1942: Joint Strike is a vertical scrolling shooter that takes place in an alternate version of World War II where fighter planes come equipped with laser beams and can destroy multiple enemies with a single attack. It's neither the deepest or flashiest shooter, but we enjoyed blasting hundreds of enemy planes, tanks and warships, not only to beat the game, but to see where we ranked on the leaderboards. In addition, the game's best feature, cooperative play, sets it apart from the competition, as we and a friend teamed up to save the world from evil.
Like most shooters, 1942 kicks our butts, but Capcom was wise in giving us four difficulty levels (Penguin, Slick Sleeve, Dragon Fly or Wing King) and three selectable planes (Mosquito, Shinden or Lightning), each sporting different abilities. At least this way, we can enjoy the game without getting beatdown by the computer. If you consider yourself "hardcore," however, you can always square off against the best Joint Strike has to offer with a measly two lives to finish the game. Good luck with that.
Throughout the game's five action-packed levels, you'll sail over a steaming volcano and zip through what appears to be war-torn London and other locales, destroying waves of bad guys using a host of weapons, from rapid fire bullets, a spread shot, blue lasers and other toys. In addition, you have a limited number of heat-seeking missiles as well as a looping attack that delivers a wicked punch to anything on screen, which is always handy for annihilating numerous weaker enemies.
Furthermore, the game's offers a few intense scenarios guaranteed to get your fingers twitching. One, in particular, comes after defeating the first boss. After smashing it to pieces, your ship takes damage and you find yourself pursued by an enormous enemy fighter. Your goal is twofold: avoid getting hit by it and the smaller planes littering the screen, and to collect as many medals as possible.
Of course, you won't get the most from 1942 unless you play co-op with a friend, either locally or through Xbox Live/PlayStation Network. It's a lot easier beating the game with a buddy, especially since you can team up to perform Joint Strikes, where you both work together and unleash a powerful attack, such as a chain of lightning flowing between both ships that takes out whatever gets in its destructive path.
That being said, it only takes 30 minutes or less to beat the game, so if you don't care about comparing high scores and times on leaderboards, 1942 won't hold your interest very long. However, the short length is clearly one of those "glass is half empty" situations. Either you'll balk at it and never play the game again (keep in mind that most shooters aren't lengthy), or you'll revel in being able to quickly rack up new point totals or get some game time before heading to work.
We love hopping into the game and getting our fix, so for us, 1942: Joint Strike is an essential purchase. It doesn't have the best graphics or special effects, but for a $10 download through PlayStation Network or Xbox Live, you get a cool shooter that harks back to the franchise's glory days, so put on your goggles and take flight. Your country needs you.
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