1UP writes: "Chances are, if you remember the days when pizza parlors were jam-packed with cocktail-style arcade cabinets (sticky with the residue of countless grubby pizza-coated hands, screens obscured by rings from countless soft drink cups), you remember Capcom's 1942. The company's breakout title was a simple top-down shooter by today's standards, but in 1984 it was rather dazzling, combining the ship patterns of Galaga with a great power-up system and a ridiculous number of challenging stages. It was repetitive, sure, and the soundtrack was less "music" than "someone blowing morse code on a steel whistle." Even so, it's fondly remembered. And its sequels improved considerably on its ideas.
Capcom seems to be on a mad spree of reviving its old franchises via digitial delivery, and unsurprisingly the 1942 series is one of the first to benefit from an HD facelift. Unlike Bionic Commando Rearmed, though, 1942: Joint Strike isn't simply a high-spec remake. That's a good thing, because unlike Bionic Commando, the original arcade version of 1942 doesn't hold up too well by today's standards. Developer Backbone Entertainment seems to realize the classic's limits and has instead created a sort of reimagined version of the game drawing from the entire series. Joint Strike has more in common with the gameplay mechanics of later sequels like 1944 and 194X, yet it still feels very much like the spiritual successor of the game that launched Capcom to success".
PSU takes another look back at some of the digital delights found Inside PlayStation Network.
Capcom Europe has today announced a brand new price promotion for five of its most popular downloadable titles. European PlayStation Network members will be able to get hold of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD, Marvel VS Capcom 2, Super Puzzle Fighter, Age of Booty and 1942 for a reduced price over a set period in the coming months.
VGC writes: "Classic top-down shooters have always been a blast to play. Having to face off against wave after wave of multiple types of enemies at once has been the pinnacle of this genre. There have been many games, like Ikaruga, that have tried to change up gameplay mechanics, but most of the time the games always fall back onto the genre's core style. This isn't a bad thing though. It allows the player to reminisce about all the games of this genre that have came before it."
