Sega Ages: Fantasy Zone

Even if shoot-'em-ups aren't normally your thing, Fantasy Zone is definitely worth forking over the cash to check out. [Issue #46 – May/June 2020, p. 22]

Fantasy Zone was a lot of fun when I first played it a long time ago and it's still a lot of fun today. While the save states aren't quite as useful as with other games in the Sega Ages library, the Upa-Upa and Time Attack Modes do add some variety to the gameplay for players looking to change things up a bit from the normal mode. If you're looking for a fun simple shooter that has a nice difficulty curve and a bit of strategy in how you play (namely in how you spend your coins), Fantasy Zone is worth checking out.

My biggest takeaway from spending more time with Fantasy Zone is that this is a classic shoot-’em-up that holds up remarkably well, especially with the flourishes of this well-crafted port. If you’ve never experienced Fantasy Zone before, this is the perfect entrypoint. And if this is a return trip to this bright pastel world, it’s never looked better. Fantasy Zone might be the best Sega Ages game on Switch right now.

Sega Ages: Fantasy Zone is another solid release that retro gamers should strongly consider picking up.

The timeless, colourful visuals and stand-out gameplay means even those who aren’t familiar with it will have a blast, too. SEGA AGES gets yet another stellar addition to its range: whether you’ve played it before or not, SEGA AGES Fantasy Zone needs to be in any self-respecting shooter fan’s game library.

It may be cute and simple but Fantasy Zone remains one of the most enjoyable shoot 'em ups with its distinctly rewarding gameplay.

Fantasy Zone is a charming game which might not be as flashy as Space Harrier or Out Run, but is right up there where it matters: gameplay. It’s hard to recommend this over Shinobi, which also releases this week, but this is a perfect addition for anybody remotely interested in all things Sega.

Fantasy Zone itself is a title that was designed from the ground-up to be a short, but intense arcade romp. In this day and age, this wouldn't stand a chance by itself, but such a meaningful re-release, packed with all the features any old fan could want, makes this a thoroughly recommended classic to revisit in 2020, for both old and newer fans of Sega. The addition over its previous 3DS incarnation of an online leaderboard system, and a quality one at that, makes this the definitive way to play Fantasy Zone in this day and age, both on the bigger screen, and on the go. Best enjoyed with a good arcade stick, and auto-fire turned off!