1942

1942 is the first game in Capcom's long-running Pacific shooter line, and the NES conversion is a different, much longer game than the arcade original. You fly a Lockheed P-38 against the Japanese air fleet across thirty-two stages of steadily increasing density.

The signature move is the vertical loop: pressing B rolls your plane through a full loop, which dodges incoming fire without moving you off your line. It is a rhythm mechanic rather than a movement one - the loop is your only defence, and using it well is the whole skill of the game. Power-ups are carried by a red plane you have to shoot down and then collect, and each one upgrades your spread until you have a wide cone of fire. The NES version trims the arcade's graphics but expands the stage count considerably, and it is one of the earliest NES games to offer simultaneous two-player play.

• ▸Vertical loop (hold B) as the primary way to dodge fire
• ▸Weapon power-ups dropped by red planes and collected in flight
• ▸Thirty-two stages - a much longer campaign than the arcade original
• ▸Two-player simultaneous co-op