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Steel Talons is an air combat arcade game. The player flies a helicopter equipped with a machine gun, rockets, and a limited number of air-to-surface guided missiles. It originated as a two-player cockpit arcade cabinet with both cooperative and competitive modes. In single-player mode or cooperative two-player mode, there are 19 missions. In competitive mode, players attempt to destroy each other's helicopter.
The arcade version has a joystick, analog collective lever on the left side that controls the altitude of the helicopter, and rudder pedals. The back of the seat has a speaker thumps when the player's helicopter is hit. It has a button called "real heli mode" which makes flying more difficult, but also allows more freedom of movement and can be an advantage during multiplayer games.
Development
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Release
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In the United States, it topped the RePlay arcade charts for dedicated arcade cabinets in October 1991,[11] and then the deluxe cabinet charts from November 1991[12][13] to February 1992,[14][15] before topping it again in April 1992.[16] In Japan, Game Machine listed Steel Talons in its March 15, 1992 issue as the third most-successful upright arcade unit of the month.[17]
Upon its AMOA 1991 debut, The One magazine compared the arcade game favorably with Taito's 3D helicopter simulation Air Inferno (1990), stating that "Atari has gone even further, making it a lot easier to play, without compromising the complexity of the controls". They said that, despite "the complexity of the controls, the game is a classic".[3]Sinclair User listed it among several games making the "best use of 3-D technology" at the show,[4] and later gave it an 87% score upon its European release.[6]Julian Rignall of Computer and Video Games gave it a 96% rating.[18]
The Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) nominated the game for the "Most Innovative New Technology" award in 1992.[19]
GameFan reviewed the Sega Genesis version, scoring it 172 out of 200.[20]
^"Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 422. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 March 1992. p. 29.