1943: The Battle of Midway is a vertical scrolling shooter. Soon after launching from your carrier, you will engage in combat with enemy planes that will fly about the field before leaving. Some of these planes will fire bullets or other attacks.
*'''Joystick''': Use the joystick to direct the Super Ace in any one of eight directions. You can move throughout a majority of the visible screen.
*'''Fire''': Press the Fire button to shoot bullets from the Super Ace. You begin the game with a double barrel gun, but you can collect power-ups that change your weapon to different kinds of ammunition. Your weapons are capable of attacking both aerial opponents and aquatic ones.
* '''Mega Crash''': By pressing the Mega Crash button, you can consume some energy and generate a supernatural phenomenon to attack every enemy on the screen. Depending on the situation and the relative position with the enemy, you may release thunder, a whirlwind, or a tsunami. This also has the effect of eliminating all enemy projectiles on the screen.
*'''Loop''': Press the Fire and Mega Crash buttons together to perform a vertical 360 degree dive in the air. While executing this maneuver, the Super-Ace is completely invulnerable to enemy fire. You can only perform so many of these, however, and the stock is indicated by the white Rs on the top of the screen.
*'''1-2 Players''': Press to start a 1 or 2 player game.
Your airplane has a limited quantity of fuel, which depletes slowly as the stage progresses.
== Characters ==
==Super Ace==
[[File:1943 player sprite.gif|left]]
You control the Super Ace Lockheed P-38 Lightning, with its distinctive twin booms with forward-mounted engines and a single, central nacelle containing the pilot and armament. It's a very maneuverable craft as you're about to discover. Though small, it contains all the fire power you need to take on the entire Japanese Air Defense fleet. It starts out each mission taking off from the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier. It possesses a twin guns that fire upward, ahead of the plane's flight, but they can be changed to different weapons by collecting various items (see the [[../Items|items page]] for more information.) It also possesses a limited capability of performing vertical 360 degree loops through the air, making it impervious to enemy fire and contact while performing.
== Difficulty ==
Unlike the Super Ace's previous outing in [[1942]], the Super Ace is a little more robust thanks to the energy meter displayed on the bottom of the screen. Energy is consumed very slowly naturally over the course of flying. However, getting hit by enemy aircraft or projectiles will reduce the energy meter by a lot. Additionally, using any Mega Crash attack consumes energy. The Super Ace can sustain attacks and remain in the air as long as there is energy left. Once the meter depletes, if you get hit, the Super Ace will crash and the game will end.
The arcade version has 16 difficulty levels, set by the owner of the machine. The default level is 8, and higher difficulty levels will increase the number of bullets fired by enemies.
To quickly determine the difficulty, at the start of the game, move your plane to the bottom of the screen. If you see one or two shots, the difficulty level is at least 10. If almost all of the planes fire to the side when they're at the bottom, then it is on or near the maximum level.
As the game progresses, the quantity of enemies and their attacks increases.
== Enemies ==
=== Enemies ===
There are three sizes of common enemies:
There are three sizes of common enemies:
* Small planes, which fly about in all directions. In later stages, these craft will move more quickly or in more intricate patterns.
* Small planes, which fly about in all directions. In later stages, these craft will move more quickly or in more intricate patterns.
* Medium planes, which will fly slowly. Some of these airplanes will fly downward to avoid attacks.
* Medium planes, which will fly slowly. Some of these airplanes will fly downward to avoid attacks.
* Large planes, which take many hits to destroy. There are two types in the game: the first you encounter will fall three times before destruction and shoots a fan of bullets. The second is weaker but launches two fighter craft at you.
* Large planes, which take many hits to destroy. There are two types in the game: the first you encounter will fall three times before destruction and shoots a fan of bullets. The second is weaker but launches two fighter craft at you.
Shots from enemies will cause damage to your plane. If you are hit and don't have enough fuel, your plane is destroyed.
A formation of red planes will uncover a powerup. This may either be a single weapon, a "Pow" symbol, or an aircraft icon. The Pow symbol may be shot to allow rotating it among the four weapons, while the aircraft will summon two wingmen that protect you from two hits and increase firepower while they are active.
A formation of red planes will uncover a powerup. This may either be a single weapon, a "Pow" symbol, or an aircraft icon. The Pow symbol may be shot to allow rotating it among the four weapons, while the aircraft will summon two wingmen that protect you from two hits and increase firepower while they are active.
