Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Choujin Sentai Jetman was developed by Natsume and published by Angel for the Famicom in Japan in 1991. Based on the fifteenth Super Sentai television series, it is a short but polished action game that combines straightforward side-scrolling combat with giant robot boss battles. The English fan translation, released under the title Bird Squadron Jetman, makes the menus and limited story text fully accessible. Rating: 7/10.
The Vyram organization has launched an invasion of Earth, leaving the five members of Jetman to stop its monsters and commanders. The first five stages can be selected in any order, giving the game a structure similar to Mega Man. After completing them, a final mission becomes available.
Before each stage, you choose one of the five Jetmen. Red Hawk and Black Condor use swords, deal strong close-range damage, and have the most health. White Swan and Blue Swallow carry Bird Blasters, allowing them to attack from a safer distance at the cost of lower power and durability. Yellow Owl uses Wing Gauntlets, giving him a useful middle ground between range and strength.
The differences between the characters are noticeable but fairly limited, since they otherwise share the same movement, jump, kick, and screen-clearing special attack. Sword users are usually the most effective choices, although ranged characters can make certain enemy formations easier to handle. If one Jetman is defeated, another can continue the mission. Losing the entire team results in a game over, but continues are unlimited.
The regular stages are simple side-scrolling action sequences rather than elaborate platforming challenges. You run through mostly flat environments, defeat Vyram soldiers, avoid turrets and flying enemies, and collect occasional health or special-attack refills. There are few pits, complex jumps, or alternate routes, so the emphasis remains firmly on combat.
Controls are smooth and responsive, reflecting Natsume’s experience with Famicom action games. Attacks activate quickly, movement feels precise, and enemy hitboxes are generally reliable. However, the level design is basic and repetitive. Most stages follow the same rhythm of moving forward while enemies appear from both sides, with only the backgrounds and enemy combinations changing significantly.
At the end of each stage, the Jetman team forms Jet Icarus and battles an enlarged monster in a one-on-one fight. These encounters resemble a simplified fighting game, with punches, jumping, blocking, and a multi-level special meter. Charging the gauge allows Jet Icarus to perform increasingly powerful attacks.
The robot battles are a clever way to reproduce the structure of a Super Sentai episode and feature some of the game’s largest and most impressive sprites. Mechanically, however, they are stiff and limited. Most fights encourage a defensive strategy of blocking, waiting for an opening, and releasing a charged special attack. The bosses have different patterns, but the basic method remains similar throughout the game.
Four difficulty levels are available, although the two hardest settings require a title-screen command. Easy and Normal are forgiving, while Hard and Very Hard greatly increase the danger and can reduce the Jetmen to one-hit deaths. A separate battle mode also allows players to practise the robot encounters.
Visually, Choujin Sentai Jetman is clean and colorful. Character sprites are small but recognizable, animation is smooth, and the changing environments prevent the game from looking completely uniform. The robot battles are the visual highlight, with large characters and attacks that create a convincing sense of scale. It is attractive without reaching the technical heights of Natsume games such as Shatterhand or Shadow of the Ninja.
The soundtrack by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki is the game’s strongest feature. Its energetic melodies suit the heroic theme perfectly, and the adaptation of the television opening is especially memorable. The music gives the stages far more excitement than their simple layouts might otherwise provide.
The largest weakness is the extremely short length. A complete playthrough can take around half an hour once the boss patterns are understood. The English patch adds no new content, although it improves the experience by translating menus, stage names, introductions, and ending dialogue.
Choujin Sentai Jetman is a competent and enjoyable licensed game, but not one of Natsume’s deepest efforts. Responsive controls, excellent music, character selection, and entertaining mecha battles make it worth playing, especially for Super Sentai fans. Its repetitive stages, limited character differences, and brief duration prevent it from becoming an essential Famicom action game, but the English-patched version remains a polished and pleasant one-sitting adventure.
Choujin Sentai Jetman was developed by Natsume and published by Angel for the Famicom in Japan in 1991. Based on the fifteenth Super Sentai television series, it is a short but polished action game that combines straightforward side-scrolling combat with giant robot boss battles. The English fan translation, released under the title Bird Squadron Jetman, makes the menus and limited story text fully accessible. Rating: 7/10.
The Vyram organization has launched an invasion of Earth, leaving the five members of Jetman to stop its monsters and commanders. The first five stages can be selected in any order, giving the game a structure similar to Mega Man. After completing them, a final mission becomes available.
Before each stage, you choose one of the five Jetmen. Red Hawk and Black Condor use swords, deal strong close-range damage, and have the most health. White Swan and Blue Swallow carry Bird Blasters, allowing them to attack from a safer distance at the cost of lower power and durability. Yellow Owl uses Wing Gauntlets, giving him a useful middle ground between range and strength.
The differences between the characters are noticeable but fairly limited, since they otherwise share the same movement, jump, kick, and screen-clearing special attack. Sword users are usually the most effective choices, although ranged characters can make certain enemy formations easier to handle. If one Jetman is defeated, another can continue the mission. Losing the entire team results in a game over, but continues are unlimited.
The regular stages are simple side-scrolling action sequences rather than elaborate platforming challenges. You run through mostly flat environments, defeat Vyram soldiers, avoid turrets and flying enemies, and collect occasional health or special-attack refills. There are few pits, complex jumps, or alternate routes, so the emphasis remains firmly on combat.
Controls are smooth and responsive, reflecting Natsume’s experience with Famicom action games. Attacks activate quickly, movement feels precise, and enemy hitboxes are generally reliable. However, the level design is basic and repetitive. Most stages follow the same rhythm of moving forward while enemies appear from both sides, with only the backgrounds and enemy combinations changing significantly.
At the end of each stage, the Jetman team forms Jet Icarus and battles an enlarged monster in a one-on-one fight. These encounters resemble a simplified fighting game, with punches, jumping, blocking, and a multi-level special meter. Charging the gauge allows Jet Icarus to perform increasingly powerful attacks.
The robot battles are a clever way to reproduce the structure of a Super Sentai episode and feature some of the game’s largest and most impressive sprites. Mechanically, however, they are stiff and limited. Most fights encourage a defensive strategy of blocking, waiting for an opening, and releasing a charged special attack. The bosses have different patterns, but the basic method remains similar throughout the game.
Four difficulty levels are available, although the two hardest settings require a title-screen command. Easy and Normal are forgiving, while Hard and Very Hard greatly increase the danger and can reduce the Jetmen to one-hit deaths. A separate battle mode also allows players to practise the robot encounters.
Visually, Choujin Sentai Jetman is clean and colorful. Character sprites are small but recognizable, animation is smooth, and the changing environments prevent the game from looking completely uniform. The robot battles are the visual highlight, with large characters and attacks that create a convincing sense of scale. It is attractive without reaching the technical heights of Natsume games such as Shatterhand or Shadow of the Ninja.
The soundtrack by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki is the game’s strongest feature. Its energetic melodies suit the heroic theme perfectly, and the adaptation of the television opening is especially memorable. The music gives the stages far more excitement than their simple layouts might otherwise provide.
The largest weakness is the extremely short length. A complete playthrough can take around half an hour once the boss patterns are understood. The English patch adds no new content, although it improves the experience by translating menus, stage names, introductions, and ending dialogue.
Choujin Sentai Jetman is a competent and enjoyable licensed game, but not one of Natsume’s deepest efforts. Responsive controls, excellent music, character selection, and entertaining mecha battles make it worth playing, especially for Super Sentai fans. Its repetitive stages, limited character differences, and brief duration prevent it from becoming an essential Famicom action game, but the English-patched version remains a polished and pleasant one-sitting adventure.
