The cabinet moved because the game was for everyone — when the motion was gone, the invitation remained.
Yu Suzuki built After Burner II's hydraulic cabinet to tilt, roll, and shake in sync with the F-14 on screen. The chair moved not for spectacle but for access — Suzuki believed physical motion let people who'd never touched a joystick feel like they were flying. When NEC Avenue ported the game to PC Engine in 1990, the hydraulic chair was gone. What arrived on a HuCard was Hiroshi Kawaguchi's roaring soundtrack and the speed that made the arcade version Japan's highest-grossing game of 1988. The form changed, but the invitation — you can do this — didn't. Sometimes what makes something accessible isn't the technology. It's the belief that it should reach everyone.
— inspired by Yu Suzuki
About this game
Released exclusively in Japan on September 28, 1990, After Burner II for PC Engine was NEC Avenue's port of Sega's 1987 arcade combat flight simulator designed by Yu Suzuki. The arcade original — with its hydraulic cabinet, tilting seat, and roaring fan — became Japan's highest-grossing arcade game of 1988. The PC Engine version condensed that experience into a HuCard, preserving the F-14 Tomcat dogfighting and Hiroshi Kawaguchi's soundtrack while leaving behind the physical spectacle that defined the original. Sega released After Burner II on the PC Engine (alongside Shinobi, Out Run, and Forgotten Worlds) because the PC Engine was outselling the Mega Drive at the time. The game was never localized for TurboGrafx-16 in North America.
The Story Behind
After Burner II was originally released as a Sega arcade game in September 1987, designed by Yu Suzuki at Sega AM2. The arcade version featured a hydraulic motion cabinet that tilted and rolled in sync with on-screen action, creating a physical sensation of flight. It became Japan's highest-grossing arcade game of 1988. When Sega ported the game to the PC Engine in 1990, the decision was commercially motivated: the PC Engine was outselling Sega's own Mega Drive at the time. NEC Avenue published the port, developed by Sega and Bits Laboratory. The game was never localized for the North American TurboGrafx-16 market, remaining a Japan-exclusive release.
Tricks & Tales
Hiroshi Kawaguchi, who composed the original arcade soundtrack, is a Japanese composer and keyboardist who has worked with Sega's sound team since the 1980s. The arcade version's three-man core team consisted of Yu Suzuki (design), Satoshi Mifune (stage design), and Kawaguchi (music). Sega released several of its arcade classics on the PC Engine during this period — including Shinobi, Out Run, and Forgotten Worlds — but only Space Harrier and Fantasy Zone were localized for English-speaking audiences. After Burner II remained Japan-exclusive on the platform. The PC Engine used a HuCard format, and PC Engine HuCards are physically incompatible with TurboGrafx-16 HuCards due to reversed data bit ordering (D0 on PC Engine is D7 on TurboGrafx-16).
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America) share the same physical HuCard slot shape but are not compatible with each other's software. NEC deliberately reversed the data bus wiring between the two regions: data pin D0 on the PC Engine corresponds to D7 on the TurboGrafx-16, and so on through all eight lines. Beyond the hardware wiring difference, most North American HuCards contain region-checking code that detects a Japanese console and immediately crashes. Converters that electrically flip the data bus do exist and allow cross-region play. CD-ROM² discs themselves carry no region protection and play freely on both systems—however, the System Cards required to boot CD software are region-locked in the same way as HuCards, so a Japanese System Card cannot be used in a TurboGrafx-16 and vice versa.
Maintenance Tips
HuCard contacts are the most common maintenance point on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16. The card's edge connector oxidizes over decades of storage, causing failure-to-read and graphical glitches. Cleaning with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab—gently wiping the gold contacts on the card itself—resolves most contact issues; stubborn oxidation responds to dedicated contact cleaners such as DeoxIT. Never blow into the card slot with your mouth, as moisture accelerates the very corrosion you are trying to remove. On systems equipped with the CD-ROM² or Super CD-ROM² add-on, the optical drive is subject to the same age-related laser and sled degradation seen in any CD system of that era; the laser assembly uses a KSS-220a-type unit on the Super CD-ROM² and replacement parts remain available.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese After Burner II copies regularly.
Does After Burner II for PC Engine save my progress?
No. After Burner II is an arcade game port with no save feature — each playthrough starts from the beginning. The HuCard has no battery inside, which means there's nothing to wear out or replace. In this case, the absence of a save system is actually good news for long-term ownership.
Will a Japanese PC Engine HuCard work on a North American TurboGrafx-16?
No. Although they look nearly identical, PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 HuCards are physically incompatible. NEC reversed the data bit order between regions (D0 on the PC Engine becomes D7 on the TurboGrafx-16), and the TurboGrafx-16 hardware checks for this difference before booting. Playing a Japanese HuCard requires a Japanese PC Engine console or a modified TurboGrafx-16 with a region adapter.
How should I clean a PC Engine HuCard?
Wipe the gold contacts on the bottom of the HuCard gently with a cotton swab dampened in 90%-or-higher isopropyl alcohol. Let it dry completely before inserting it into the console. HuCards are card-shaped, so they're easier to handle than cartridges — but the same rule applies: never blow into them, as moisture corrodes the contacts over time.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy After Burner II
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See the unit we have →Unexpected Discoveries
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where After Burner II sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
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