Air Duel
Encyclopedia
Air Duel is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up
arcade game
released by Irem in 1990
. You can select from a fighter jet or helicopter
, shoot enemies in the air and ground, collect power-up
s, and defeat bosses
to advance levels.
The game differs from most others in the genre in that you can change the aircraft you use at the start of each new level. The fighter always shoots straight forward, though power ups multiply the width and power of its shots. The helicopter can spray shots diagonally, but always fires a narrow beam. Power ups give it more rapid fire.
There are no different kinds of weapons, only different levels of power, and losing a life resets your power to the level you start with. "Air Duel" is a challenging game, and later levels become nearly unplayable if a single life is lost.
Both the fighter and the helicopter also start with three bombs which wipe out everything in their path, including enemy shots. Additional bombs can be picked up during the course of the game.
While far less successful than the classic Irem shooter "R-type," "Air Duel" provides an early example of the post-apocalyptic style that can be seen in other Irem games, such as "Undercover Cops" and "In the Hunt." Some of the Irem staff left to form Nazca, and stylistic similarities appear throughout the "Metal Slug" series.
A sequel to "Air Duel," Air Assault, was released in 1993
.
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
released by Irem in 1990
1990 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*Bonk's Adventure is released for NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and is the first US appearance of Bonk, the mascot of the TurboGrafx-16.*February 12 — Nintendo releases the NES game Super Mario Bros. 3 in North America...
. You can select from a fighter jet or helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, shoot enemies in the air and ground, collect power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s, and defeat bosses
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
to advance levels.
The game differs from most others in the genre in that you can change the aircraft you use at the start of each new level. The fighter always shoots straight forward, though power ups multiply the width and power of its shots. The helicopter can spray shots diagonally, but always fires a narrow beam. Power ups give it more rapid fire.
There are no different kinds of weapons, only different levels of power, and losing a life resets your power to the level you start with. "Air Duel" is a challenging game, and later levels become nearly unplayable if a single life is lost.
Both the fighter and the helicopter also start with three bombs which wipe out everything in their path, including enemy shots. Additional bombs can be picked up during the course of the game.
While far less successful than the classic Irem shooter "R-type," "Air Duel" provides an early example of the post-apocalyptic style that can be seen in other Irem games, such as "Undercover Cops" and "In the Hunt." Some of the Irem staff left to form Nazca, and stylistic similarities appear throughout the "Metal Slug" series.
A sequel to "Air Duel," Air Assault, was released in 1993
1993 in video gaming
-Events:*March — In Sweden, the Swedish video game magazine Super PLAY starts. The original name is Super Power.*Midway Games embroiled in controversy for its game Mortal Kombat from 1992 when the game is launched for video game consoles in 1993....
.
External links