The controls are fairly straightforward, using the three button configuration rather than the six, and, as far as I can tell, only consist of three buttons. A is to switch targets, B to switch weapons, and C to fire. A and B plus up and down set your throttle up and down respectively, and A and B right or left launch chaff and flares respectively. The only problem with this is that while you're doing these things, you cannot control your aircraft, for obvious reasons.
More the fault of the Genesis controller, but it has to be said nonetheless. Actual control of the aircraft is fairly seamless, and feels about as accurate as it can get with a directional pad.
I dock marks only because of frame rate issues and pixellation. However, due to the great options menu, you can actually set the detail of the terrain, to get either the max frame rate, or the max detail, which is a great feature that not many console games have. The graphics in this game, while fairly 'busy' at times for their resolution, are absolutely stunning, when one looks at the fine details that have been put into this. Every object is a 3D model, and very well-made ones, at that.
While textures are fairly, if not completely, nonexistent, everything looks as it should, as well as it can be on the Genesis. This game pushes the Sega Genesis to the limit; Models of aircraft like the Su-27 Flanker, MiG-29 Fulcrum, MiG-21 Fishbed, F-4E Phantom, F-5E Tiger, and many others are beautiful for such old technology.
My only gripe here is with the F/A-18, which looks very odd. The entire 'world' is rendered well, and what you see on screen corresponds perfectly with what you see on your map. As I've stated previously, the menus are easy to navigate, and the images used are very nice.
There's nowhere to rent it these days, but if I were talking to you about it back in 1993, then I'd definitely tell you to go rent it at the very least, and I'd urge you to buy it. Today, Genesis games, as a rule, sell for very cheap. Especially those, that nobody seems to care about. It's definitely worth the buy, or at least a download. All in all I think it is a good game.
