A-Jax (video game)

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A-Jax
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Designer(s)Koji Hiroshita (director)
Composer(s)Motoaki Furukawa
Platform(s)Arcade, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum, X68000, PlayStation 4, Switch
ReleaseDecember 1987
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, two-player co-op

A-Jax (エー・ジャックス) is a vertically scrolling shooter released in arcades by Konami in December 1987. There was a European release of the game called Typhoon, which is the name used for Imagine Software's ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64 ports.

The players control a "Tom Tiger" helicopter (in the 2D stage) and later a "Jerry Mouse" fighter jet (in the 3D stage), and shoot enemies in the air and bomb them on the ground, collecting power-ups and defeating bosses to advance levels.

Gameplay[edit]

Left: Tom Tiger stage.
(Arcade version showcased)
Right: Jerry Mouse stage.
(Arcade version showcased)

The game takes place in a fictional 2007 where the Earth has been conquered by alien invaders. The player combats the occupation forces using vehicles under operation code named 'A-Jax' created to liberate the Earth. Game play is divided into two scrolling sections with two different vehicles: the first being a vertical scrolling section with the helicopter and a Rail scrolling stage with the jet/space fighter. The game spans eight stages and extends to 30,000 points, a second at 150,000 points.

During the helicopter segments, the player has access to four different weapons including the Vulcan, Bomb, 3-Way, Triple and Laser. Each weapon is available through their own specific pick-up icon. However, the helicopter can only equip one firing weapon at a time with the Bomb being constant. The player also has access to Options which add additional firepower. The jet segments contrast highly from the helicopter segments, they have a complete lack of available power-ups and additional weapons beyond a machine gun and bomb.

Reception[edit]

In Japan, Game Machine listed A-Jax on their January 15, 1988 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit of the year.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 324. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 January 1988. p. 21.

External links[edit]