Thirty years after he debuted on the Genesis and Super NES, Aero the Acro-Bat is back on modern consoles. And that's not all, in the near future, the complete Aero series, including Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel, will be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Switch. That's cool news, but are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Die Hard Game Fan, Super Play, Mean Machines Sega and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready for some big top excitement, because this is Aero the Acro-Bat Review Crew.


If you weren't alive in the early 1990s, then you might think that it's an exaggeration when I tell you that practically every major video game publisher had their own adorable mascot platformer. It may have started with Super Mario in the 1980s, but it was really 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog that lit the fire under everybody's butt and exploded the trend. Within just a year or two we got Bubsy the Bobcat from Accolade, Rocket Knight Adventures from Konami, High Seas Havoc from Data East, Rocky Rodent from Irem and, of course, Awesome Possum from Tengen. SunSoft's foray into the mascot platformer space came with Aero the Acro-Bat, a 1993 action game from developer Iguana that follows a good-natured bat who has been working at the circus as acrobat. I mean, it's right there in the title. When Edgar Ektor decides to sabotage the circus and kidnap all of the performers (including Aero's loving girlfriend), it's up to the acrobat to swing into action and thwart his evil plan. Along the way he'll battle Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel and his Psycho Circus gang, which gives the game a fun big top theme that makes it stand out from the overcrowded pack.

When it comes to the reviews, one thing is clear – Aero the Acro-Bat is a good game, but definitely not one of the top-tier platformers. Another thing that's clear is that Nintendo Power was never a big fan of this franchise. Across the board, Nintendo's magazine issued the lowest (or second lowest) score of the bunch, never getting above a 3.5 out of 5. In fact, the first Aero couldn't even reach that lofty score. Giving it a 3.3 out of 5, they praised the “excellent graphics, animation and music,” noting that “some fun and unique activities are included in every stage” and that “the stages are large and full of variety.” However, they complained that “the goals in most stages aren't very logical” and “the dive attack takes some getting used to and distracts from the fun of the game.”

As we creep up the scale, we see VideoGames magazine give Aero the Acro-Bat a score of 7 out of 10, which is right in line with the 70% Mega gave the Genesis version. Hyper went a little bit higher, giving the game a 74% and concluding that “Aero is quite fast, but his speed is largely a waste of time because it is often hard to get moving at a decent pace without having that ‘I've just hit another thing I couldn't see coming because it was impossibly hidden off-screen' feeling. Also, a game as long and diverse as this would have benefited from a password system or a greater number of continues. And Aero doesn't really have any decent firepower of note, so he has to mince about the screen being terrified of cute piggy things carrying balloons! I kept wishing the little begger had been watching his Arnie vids, so that at least once he could whip out a real weapon and incinerate his cuddly foes in a hail of napalm death. Aero is better than most, but not quite inspiring enough to take its place in the Hall of Fame.”

The 80% range was the sweet spot for Aero, with Mean Machines Sega handing out that exact score and Sega Power going with an 82%. This SunSoft game also got an 82% from SNES Force, though fellow UK mag Super Play went a bit higher with an 84%. They called it “a strange one, but once you give it a chance, you'll be hooked. Aero handles well, and you'll learn to live with the tricky, but cavernous, early levels. What puts it in the ‘very good' league is its sheer size and variety. Just when you're bored with a game type, it's gone and there's something new there. So, Aero the Acrobat is a good chap in my books.”

When it comes to the high scores, look no further than GamePro, who gave the platformer a 4.5 out of 5. Super NES Buyer's Guide went a little bit higher, with a 91%. And Die Hard Game Fan gave it the highest score, giving the Super NES version a 91.5% and the Genesis version a 91.75%. Sgt. Gamer called Aero “an instant classic that is a throwback to the early days of video games. It is not about a hit movie license or the special effect of the week, Aero is just pure, creative game design and play that is challenging and addictive with many different obstacles to be overcome ... thanks to SunSoft for having the courage to hang their hat on an original idea and then complete the vision.” K.Lee liked the game, but definitely not as much as the rest of the critics at Game Fan. “Although I wasn't quite as impressed with this game as everyone else, I'm not blind to the fact that Aero is a milestone game for SunSoft. From the solid play control and bright colorful graphics to the long challenging levels and overall uniqueness, there is not a lot to criticize about Aero. I only with the music had been better.”

While Game Fan may have given the Genesis and Super NES versions roughly the same score, the same cannot be said about Electronic Gaming Monthly. They were the only magazine to give radically different scores based on platform. They initially gave the Super NES version an 8.25 out of 10, putting it right in line with the game's average. However, one month later, they gave the Genesis version a 7 out of 10. That's a big drop, but it's also an outlier. When we look at the system averages, we see the Super NES version with an 81%, which is only slightly better than the 79% we get with the Genesis version. Either way, not bad. The critics liked it and you might too.

Released only eight months later, Aero the Acro-Bat 2 picks up right where the first game left off. Ektor and Zero are back with a new plan, which is basically the old plan ... only on a much larger scale. This sequel expands the scope of the game, taking Aero to a lot more locations and introducing a bevy of original characters, including a sultry lady bat that heats up the brand-new cinema scenes. Despite these changes, this sequel really is more of the same, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, the critics liked the original eight months ago, it only stands to reason that they will like this sequel. Right?

