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Raiden Fighters Aces isn’t just about owning three beautifully emulated SHMUPs on a single disc. It’s about how incredibly customizable they are.

The Raiden Fighters series began in 1996, following up the spectacular Raiden II, the latter being one of the best shooters ever made. Fighters spawned three games, all of which seem rather pedestrian in terms of design on the surface, but are beautifully designed to keep the player engaged.

The first two games are standard vertical scrolling fare, although filled with wonderful mechanics and tight controls that separate them from the mass of other games in the genre. Each level ends in a massive battle against an impossibly large boss, firing equally improbable ammunition at the player.

Raiden Fighters Jet, the third game in the series, offers a twist to the formula. What stages the player travels to is entirely based on their performance. There are seemingly an infinite number of possible ways to progress, making each run a unique experience.

However, like everything in Aces, that set up is customizable. You can set it to play through every level, and previous games let you select how to play through the stages as well, including random.

Detail is why Aces is a value. You can change the title of Raiden Fighters to Gundogs, its original intended name. Scanlines, filters, aspect ratios, brightness, color schemes, and frame rates (amongst others) are selectable for video. Gameplay tweaks, including continue options, modifier difficulties, left stick response time, quick restarts (for achievement seekers), and ship selection post-continue are all modifiable.

While a distinct lack of online co-op is a downer, the ability to upload clips is not. After every play session, you have the choice of uploading your run online for everyone to view.

Anyone with an interest in classic shooters should be drawn to the Raiden franchise. A complete set should include the superb Raiden Project on the PlayStation, Raiden III on the PS3, and this 360 release. Sales of Aces should hopefully push for a Raiden IV US edition, as the game is more than worthy of a stand-alone purchase.

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