Top Gun (NES)

Top Gun is a flight-combat simulation game developed for the Famicom and NES by Konami, and initially published in 1987. It is one of a very small set of games released for the Famicom that was published after the North American NES release. It is loosely based on the film of the same name, in which the player controls an F-14 Tomcat fighter through four different missions.

The action is seen from a first-person cockpit view. Depending on the mission, different kinds of targets must be destroyed. There are always enemy aircraft, but some missions include sea and ground targets as well. Two weapons are available: machine guns (with unlimited ammunition) and missiles. The player can choose from three types of missiles before a mission: the more powerful ones can only be carried in lower quantities.

Enemy aircraft either approach the front and attack with their own guns and missiles, or they fly over the player, providing you with a target to shoot from behind. Sometimes, an enemy plane will position itself directly behind the player, and should be lost quickly by steering left and right, before the enemy locks on and destroys your plane.

Halfway through the missions comes a refueling sequence where a fuel plane's nozzle must be aligned with one's aircraft. Every mission (except the first one) features a final mission target, which can take a lot more damage than regular targets. Each mission concludes with a landing attempt on the aircraft carrier. To successfully land, the player's plane must have a certain altitude and speed. Successfully landing gives bonus points, but crashing the plane doesn't end the game—it simply costs a life.