== Bosses ==
=== Bosses ===
At the end of the stage, you will encounter a boss. These bosses may be one of the following:
At the end of the stage, you will encounter a boss. These bosses may be one of the following:
* A fleet of ships
* A fleet of ships
Line 33:
Line 32:
To complete a boss battle, you need to destroy at least 70% of the designated targets. When you do, you will receive a bonus and your plane will be refueled at the carrier. You are allowed two chances to complete this section of the stage; there is no bonus or refueling if you don't inflict enough damage on either pass.
To complete a boss battle, you need to destroy at least 70% of the designated targets. When you do, you will receive a bonus and your plane will be refueled at the carrier. You are allowed two chances to complete this section of the stage; there is no bonus or refueling if you don't inflict enough damage on either pass.
== Weapons ==
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Aside from your basic attack, there are four weapons that you can collect:
* Shot Gun: Short range and slow-firing, but destroys incoming bullets.
* 3-Way: Shoots in 3 directions, with slow-autofire.
* Auto: Fires a large number of bullets.
* Shell: Fires shells that smash through small craft, with autofire.
* Cat: Fire the laser which is the most powerful weapon against enemies
To avoid enemy shots or planes, you can press the other button to do a roll.
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Joystick: Use the joystick to direct the Super Ace in any one of eight directions. You can move throughout a majority of the visible screen.
Fire: Press the Fire button to shoot bullets from the Super Ace. You begin the game with a double barrel gun, but you can collect power-ups that change your weapon to different kinds of ammunition. Your weapons are capable of attacking both aerial opponents and aquatic ones.
Mega Crash: By pressing the Mega Crash button, you can consume some energy and generate a supernatural phenomenon to attack every enemy on the screen. Depending on the situation and the relative position with the enemy, you may release thunder, a whirlwind, or a tsunami. This also has the effect of eliminating all enemy projectiles on the screen.
Loop: Press the Fire and Mega Crash buttons together to perform a vertical 360 degree dive in the air. While executing this maneuver, the Super-Ace is completely invulnerable to enemy fire. You can only perform so many of these, however, and the stock is indicated by the white Rs on the top of the screen.
You control the Super Ace Lockheed P-38 Lightning, with its distinctive twin booms with forward-mounted engines and a single, central nacelle containing the pilot and armament. It's a very maneuverable craft as you're about to discover. Though small, it contains all the fire power you need to take on the entire Japanese Air Defense fleet. It starts out each mission taking off from the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier. It possesses a twin guns that fire upward, ahead of the plane's flight, but they can be changed to different weapons by collecting various items (see the items page for more information.) It also possesses a limited capability of performing vertical 360 degree loops through the air, making it impervious to enemy fire and contact while performing.
Unlike the Super Ace's previous outing in 1942, the Super Ace is a little more robust thanks to the energy meter displayed on the bottom of the screen. Energy is consumed very slowly naturally over the course of flying. However, getting hit by enemy aircraft or projectiles will reduce the energy meter by a lot. Additionally, using any Mega Crash attack consumes energy. The Super Ace can sustain attacks and remain in the air as long as there is energy left. Once the meter depletes, if you get hit, the Super Ace will crash and the game will end.
Small planes, which fly about in all directions. In later stages, these craft will move more quickly or in more intricate patterns.
Medium planes, which will fly slowly. Some of these airplanes will fly downward to avoid attacks.
Large planes, which take many hits to destroy. There are two types in the game: the first you encounter will fall three times before destruction and shoots a fan of bullets. The second is weaker but launches two fighter craft at you.
A formation of red planes will uncover a powerup. This may either be a single weapon, a "Pow" symbol, or an aircraft icon. The Pow symbol may be shot to allow rotating it among the four weapons, while the aircraft will summon two wingmen that protect you from two hits and increase firepower while they are active.
At the end of the stage, you will encounter a boss. These bosses may be one of the following:
A fleet of ships
A massive airplane
A fleet of airplanes.
To complete a boss battle, you need to destroy at least 70% of the designated targets. When you do, you will receive a bonus and your plane will be refueled at the carrier. You are allowed two chances to complete this section of the stage; there is no bonus or refueling if you don't inflict enough damage on either pass.
