1943: The Battle of Midway

Shoot-'em-ups have long been a favorite type of video game, which is strange since, in most cases--except for a change of scenario and graphics--each of these games is much the same. What's even stranger is that, knowing this, I still love these fast-action blast-a-thons; they get my heart pounding, my nerves jumping and keep me poised on the edge of my seat, yelling and cursing for hours at a time. And 1943: The Battle of Midway from Capcom has been responsible for more than one blister on my trigger finger.

The setting is, as the title suggests, World War II. Unfortunately, the manual doesn't offer much information about the historic event of 1943 on which the game is based. But I suppose that, considering how simple this game is, you really don't need much historical background.

The game consists of flying your P38 aircraft over a vertically scrolling scene, through a barrage of enemy fighter planes which you must shoot down and over various ocean-going craft which you must destroy by shooting out their guns. You have several types of weapons at your disposal. You use your main guns most of the time, but they can be modified in a few ways, giving you straightforward fire, wide-angle fire or a combination of both. You change the gun's firing mode by shooting at on-screen "POW" icons, which cycle through different shapes with each hit. When the icon shows the shape you want, you fly over it, triggering the function it's set for. If you shoot one of the POW icons enough, it'll change into a form that, when scooped up, will add to your energy. Also part of your offensive arsenal are Lightning, Cyclone and Tsunami, weapons that, though they cause a great deal of damage, eat up your energy rapidly.

When you begin play, you are allowed to distribute three power points among your plane's power characteristics. The five power selections, none of which are described in the manual, are Offensive Power, Defensive Power, Energy Level, Special Weapons and Special Weapons Time Limit. Throughout the game you will be given more power points to add to these selections, allowing you to slowly build up the total strength of your aircraft.

There are many invisible targets that you must find. When one of your shots hits an invisible target, you'll see a telltale glimmer. After a few shots, the target becomes visible, and you can pick it up by flying over it, thus gaining whatever bonus it has to offer. The shapes of the bonus targets make little sense for a World War II game, however. For example, what on earth do elephants, strawberries, barrels, cows, cats and flowers have to do with the battle at Midway? Beats me.

1943: The Battle of Midway is a tough game. Thankfully, due to the password reentry feature, you don't have to replay previously completed levels if you don't want to. The five-digit code, given to you at the end of a game, allows you to jump forward to the place where you left off on your last session. If you're bored with straight shoot-em-ups, then 1943: The Battle of Midway may not be your cup of tea. However, if you're like me and never get sick of mindless, fast-shooting action, this game will keep you huffing and puffing.

The battle of Midway isn't history. It's now. And the fate of the free world rides on the wings of your P-38X Lightning Perform daring dives and loops to evade enemy assault. Then retaliate with a barrage of machine-gun fire and super shells that can down more than enemy aircraft.

Hear your call to action and respond to the challenge of a lifetime. Only then can you return to a hero's welcome.

Take On The Entire Enemy Fleet...

In 1943 - The Battle of Midway you are the pilot of a P38 attack fighter that can blow anything out of the sky and perform some awesome aerial acrobatics. You must clash head-on with the superior air forces of the enemy and sink battleships, carriers, and bombers that litter the Pacific ocean. In order to succeed, you must rip your way through 24 of these increasingly difficult levels of play.

Play begins in a power-up sub screen that allows you to distribute options into five different categories including offensive power, defensive power, energy level, special weapons, and the special weapon time limit. During your battles you can collect special points that can then be assigned to any one of the designated power-up options. The more points that are allotted to each power-up item, the more powerful that option becomes.

There are two on-screen meters that deserve your constant attention. The one in the bottom left measures the time remaining for your special weapon while the bar in the bottom right is your energy indicator. This increases the challenge of '43, requiring constant replenishing of your ever decreasing powers.

Weapon power-ups can be earned by shooting at formations of red planes that release the POW icon. Shooting the POW will change it into any one of the special weapon configurations allowed by your power-up bar. For instance, hit the POW once and it becomes a shotgun, hit the shot gun twice and it becomes a three-way shot, hit this weapons three times and it becomes auto fire, etc.

The B-button fires these weapons while the A-button has its own set of powers. Lightning destroys nearly everything on the screen while the Cyclone suspends the action. The Tsunami is another power that creates some very surprising results as well.

The graphics are nearly arcade quality, accompanied by such a good fight song you might just find yourself humming it while you fight battles encountered away from your Nintendo. Capcom has a winner, and 1943 is filled with everything but a dull moment. Pass codes, power-ups, slick delivery and fast action will definitely have you coming back for more.

Aerial combat set during World War II!

This game is a continuation of famous "1942" scroll shooter by Capcom. It was published for NES in 1987 and has 16 levels with own "bosses" on each. Your plane is still the same, Lockheed P-38 prototype struggling against Japanese fighters and bombers. In clouds or above the sea you have to shoot all the enemies and collect all the bonuses. Unlike it's ancestor, "1942", this game offers you only one life and energy meter. You also can upgrade your weapons by picking up power-ups.

Try to kill all the enemy planes prior to defeating the "level boss", it can give you an opportunity to start the level from the very beginning and gain even more points. The bosses are: Cruiser Rikaku, Aircraft Carrier Kaku 1, Ayako 1 the Mothership, Kakushi the Battleship, Aircraft Carrier Kyoshu, Bomber Armada Ganryo, Choko 1 the Battleship, Aircraft Carrier Roshuku, Ayako 2 the Mothership, Kayu the Battleship, Bomber Armada Bunshu, Chojin 1 the Battleship, Aircraft Carrier Riju, Ayako 3 the Mothership, Ryofu 1 the Battleship, Fake Totaku the Battleship, Aircraft Carrier Kaku 2, Ayako 4 the Mothership, Choko 2 the Battleship, Ayako 5 the Mothership, Chojin 2 the Battleship, Ryofu 2 the Battleship, Mothership Armada of 3 Ayakoes and The Real Totaku followed by naval armada.

This vertical scrolling shooter arcade game, released in 1988 for Nintendo Entertainment System, was published by GO! And developed by Capcom Co., Ltd.

This video game is the sequel to 1942, only here the intense battle takes place just off the coast of Midway islands.

The updates are: an energy bar (it can be run down by using a special weapon or else being hit from incoming fire). It can be refilled by picking up power-ups, whilst such special weapons as lightning, cyclones and waves can destroy all fighters on the screen at the time. Also, unlike 1942, the player has only one life. What can reduce the energy: getting hit by enemy fire (minor loss), getting rammed by enemy planes, the larger the plane the worse (major loss, often fatal), time, grabbing a special weapon power-up and using special attacks (lightning, tsunami, cyclone).