1942: Joint Strike (Xbox Live Arcade) Review
Posted by Dan Hirsch on 08.05.2008
The arcade favorite gets a brand new game for the next generation, and delivers!
Those who have been looking for new games featuring their favorite coin-op classics are in for a real treat. 1942 has made its way over to the 360 and is looking great in HD. 1942: Joint Strike is the series latest iteration available for download on Xbox Live Arcade. The game doesn’t disappoint as it takes players through various World War II locales to fight hordes of enemy planes, tanks, ships, and quite a number of absurdly gigantic enemy bosses.
The game play fans know and love is back with a few new twists. 1942: Joint Strike, like the other incarnations of the game, is a vertical scrolling shooter. Players take choose from 1 of 3 WWII era planes (the Shinden, Mosquito, and Lightning) and try to blast away as many enemy units as possible to rack up a high score. The 3 planes feature different health, speed, power, and missile capabilities, allowing the gamer to choose a plane that caters to their unique playing style. Levels are filled with scores of different enemies which can be shot down in a variety of ways. Power-ups are available to change the spread and power of standard attacks, bombs can be utilized to clear the entire screen of enemies, and a homing missile system is ready to take out pesky enemies or overwhelming numbers of baddies in the single player mode.
New to the 1942 series is the Joint Strike system. When playing with a buddy either locally or over Xbox Live, dual attacks can be performed. Players can choose from 3 special attacks: Shot link fires a blast between planes, killing all enemies between them. Chain Lightning connects the 2 planes together with a continuous stream of lighting; any enemies caught in the middle are toast. Finally, Clash Blast charges up a mini bomb that blows up wherever the player aims it, making it especially useful for boss battles.
The technical end of 1942 is rock solid. Because 1942: Joint Strike is a brand new game and not a port, it is presented in full HD 16:9. Simply put: no annoying boarders clogging up half the screen. Players utilize the entire screen as opposed to a small portion. Adding more than just a full screen, Backbone Entertainment provided gamers with a nice visual treat with this latest effort in the 1942 franchise. The game shines with its simplistic yet stylized levels, enemies, and bosses. Even the menu screens have a nice a bit of character to them. Falling just short of the graphical high points, music and sound drop just a notch below the visuals. The sound effects are varied but nothing new. It’s a very standard sound palette that works, but doesn’t blow anyone out of the water. However, they do contribute the game play experience in a positive manner and adequately do their job.
The 411:
1942: Joint Strike is quite a fun little game. This vertical scrolling shooter brings back its traditional game play and then builds upon it. Single player shines as entertaining arcade experience. Co-op over Xbox Live is a welcome addition for those looking for some online tag teaming when no one is available for local play. The game has a great look and feel to it and takes advantage of the detailing and clarity that HD provides. 1942 is more forgiving and easier to master than its other XBLA counterparts, like Ikaruga. This lends itself to being an easier game to pick up and play. But with 4 difficulty modes, those looking for a challenge will be able to find it.
Graphics
8.0
The game proves to be a visual treat in HD with a huge amount of detail and variety.
Gameplay
8.0
Its an enhanced version of the classic arcade game that only adds to fun.
Sound
6.0
A pretty much standard array of music and sound effects to go with the game.
Lasting Appeal
7.0
It’s a great as a pick up and play or going back to try beat previous scores in single or multiplayer.
Fun Factor
7.0
Featuring a variety of planes, tons of enemies, several difficulties, and an online multiplayer, 1942: Joint Strike shapes up to be a very enjoyable gaming experiences.
