NES - 1943 The Battle Of Midway
July 25, 2008 - 9:19 pm - Posted by Sean R.
The NES edition of 1942 was pretty lame, but this sophisticated sequel improves upon its predecessor in every way.
Before each mission you’re allotted a certain number of points to configure your plane based on offensive power, defensive power, energy level, and special weapons.
1943’s graphics are noticeably improved, with clouds in the sky and a better variety of enemies on land and sea.
Several effective power-ups are also available, including a devastating five-way shot.
In addition to your normal cannon, you can fire an extra powerful shot, or unleash a “smart bomb” that obliterates every enemy on the screen.
The “evasive maneuver” is performed by pressing both buttons simultaneously.
Unlike 1942, taking a hit won’t instantly destroy you - it just drains your energy. Upon meeting your demise, a password is provided, along with an option to continue.
Do you remember that incessant beeping of 1942… doot doot beep beep. Gah! It makes me want to break the cartridge into pieces.
But there is hope because 1943 features some nice upbeat music without all that freaking beeping… and there was much rejoicing… yay!
A satisfying shooter with surprising depth, the game’s only real disappointment is the lack of a two-player mode.
If you own an NES then you should definitely have this game in your collection. You will not be disappointed.
You can usually find it on eBay for less then $8.00 USD or you might get lucky and find it for less at a garage sale or thrift store in your local area.
One Response to “NES - 1943 The Battle Of Midway”
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I loved 1943 when I was a kid. I liked that your “bomb” was a sheet of lightning whose usage was limited only to your own health count, I liked that it used real vehicles (or at least their names; that’s probably not the most realistic video game rendition of a P-38 Lightning that’s out there, let alone the Zeros, Japanese battleships, etc….), and I liked that it’s a game about a famous Japanese defeat made by a Japanese company for a Japanese console. Even when I was ten I could see the irony in that.