Back in 2001 Freeverse Software released WingNuts , a top - down scrolling arcade secret plan in the flavor of coin - op classic likeTime Pilot . Since then , many of us have waited for the oft - promised sequel , and Freeverse has finally delivered . Does this original Mac game exist up to the hype that ’s built during the half - decade delay ?

WingNuts 2 : Raina ’s Revengeputs you back in the pilot ’s can as you hop to dissimilar geographical locating and different fourth dimension full point in search of the wicked ( and crazy ) Baron von Schtopwatch and the mystical Raina . An airborne aircraft carrier under the aegis of Commander Jen ( Freeverse ’s nonmigratory mascot of sort ) track Schtopwatch from period to menstruum .

Schtopwatch has produce massive fleet of flying machines — everything from vintage World War II - era aircraft to modern jets — using robotic pilots who are hell - bent on one matter : blow you and the Temporal Command carrier out of the sky . You ’ve come to lay waste matter to these horde of baddies , bomb ground installations like radar , missiles , electron beam weapons , and anti - aircraft guns , and reach various objectives — like collecting components of the Baron ’s nefarious machines after you destroy them .

Each level ends with the intro of a Boss — a super - herculean enemy that takes many , many hits to destruct . Sometimes it ’s the Baron himself , control a super - robot vehicle ; other time it ’s bad Guy in the employ of the Baron . Occasionally they ’ll get aside , but usually after the 2d or third fourth dimension , Temporal Command will capture them , and it ’s time to warp into a new location and face off against new bad guys .

Your fomite ’s arsenal and the redoubtable defenses of the Temporal Command carrier are n’t your only protection against the Unfriendly Skies , either . The sky is fill with parachuting kickshaw — sometimes just extra points you ’ll garner , sometimes rescued crew members , but most often power - ups for your fomite that will top off your fuel tank , encourage your shields , and even add lasting improvements , like expanded fuel capacity , improved guns , or more powerful bombs . My favorite is the temporary “ Super Mecha Mode , ” which turns your plane into a giant , devastatingly powerful version of itself , like a elephantine patchwork Japanese robot ( but only for a few seconds ) .

WingNuts 2 ’s interface is sporting and well thought - out — most of the screen is dedicated to the action , but a Heads Up Display ( HUD ) shows your fuel and buckler status , the status of the woodworking plane in your airdock , how well the flattop is doing , your sexual conquest , the act of the Baron ’s components you ’ve retrieve for that level , and the status of your planer ’s special move capabilities . Some planes can do cask rolls , for example , while some can do loop topology ; these are ready to hand in compressed situations when there ’s a particularly nasty bad guy on your six that you desire to get away from in a hurry .

As the secret plan starts out , you have a limited phone number of vintage planes to choose from , and you’re able to collect more by bombing occasional worldly rifts that appear after you ’ve defeated a stage ’s hirer . Before too long , if you ’re heedful , you ’ll have a nice collection of unlike aircraft to opt from , and judiciously upgrading them with improved fuel capacity and defenses will help as the sky get more and more crowded with enemies .

Having a all-encompassing excerption of planes is particularly useful during heavy fight . Different planes have dissimilar specialty and failing . Some are better for bombardment ladder ; others are better for dogfight . Some have higher top - end speed ; others have tighter turning radius . Also , you could land on your carrier at any time you require and change planes . Once you do that , the flight gang will bulge out repairing and refueling your old plane . you could look out their advance from the Planes HUD counter — when it ’s back to top physical body , the airplane ’s status will turn unripe .

Some levels are positively frustrating — you’ll have to blast down century of plane before you get to the Boss or to the end of the level . It ’s occasionally a bit too frustrating , but fortunately , the game spare in between layer , so you may always return when you want . ( you could also write at any power point you want separately ) .

While the screenshots may give you the impression that WingNuts 2 is a diagrammatically undemanding game , nothing could be further from the trueness — the secret plan make extensive use of OpenGL to create really stunning particle and smoke result . Just like the original , you ’ll watch as the plane you shoot down clang into the land or sea and explode — but this time with even more dynamism . Fortunately , you could dial back force on slower computer hardware in character the default level is too much for your Mac to campaign without stuttering .

Freeverse ’s trademark humor is present throughout — the unfit guy are chock - full of cheesy , once in a while wordplay - laden , and ( in the eccentric of the Baron ) downright uncanny dialogue . Commander Jen occasionally pops up in humourous interstitial bits . The soundtrack and sound effects are neat — the soundtrack was done by frequent Freeverse quisling Andrew “ Digital Droo ” Tokuda . Even here the humor comes through : WingNuts 2 ’s main subject is a valentine to Top Gun hymn guitarist and frequent Billy Idol collaborator Steve Stevens .

A Universal Binary , WingNuts 2 runs natively on Intel and PowerPC Macs . A PowerPC G4/800MHz or faster car is call up for , and you ’ll necessitate Tiger . If you have an iSight or a webcam connect , you may even save a picture of yourself in the game ’s high loads tables . It ’ a spot of a useless feature , as there ’s no online share-out of high scores , but it ’s fun anyway .

you may play WingNuts 2 either using a keyboard or , optionally , a game pad , joystick , or other controller — they’ve built in support for it , so all you should have to do is calibrate your game accountant and guide off into the skies .

Best of all WingNuts 2 comes with a level editor program that allows you to create your own scenarios ( aptly call WingNuts and Bolts ) . It ’s very complicated to use , as most game editors are , but Freeverse has post support for it online and is continuing to work on it . I ’m hoping that its release ( with the game ) will nurture a bungalow industry of WingNuts 2 mods , because this secret plan ’s rich nontextual matter locomotive and overall manoeuvre degree is so gamy , it ’d be batty to see it go to waste ( if you ’ll pardon the pun ) .

I did run into a few trouble early on , though Freeverse has been sound about respond to user issues with fleck pursue the game ’s initial release ( make certain to visitFreeverse ’s Web siteto download the latest patch ) . And at first , you had to grease one’s palms the secret plan from Freeverse ’s World Wide Web site and download it — more than 500 megabytes ’ Charles Frederick Worth , in fact — but by the time you read this you should be able to notice the DVD on store shelves .

The bottom line

A fantastic sequel to one of Macdom ’s most beloved original games , WingNuts 2 is a suitable successor — and it includes puppet for crafting your own scenarios , too .