In a bid to outdo the fine work they'd done on Streets of Rage 4 in 2020, the folks at Dotemu have once again gone back to revitalize another arcade classic from the 1990s. This time around, it's the pong-inspired Windjammers that's getting the sequel treatment, rivaling Streets of Rage for the title of the longest gap between franchise installments.
The original game was released for the Neo Geo all the way back in 1994 when it immediately wowed arcade goers with its fast-paced gameplay and colorful sprite-based graphics. The fact that it still continues to receive recognition today at competitions such as EVO speaks to the longevity of its winning formula.
With the sequel, Dotemu has not only retained much of that formula but also spruced it up. All that is to say that players of the first game shouldn't have any trouble slipping back into the groove of the new one. But for anyone else, here are a few pro tips and tricks to help level the playing field.
5 Use Your Special Move When Things Get Too Fast
The original Windjammers was known for its blend of sports and fighting game mechanics, a combination that still feels very much intact in Windjammers 2. The developers of the new game have taken those fighting game influences one step further with the introduction of special moves.
Each time the player throws the disc, an EX bar slowly fills up. Once this is full, the player is able to execute a special move that can serve as either an offensive or defensive maneuver. Using it with the disc in your possession launches a charged shot which is very difficult to counter. On the flip side, using it with the disc out of your hands but on your side of the court causes it to launch into the air, giving you the opportunity to recover from otherwise tricky shots and situations.
4 Jump and Smash The Disc In Mid-Air To Punish Opponents
Another gameplay mechanic that has been added to Windjammers 2 is the ability to jump and smash the disc while it is in midair. This immediately lends a certain verticality and depth to the otherwise 2D courts matches take place on. It also opens up opportunities for strategies that simply weren't possible in the first game.
For example, you can punish players that spend too much time tightly defending their goalposts by executing a toss and then smashing the disc to the front of their court, way out of reach. You can also of course smash the disc directly into the opponent's goal if they spend too much time away from their goalposts.
3 Perform Slides Or Dodges To Get Around Quickly
A round of Windjammers 2 can become pretty hectic, with the disc darting around the court and the players trying hard to outmaneuver one another. One way to shorten the time it takes to get from one side of the court to another is by performing a slide or dodge.
This is especially useful for reaching the discs in time while trying to defend your goalpost. You'll need to be careful how frequently you use these moves though, as overshooting a slide or dodge could very well mean missing the disc entirely.
2 Use Each Character's Strengths And Weakness To Gain An Advantage
The original Windjammers allowed players to choose from a roster of 6 characters: Gary Scott, Hiromi Mita, Jorda Costa, Klaus Wessel, Loris Biaggi, and Steve Miller. In Windjammers 2, that roster has been bumped up to ten. The new additions include Sophie De Lys, Jao Raposa, Max Hurricane, and Sammy Ho.
Each character not only has a signature special move, like Gary Scott's "Missile Throw," but also stats for throwing speed, curve power, running speed, sliding power, and dexterity, which govern how that character plays. For instance, Hiromi Mita is easily the fastest character and would suit players that favor speed over everything else. This is useful for getting around the court quickly. The tradeoff though is that she is also the least powerful, which affects the effectiveness of her throws. So don't expect to overpower your opponents while using her.
1 Master The Intricacies Of Each Stage
Much like the characters, each stage in Windjammers 2 has been imbued with its own distinct flavor and sense of personality. Whether it is the bright sands of the Beach or the randomized scoring system of the Casino, each one certainly plays different enough to warrant taking the time to familiarize yourself with its intricacies.
What each stage has in common though is the same basic setup. You have a net in the middle of the stage and two goalposts on each half of the court. A few stages introduce obstacles that affect the trajectories of your shots, so knowing how to either use or avoid these is vital. Everything that happens outside the court is usually just there for set dressing, so keep your focus on the court itself, and the scoreboard too of course.