1942

Arcade version of 1942

1942 is a vertically scrolling shooter by Capcom Co., Ltd. first release in arcades in 1984 and later ported to numerous consoles and computers. The game is loosely based on the Battle of Midway; piloting a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane, players have the goal of fighting through a series of heavily guarded ocean and forest landscapes to eventually reach Tokyo and destroy the Japanese squadron. The game was a commercial success and became the first in Capcom's long running 194x series.

1942 utilizes a top down view with players controlling the P-38 plane. Similiar to many scrolling shooters, there is a constant barrage of attacks that need to be avoided. Players start the game with a simple gun for shooting down opponents, but power-ups can be acquired to increase firepower. Some power-ups will also provide two, smaller escort planes for even more increased firepower. If players are destroyed, additional weapons acquired are lost. To help avoid being hit in tough situations, a special loop maneuver is available; this causes the P-38 to momentarily fly “above” the playfield so any enemy planes or fire will miss. This trick is limited, however, and can only be used three times per life. The game includes a total of 24 increasingly difficult levels to complete.