Under Defeat - Gameplay

Gameplay

The engine is simplistic in design and execution (machine gun and bomb buttons), but there are a multitude of strategies that you can employ. You have 3 basic forms of attack:

• Machine Gun

By holding down the X button, you fire a continuous stream of bullets. This is your primary weapon throughout the game.

• Bomb

Beginning each life with 3, you can accumulate up to 6. Pressing A button unleashes a screen-devastating blast, destroying most enemies instantly. This also protects you from all enemy fire, but not collisions.

• Options

Your helicopter has one of three possible weapon assists during the course of the game. These provide extra firepower, and using the right one at any given time determines how tough certain battles and stages will be.

Your helicopter can move in 8 directions, though your move speed is fixed in relation to the stage's scroll speed. Also, the option to have your left/right directions reversed (pilot style) or not is presented before actual play begins.

The best feature, though not really affecting gameplay itself, is the multiple resolution modes. Clicking the R button provides you with 4 resolution modes, one which rotates the whole screen 90 degrees to the right so the entire viewable space is the stage itself (removing the two characters' profiles on either side of the screen, taking up 50% of the space). This means, though, that you have to turn your television on its side. If you are able to do it, then it's a definite perk.