.
Tips
- Pick up weapon upgrades before a boss fight rather than during it — going in with wing ships and full shot power makes the time limit far less of a threat.
- Save at least one bomb for each boss; the time limit means grinding one down safely often isn’t an option.
- Watch the ground as well as the sky — Sonic Boom mixes tanks, trains, and turrets in with the aircraft, so tunnel-visioning on what’s flying will get you hit.
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