Review by: Steve Thompson

Before I get started I must state that I am a huge fan of Macross and of Anime in general. OK, let's get started, shall we? I have just finished playing the greatest Macross game ever made. (This isn't saying too much since none of the Macross-based games have been better than just OK.) So what makes Super Dimension Fortress Macross for the SEGA Saturn so great you ask? Well I'll tell you. First off, this is the only Macross game that is actually based on the anime (I know the Super Famicom version was loosely based on the TV series) but, other than that, every other Macross game has been some sort of spin off (except the arcade version that is). The game follows the 1984 theatrical release Super Dimension Fortress Macross "Ai Oboetemasuka" (love, do you remember?) perfectly. SDFM:AI begins with a beautifully drawn anime intro that I believe is completely original. From this intro, the game begins with you playing the role of Hikaru Ichijyo (Rick Hunter for you Robotech fans), setting out defend Macross City from a Zentradi attack. You'll find yourself destroying battle pods and other Zentradi in blazing flashes. Since the action sequences take place on three planes, you'll enjoy the ability to lock missiles onto enemies in the background and foreground, while destroying enemies with your guns. There's nothing like the satisfaction of taking out five or six enemies at once with a flurry of missiles. The action will seem very frantic until you realize that your Valkrye cannot collide with the background or foreground enemies. Add to this the ability to transform your Valkrye to Battloid or Gerwalk mode at any time, and you have a Macross lover's dream come true.

The game is comprised of ten stages, each containing FMV intros taken straight from the movie. In fact, the game has so many FMV sequences that it had to be released on two CDs! And even though the FMV is the usual Saturn grainy looking straight from SEGA-CD quality, it is really awesome to see these scenes before destroying waves of enemies. The stages include various battles in space, the rings of Saturn, inside a Zentradi "pickle" ship, inside Bodolza's biomechanical enemy HQ and several others. Another great feature of this game is the music. Virtually all of the songs are taken straight from the anime, lyrics and all! I can't describe how happy I was to hear Minmei singing the title track as I battled Boldoza's fleet. The music alone is worth the price of admission. Well, maybe.

And now onto the negatives. The game is way too easy and any experienced gamer should have no trouble beating this game in one sitting. You also have the ability to save after every level and having unlimited continues doesn't help any. It is surprising that the game is so easy considering there are no powerups (besides health) in the game. Also, the graphics appear very dull and grainy. This is because the developers chose to render everything instead of using hand drawn art. And while everything animates smoothly with no slowdown, I can't help to wonder what could have been done with the 2D power of the Saturn. Another negative aspect is that the game can be become very confusing at times. When numerous enemies appear in the foreground and background simultaneously, it becomes very difficult to keep an eye on your Valkrye and all of the enemy bullets. A 2P option would have been a nice addition. And finally, you only have the ability to play the game as Hikaru. It would have been so cool to be able to play as different characters at different times in the game (as Max vs. Miriya immediately comes to mind).

In closing, I would definitely recommend this game to any and all Macross fans. However, if you are just looking for a shooter with depth and replayability, I'd say look elsewhere. The game is just too easy to recommend to non-fans. Final scores: Macross fans: 9 Non-fans: 6.5