After Burner was created by Sega in 1987 as a rail shooter arcade video game. Players take control of an American F-14 Tomcat fighter jet and have to eliminate enemies in each of the eighteen stages. The jet comes with a machine gun and a set of heat-seeking missiles. The game features a third-person perspective, similar to Sega's Space Harrier (1985) and Out Run (1986). It operates on the Sega X Board arcade system, known for its surface and sprite rotation capabilities.

Like Out Run before it After Burner was developed by Yu Suzuki and the Sega AM2 division. Development began in December 1986, shortly after the completion of Out Run, under a cloud of secrecy. Suzuki drew inspiration from the 1986 films Top Gun and Laputa: Castle in the Sky; originally planning for a Laputa-inspired aesthetic, he ultimately opted for a Top Gun style to ensure the game's appeal to a global audience. The game was designed outside the company at "Studio 128," as Sega had adopted a flexible work schedule to allow for projects to be undertaken off-site. A revised version, After Burner II, featuring throttle controls, was released later the same year. This is the game you will find in most places.

After Burner was a massive success for Sega and was one of the worlds best selling arcade machines of 1987/88.

Take control of an F-14 Tomcat jet in the game as you launch from the SEGA Enterprise aircraft carrier and embark on a mission to eliminate enemy jets across 18 stages.

The jet is equipped with a machine gun and a set amount of heat-seeking missiles. Weapons can be restocked by a different aircraft once certain levels are completed. The game is controlled by a flight stick with force feedback.

Look out for the flashing red lights at the top of the cabinet, these indicate when an enemy has a lock on you. A quick left/right or right/left action will perform a roll and and evade the attack.