After Burner II

Strap into an F-14 Tomcat and scream through the skies, locking missiles and dodging enemy fire at supersonic speed. After Burner 2 online launches from this page for nothing — the emulator and the game arrive together, so there's no purchase, no install and no account. Sega's blistering arcade flight-combat classic loads in seconds and delivers nonstop, adrenaline-fueled aerial action. A phone will run it, but banking with one thumb while firing with the other is exactly what a keyboard is for.

How to Play After Burner 2 Online

Getting airborne takes seconds:

1. Hit Play; After Burner II reaches its title screen quickly and runs at full speed from there.
2. Let the title screen settle before you start, because the first stage begins the moment you commit.
3. Click inside the frame first — the arrow keys have to be captured before you can bank the Tomcat.
4. From the menu, start a new game and launch from the carrier.
5. Bank, roll, and fire on incoming enemies as the stages fly by.

After Burner II is pure speed — keep moving, lock on fast, and use your afterburner to escape tight spots.

Controls

After Burner II is played with the keyboard:

Use your missiles when the lock-on indicator highlights an enemy, and your machine gun for closer targets and incoming fire.

What Is After Burner II?

After Burner II is a high-speed combat flight arcade game developed by Sega, an updated version of the 1987 original that was widely ported, including to MS-DOS. Putting you in the cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat, it casts you as a fighter pilot blasting through wave after wave of enemy aircraft across a fast, behind-the-jet third-person view, in the spirit of high-octane action movies of the era.

After Burner II is a defining example of Sega's "super scaler" arcade spectacle — fast, flashy, and relentless, with the screen filled with rushing enemies, missiles, and rapidly scaling scenery. The gameplay is all about reaction speed and survival rather than realistic flight, packing in barrel rolls, missile locks, and mid-air refueling. Its sense of speed and pure arcade thrill made it a landmark of late-1980s action gaming and a beloved classic.

How the Game Works / Gameplay Basics

You pilot your jet from a behind-the-aircraft view, steering left, right, up, and down to dodge enemies, terrain, and incoming missiles while the action rushes toward you at high speed. Your two weapons are a rapid-fire machine gun for close and head-on targets and homing missiles that you fire when the targeting system locks onto an enemy. The afterburner gives you bursts of extra speed to power through or escape danger.

The game is a continuous series of fast stages, each throwing dense waves of enemy planes and ground fire at you. There's no slow strategy here — survival depends on quick reflexes, constant movement, and efficient use of your weapons and rolls to evade attacks. Between some stages you'll refuel and rearm, then dive straight back into the action. It's an intense, score-driven arcade experience built around the pure thrill of high-speed aerial combat.

Beginner Tips

• Keep moving. Constant motion helps you dodge the dense incoming fire.
• Use missile lock. Fire missiles when the targeting indicator highlights enemies for guaranteed hits.
• Roll to evade. Quick barrel rolls help you slip past missiles and obstacles.
• Save the afterburner. Use speed bursts to escape tight, crowded moments.
• Watch the horizon. Enemies and terrain appear fast — react early.
• Stay calm under pressure. Smooth, deliberate movement beats panicked over-steering.

Why Play After Burner 2 Online?

Sega designed this around a hydraulic cabinet that tipped and rolled underneath the player — a machine you had to travel to an arcade to sit in. What can be preserved is the software, and that part runs here at full speed with no configuration screen standing in front of it.

Which fits how the game is actually played. A run lasts a few minutes and you will want several of them, and since nothing is installed, the fifth attempt costs exactly what the first one did.

Troubleshooting

• Game won't start? Reload the page and stay off the keyboard until the title is up; presses made while the files are loading never reach the game.
• Keyboard not responding? Click on the game area once; steering, guns, and the afterburner all need the frame focused.
• Running slowly? Close other tabs and background apps — After Burner II's entire appeal is the sense of speed, and it falls apart when frames drop.
• No sound? Check the tab isn't muted; the missile-lock tone is genuinely useful feedback in the middle of a dense wave.
• Screen too small? Go fullscreen so approaching enemies are visible while they're still small on the horizon.
• Getting overwhelmed? Focus on dodging first, then fire when you have a clear shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is After Burner 2 free to play online? Yes. The 1987 cabinet was built to take a coin every time your Tomcat went down; here the whole run from carrier launch onward costs nothing.

Do I need to download After Burner 2 or install an emulator? No. The emulator is already part of this page and starts along with the game, so there's no MS-DOS copy to track down, nothing to install, and no account to make before you take off.

Can I play After Burner 2 on mobile? You can, but the game expects you to be banking, firing and hitting the afterburner inside the same second, and stacked touch buttons don't hold three inputs at once cleanly. On a keyboard that combination is simply there under your fingers.

What plane do you fly? You pilot an F-14 Tomcat through fast, enemy-filled arcade stages.

What kind of game is After Burner II? It's a high-speed arcade flight-combat game focused on dodging, locking on, and blasting waves of enemies.

Can I save my progress? After Burner II is a score-based arcade game, so you play through its fast stages rather than saving a campaign.

Supersonic skies and endless enemy waves await. Load it up and hit the afterburner.