1942 is a 1984 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Capcom for arcades. Designed by Yoshiki Okamoto, it was the first game in the 194X series, and was followed by 1943: The Battle of Midway.
1942 is set in the Pacific Theater of World War II, and is loosely based on the Battle of Midway. Despite the game being created by Japanese developers, the goal is to reach Tokyo and destroy the Japanese air fleet. This was due to being the first Capcom game designed with Western markets in mind. It went on to be a commercial success in arcades, becoming Japan's fifth highest-grossing table arcade game of 1986 and one of top five highest-grossing arcade conversion kits that year in the United States. It was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System, selling over one million copies worldwide, along with other home systems.
Gameplay
thumb|250px|left|Arcade version screenshot
The player pilots a Lockheed P-38 Lightning known as the "Super Ace". The player must shoot down enemy planes and avoid enemy fire. Sustaining a single hit or colliding with another aircraft causes the loss of one life. During the game, the player may collect various power-ups. One of them allows the plane to be escorted by two other smaller fighters in a Tip Tow formation. Enemies include Kawasaki Ki-61s, Mitsubishi A6M Zeros and Kawasaki Ki-48s. The boss plane is a Nakajima G10N.
The game has "a special roll button that allows players to avoid dangerous situations by temporarily looping out of" the play area. The game is loosely based on the Battle of Midway, which was a turning point in the Pacific War when the Americans began defeating the Japanese.
Elite Systems later released versions for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, and Commodore 64. The music of the Commodore 64 version is based on the main verse of Ron Goodwin's 633 Squadron film score, with arrangement by Mark Cooksey.
A Game Boy Color version was also released in North America on May 19, 2000, and in PAL regions in 2001.
Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed 1942 as the fourth most popular arcade game of December 1984. It went on to be Japan's seventh highest-grossing table arcade game during the first half of 1986, and the overall fifth highest-grossing table arcade game of 1986. In the United States, it was one of the top five highest-grossing arcade conversion kits of 1986. In the United Kingdom, it was the top-grossing arcade game on the Euromax arcade charts from July through November 1987.
The NES version sold over a million copies worldwide. 1942 was Capcom's breakaway hit, eclipsing in popularity the company's preceding three titles: Vulgus, Sonson, and Pirate Ship Higemaru.
Mike Roberts reviewed the arcade game in the May 1985 issue of British magazine Computer Gamer. While noting the game's scenario was "an odd subject for a Japanese arcade manufacturer" to take up, he said it has "nice" graphics and had an "original" gameplay feature in the form of the percentage high score.
- 1942 (1984)
- 1943: The Battle of Midway (1987)
- 1943 Kai (1988)
- 1941: Counter Attack (1990)
- 19XX: The War Against Destiny (1996)
- 1944: The Loop Master (2000)
- 1942: Joint Strike (2008)
- 1942: First Strike (2010)