is a

combat flight simulator Combat flight simulators are vehicle simulation games, amateur flight simulation computer programs used to simulate military aircraft and their operations. These are distinct from dedicated flight simulators used for professional pilot and mili ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

released by Seismic (

Asmik Ace Entertainment , formerly is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both of Japan. The name Asmik ...

in Japan) in April 1990 for the

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan a ...

console. It is notable as being one of the two first third party published titles for the console in North America. A follow-up, ''

Super Air Diver , also known as ''Lock On'' in North America, is a jet fighter video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the follow-up to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis-exclusive ''Air Diver''. Summary After a vicious warlord threatens the ...

'' was released exclusively for the

Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eur ...

years later.

Gameplay

This video game is a

similar to ''

After Burner is an Arcade video game, arcade vehicular combat game developed and released by Sega in 1987. The player assumes control of an American Grumman F-14 Tomcat, F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, and must clear each of the game's eighteen unique stages by des ...

'', played in first-person view (from inside the cockpit). The player must pilot the fictional F-119D Stealth Fighter against terrorists operating out of the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

, waging a constant battle against

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

forces and backed by several hostile governments, including the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

(Although the back of the US package says that the terrorists are backed by

extraterrestrial beings Extraterrestrial life, colloquially referred to as alien life, is life that may occur outside Earth and which did not originate on Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected, although efforts are underway. Such life might ...

). Players must use their stealth capabilities to evade detection and free the globe from torment by oppressive anti-American regimes.

Boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, a ...

fights are similar to those in other arcade combat flight simulator games. The player's score is tabulated similarly to games found in

video arcade An amusement arcade (often referred to as a video arcade, amusements or simply arcade) is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers (such as c ...

s. Missions can take place either during the day or at night.

Reception

''Air Diver'' received mixed to poor reviews. '' EGMs reviewers were perhaps the most positive, giving it decent grades of 6 and 7, praising the detailed art but criticizing the repetitive gameplay and choppy scrolling. French magazine ''Micro News'' gave it a "garbage" rating, calling it a "pale copy of ''After Burner''" and "hopelessly, doubtlessly worthless." Similarly, German magazine ''Power Play'' said it "looks like a dusty propeller plane" when compared to ''After Burner'', and "not a good debut for Asmik", rating it 37%.

References

{{reflist 1990 video games Asmik Ace Entertainment games Cold War video games Copya Systems games Flight simulation video games Sega Genesis games Sega Genesis-only games Video games developed in Japan Video games set in Africa Video games set in Asia Video games set in Europe Video games set in the Middle East Video games set in North America Video games set in South America