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Aero Fighters 3 (Neo Geo)

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Title Screen

Aero Fighters 3

Also known as: Sonic Wings 3
Developer: Video System
Publisher: Video System
Platforms: Neo Geo, Arcade (Neo Geo)
Released internationally: October 12, 1995


DebugIcon.png This game has debugging material.
LevelSelectIcon.png This game has a hidden level select.


Hmmm...
To do:
Apparently, the game is permanently fixed to the hardest difficulty when played on the European BIOS due to a bug. Document this

One of the few shoot'em ups in the world where the giant mecha is piloted by an American. It was also notorious for being center of a cartridge counterfeiting scandal involving a purported US AES version of the game.

Debug Options

To use these features, your system must have a Debug BIOS installed, or your emulator must have the Debug BIOS loaded with the game.

Debug Menu

Aerofighters3 debug.png
At the Neo Geo boot screen, quickly press Start + Select (AES) or 1P Start + 1P Coin (MVS) to enter the debug dip settings, then enable the "Dev" option and exit the menu. While still on the boot screen, hold A + B + C and the debug menu will pop up. Note: in MVS mode, the menu will appear after the warning screen in the Japanese version and after the "Winners don't use drugs" screen in the US version.

(Source: Digmac at Neo-Geo.com)

Level Select

AeroFighters3ArcadeStageSelect.png
Activate debug dip switch 2-8, then start a game. You'll be shown this stage select screen after choosing a character. Once you complete a stage, you'll return to the stage select menu.

(Source: Neo-Geo Big List of Debug Dipswitches)

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Japan/Europe US
Sonicwings3arc title.png AeroFighters3ArcadeTitle.png

Character Select Screen

When the region is set to Europe, the flags are replaced with the plane characters.

Japan/US Europe
Aerofighters3arc chr select-1.png Aerofighters3arc chr select-2.png

Solo Endings

The Japanese version has different endings depending if Bermuda or Mars was the last stage. The US version only shows one of the endings regardless of which stage was the last one. The secret characters only have one ending in all regions.

Cacti speak Japanese.
...But what does it mean?
This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation!

Keaton

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 keaton end-1.png

"Rats! There are still survivors left!"

Sonicwings3 keaton end-2.png
Sonicwings3 keaton end-3.png

"Ugh, what a hassle."

Sonicwings3 keaton end-4.png

"Keaton Beam!!"

Sonicwings3 keaton end-5.png

—Zugya!

Sonicwings3 keaton end-6.png

"As expected, I'm the best!" —Keaton was happy.

Hien

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 hien end-1.png Sonicwings3 hien end-2.png
Sonicwings3 hien end-3.png Sonicwings3 hien end-4.png

Chaika & Pooshka

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 chaika end-1.png Sonicwings3 chaika end-2.png Sonicwings3 chaika end-3.png
Sonicwings3 chaika end-4.png Sonicwings3 chaika end-5.png

Malcom

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 malcom end-1.png Sonicwings3 malcom end-2.png Sonicwings3 malcom end-3.png
Sonicwings3 malcom end-4.png Sonicwings3 malcom end-5.png

Alex & Pictus

You get this ending if Bermuda is the last level.

Sonicwings3 alex end-1.png Sonicwings3 alex end-2.png
Sonicwings3 alex end-3.png Sonicwings3 alex end-4.png

Blazers

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 blazers end-1.png Sonicwings3 blazers end-2.png Sonicwings3 blazers end-3.png
Sonicwings3 blazers end-4.png Sonicwings3 blazers end-5.png Sonicwings3 blazers end-6.png

Mao Mao

You get this ending if Bermuda is the last level.

Sonicwings3 mao end-1.png Sonicwings3 mao end-2.png
Sonicwings3 mao end-3.png Sonicwings3 mao end-4.png

Spanky

You get this ending if Bermuda is the last level.

Sonicwings3 spanky end-1.png Sonicwings3 spanky end-2.png Sonicwings3 spanky end-3.png
Sonicwings3 spanky end-4.png Sonicwings3 spanky end-5.png Sonicwings3 spanky end-6.png

Kowful & River

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 kowful end-1.png Sonicwings3 kowful end-2.png Sonicwings3 kowful end-3.png

Ellen & Cindy

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sonicwings3 ellen end-1.png Sonicwings3 ellen end-2.png Sonicwings3 ellen end-3.png
Sonicwings3 ellen end-4.png Sonicwings3 ellen end-5.png Sonicwings3 ellen end-6.png


Team Endings

Only two team combinations have multiple endings in the Japanese versions. The rest only have one ending in all regions.

Cacti speak Japanese.
...But what does it mean?
This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation!

Malcom + Kowful & River

You get this ending if Mars is the last level.

Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-1.png Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-2.png Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-3.png
Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-4.png Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-5.png Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-6.png
Sw3 team malcom&kowful MARS-7.png

Hien + Mao Mao

This team combination is a special case because the US version of the ending just combines both of the Japanese ones into one, which makes each ending unique in its own way.

Bermuda Route
Sw3 team hien&mao SEA-1.png Sw3 team hien&mao SEA-2.png Sw3 team hien&mao SEA-3.png
Sw3 team hien&mao SEA-4.png Sw3 team hien&mao SEA-5.png

Mars Route
Sw3 team hien&mao MARS-1.png Sw3 team hien&mao MARS-2.png Sw3 team hien&mao MARS-3.png
Sw3 team hien&mao MARS-4.png Sw3 team hien&mao MARS-5.png Sw3 team hien&mao MARS-6.png

US Version
Sw3thm-1.png Sw3thm-2.png Sw3thm-3.png
Sw3thm-4.png Sw3thm-5.png

Bad Endings

The bad endings are visually the same between regions, but the Japanese version features a lot more text. The English version just shows the bosses laughing.

Cacti speak Japanese.
...But what does it mean?
This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation!

Bad Ending 1

You get this ending if you let the Bermuda boss escape.

Sonicwings3 badend SEA-1.png Sonicwings3 badend SEA-2.png Sonicwings3 badend SEA-3.png

Bad Ending 1

You get this ending if you let the Mars boss escape.

Sonicwings3 badend MARS-1.png Sonicwings3 badend MARS-2.png Sonicwings3 badend MARS-3.png

Bad Ending 2

You get this ending if you let the secret Mars boss escape.

Sonicwings3 badend MARS-4.png Sonicwings3 badend MARS-7.png Sonicwings3 badend MARS-8.png


Miscellaneous

  • When the region is set to Europe, the difficulty is much harder. Enemies are faster and shoot more bullets.