1942 for NES

The year is 1985. The NES is the latest gaming technology. The game is 1942, the classic arcade game from Capcom. 1942 is a plane fighter ‘shoot ‘em up’ game based on World War II where you, the renowned “Super Ace”, must battle through 32 levels of action-packed, enemy ridden skies to reach Tokyo and destroy Japan’s air fleet. 1942 contains many different kinds of terrain ranging from raging waters to barren sands. 1942 can be played in either one player or two player mode. In the two player mode, players alternate turns, each receiving a different score.

 Super Ace is armed with twin guns mounted on his plane. Along with the guns, the plane can perform a “roll-back” maneuver, allowing it to dodge enemy fire. You only get three ‘roll-backs’ per level, so use them wisely. Extra planes can be rewarded by earning 20,000 points at first, and then at 80,000 points another plane is awarded. Any more planes are awarded at increments of 80,000 points each.

The enemies come in various formations and sizes. They range from small (requiring only one shot to destroy) to large (requiring more than one shot to destroy) planes. The different enemies that you may encounter are as follows:
Gray Plane: The basic enemy of 1942. The gray plane flies forward while shooting at you, only stopping to go off screen or flip upside down to go the other way. These planes are not very tricky, but the sheer number of them can make them very difficult.
Green Plane: This plane flies in wide circles across the screen and may come back after going off screen. Be sure to not forget about them after they leave the screen. As they circle, they also fire bullets, so in numbers, things may get confusing. Another thing about green planes is that sometimes they will spin and explode when hit, turning into a ‘Yashichi’. This symbol is worth a whopping 5,000 points. You can tell the upcoming ‘Yashichi’ by the fact that the plane is coming up slowly from the bottom of the screen.
Red Plane: These planes always appear in groups of around six planes. They usually stick to formation and basically fly around. If you manage to kill the entire formation of Red Planes before they leave the screen, you will be rewarded with a power-up.
Mid-Sized Planes: Enter the screen from the bottom and basically just flies forward at a slow pace. They just get in your way really. A handful of bullets are required to take it down. Once destroyed, it gives you 1,000 points.
Large Planes: This plane resembles the mid-sized planes in that it also enters the screen from the bottom, but it flies faster. Upon reaching the top of the screen, it starts to fly side to side while shooting bullets at you. After a dozen or so shots, the plane will be destroyed, rewarding you with 2,000 points.
Boss Planes: At the end of various stages (Stages 7, 15, 23, and 31) a boss plane appears, shooting multiple bullets at you. Try to avoid the bullets while constantly shooting at the plane. It may take up to 30 bullets to take the boss plane down. The boss plane is worth 20,000 points.

Power-ups help Super Ace level the playing field a bit. The power-ups are:
Bullets: Add two extra bullets to each shot, making four. This has many advantages. It widens the area of your shot, allowing you to kill smaller planes more easily. Also, it allows you to kill bigger planes faster.
Planes: Two small planes appear by your side and shoot simultaneously with you. This gives you an even wider range of fire. It must be remembered that these planes are not invincible. They will explode if hit by enemy fire or by crashing into enemies just as your plane does.
Explosion: Destroys all enemies on the screen at that moment.

You start with three lives, but have unlimited continues, so it is possible to beat the game. When you finish a level, you land on an aircraft carrier, causing all the enemies on screen to explode. You even get the points for the exploding enemies. 1942 requires fast reflexes and great hand-eye coordination. So if you think you have what it takes to help Super Ace, get ready to have some fun.