1942

"Capcom's answer to Galaga!"

I have never been a fan of aircraft games, where you pilot a ship which holds about a trillion bullets. I never got myself in to the air-themed Army Men games, Ace Combat games, and definatley not Aero Wings. I did like some minor air shooting games, like Space Invaders, Galaga, which doesn't really count, but when down to gameplay, it is exactly the same.

The best way to describe 1942, is to think of Galaga (If you have trouble remembering, you can find this game at the start of Tekken) because enemys come at you from the top of the screen, sometimes alone, sometimes in groups, with different colors and sizes. In 1942, there is around seven different aircrafts for you to shoot down. There are the orignal grey planes, Combat green planes, Orange planes, and best of all, MASSIVE planes. Each different type of plane takes several shots to kill, like the grey one's take no more and no less then only one shot, yet the massive green ones take about twenty bullets to go down. IOt is a shame that just one bullet shoots you down, yet you can shoot downn a 50 tonne war plane.

The planes are very easy to handle, and since there is thosands of planes on each level, you have to be on your toes, finding out where bullets and planes are going to go. I found a helpful trick, which all fans of the genre should know; bashing the fire button to shoot down those who come between the cross fire.

There is over thirty stages of gameplay in 1942, but you will get bored after you have beaten the second or third mission, it becomes the same, all the time. The bonus which adds little lifespan to the game, is the point system, which slowly goes up every time you shoot down an enemy plane.

The graphics, are at its best for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and looks like Galaga, but with more colors. As for the sound, it is pure AWFUL. it is just beeps, come on Capcom, I know this is a NES game, but try and make a effort on the sound, like Final Fantasy or Maniac Mansion.

Good

- Okay Gameplay
- Good graphics

Bad

- Bad sound
- Very repetive
- Very hard

Summary

Graphics - 10/10 (For the NES)
Sound - 1/10
Music - 1/10
Gameplay - 7/10
Lifespan - 3/10
Challenge - 9/10
Enjoyment - 3/10
Overall - 5/10

Alternatives : Galaga and 1943?

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 01/05/02, Updated 01/05/02