When it comes to Die Hard Game Fan, the answer is an emphatic “YES!” In fact, they liked the Super NES sequel even more than the original, giving it a 95%. They also liked the Genesis version, but not as much, going with a slightly lower 90%. Skid called the Genesis version “one of the year's best platformers, no doubt about it. The graphics, play mechanics and level design are top notch. The music, however, is not as spectacular and is the only flaw in this game. Thankfully, Aero 2 is a darker game as our Bat has left the big top. After playing this adventure, I'm sure that you'll agree, Aero is here to stay and has a bright future where ever he decides to fly.” When Skid when to review the Super NES version, he simply said: “Take everything I said about the Sega version, add incredible music and more color, and bring it over here.”

As is so often the case, Game Fan is the outlier when it came to Aero 2. In fact, the next highest score is GamePro, which could only whip up enough enthusiasm to give it a 4 out of 5. That's in line with Mean Machines Sega, which gave it a 79%, but it's Electronic Gaming Monthly's 7.75 out of 10 that I want to talk about. Fake ninja Sushi X gave the game an 8 out of 10 and apparently forgot about everything he said about the first game. “I never really got into the first one, and I might go back and check it out a bit more. I liked Aero a bit more the second time around. The diving technique started to grow on me and the levels were fun to play. There are many secret areas with extra parts to explore. The graphics are good and the control is very responsive. Packed with fun gameplay and cute adversaries, this is definitely must-buy.” Dano wasn't as sold, giving it a 7 out of 10. He praised the game, saying that it has “lots of technique, loads of secret areas you wouldn't normally stumble into and, best of all, the levels are extremely long with tons of smaller areas to explore. The Ektor bonus game is nifty, but can get downright brutal as you progress. The control is great, the music is decent and the game is just plain ol' fun to play.”

As expected, Nintendo Power gave the game a lower score, going with a 3.4 out of 5. They just aren't a fan of Aero. Neither was Next Generation, which gave the game a 3 out of 5, the lowest score given by an English-language magazine. “The original Aero the Acro-Bat was anything but original, and now there's a sequel. Aero 2 is more of the same solid and unoriginal gameplay, packed in a different manner: It's packed with 45 levels of improved graphics and sound effects – and a disco level. That's right, the long-awaited disco level, complete with mind-bending backgrounds and groovy tunes. Throw in a snowboard, a rocket, and more evil from Edgar Ektor and you're in for some serious gaming. Then again, if you've seen enough of this type of game, Aero 2 isn't going to change your mind.”

Look, there's no question that this game is unoriginal, but it's still a lot of fun. And it might even be better three decades later, when we're not swimming in a sea of identical mascot platformers. It has charm and better levels than the first game, so I say give it a try.

Apparently, SunSoft expected big things from Aero the Acro-Bat 2, because they only waited six months before unleashing a spin-off starring the villainous Zero, the Kamikaze Squirrel. Set during the events of Aero 2, this spin-off sees Zero side-track his plans when he learns that an evil lumberjack named Jacques Le Sheets is deforesting his homeland of Stony Forest. Now it's up to Zero to flip sides and fight the good fight to save his girlfriend, Amy. And yes, you better believe they find a way to work Edgar Ektor into the mix, proving once again that spoiled rich kids always grow up to be the worst adults. I have to imagine that this Zero was designed to grow and expand the Aero-verse (no, not that Arrowverse), but all it really did was act as the final chapter in the Aero the Acro-Bat series. Is this a fitting end? Let's see what the critics said in 1994.

When looking over the reviews, the one thing that sticks out about Zero is that he neither has the high highs of Aero, nor the low lows. The scores range from a 70% on the low side and an 82% as the high, which is only a 12-point split. Compare that to 35-point divide between the best and worst Aero 2 reviews. Let's go ahead and start with one of the lower scores, which comes to us from Sega Power. Giving Zero a 75%, James argued that “there's nothing too special added to your typical platform game format. The sprite movement's not bad, the parallax background moves smoothly and there are some remarkably springy trees. Sadly, it's all a bit limp-wristed. The god of originality sleeps sound once more. Zero is fine, in a staid, platformy kind of way.”

The average score for Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel is around 80%, which is exactly the score that Video Games gave the game in their 70th issue. You also saw a similar 4 out of 5 score from GamePro in December 1994. They concluded that “even with its sometimes frustrating controls, this game has lots of lightweight, frivolous fun for intermediate gamers. Take this squirrel out for a spin, and you'll agree that he's a hero, not a zero.”

On the high end, you saw Hyper give the Genesis version of Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel a score of 82%. That's the exact same score Mean Machines Sega gave the game in issue 33. And would you believe it? Game Players also went with an 82% when they reviewed it. Technically, the highest score (but just barely) comes from Electronic Gaming Monthly, who gave Zero a score of 8.25 out of 10. Sushi X was impressed: “Just when I thought there was nothing left for a mascot character to do ... along comes Zero. He is definitely a fresh little guy with all the moves of Bruce Lee, all the attitude of Sonic and some original techniques of diving and swooping. Truly an exceptional action cart, this is right up there with his nemesis Aero.” Ed liked it even more, giving the spin-off a 9 out of 10: “I really enjoy Zero. It's very rare that a game combines great graphics with lots of technique. Zero is a consistent challenge throughout, and even hardcore gamers will be hard pressed to win it. I especially like the diving move. It's innovative and it goes well with the excellent control. Zero stands out as one of the best action cartridges on the Genesis.”

Of the three games in the Aero-verse, Zero is easily the most consistent. Pretty much everybody agrees that it's a good time with a lot of technique. It's also my favorite of the three, though, that's not to say that Aero 1 and 2 aren't worth playing. I say check all three of them out when they hit modern consoles this year.