Classic Moments: Burning Rangers

Nick has plenty of fond memories of this Sega classic, and many are shared here

» PLATFORM: SATURN » RELEASED: 1998 » DEVELOPER: SONIC TEAM

It’s never hard to spot a show-off, and playing Burning Rangers it was easy to see that Sonic Team’s programmers were flexing at other Saturn developers. The huge rooms, the free movement, the lighting effects – for a minute, the technical achievements almost allowed you to forget that your console’s days were numbered. Of course, the one that really excited you was the real transparency effect, even if it didn’t add much beyond a more pleasant cosmetic appearance. Or at least, it didn’t seem to.

But Sonic Team was one of Sega’s top studios for a reason, and upon reaching the second stage boss you were reminded of the studio’s skill. Standing atop a platform floating in a big circular pool, you spotted a menacing fish with razor-sharp teeth swimming below the surface. It was a good job it was so visible, too, because keeping your distance was crucial, and it wasn’t easy to stay on the platforms with all the bombs that blasted fish was launching your way. Transparency, it seemed, could enhance gameplay after all.