A-Jax (video game)

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.

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
Release	December 1987
Genre(s)	Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, two-player (alternating)

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

Left: Tom Tiger stage.
(Arcade version showcased)

Right: Jerry Mouse stage.
(Arcade version showcased)

The game takes place in a fictional 2007, where an unnamed nuclear superpower had been working with aliens to construct an artificial planetoid. However, the aliens betrayed and invaded the superpower, cutting off all communication with the rest of the world, then beginning a conquest of the planet. Determined to prevent the aliens from using the planetoid to deploy nuclear weapons with impunity, the United Nations deploy the elite strike force A-Jax to cripple the alien campaign and destroy the planetoid.

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 air-to-air weapons (Vulcan, 3-Way, Triple, Laser) and air-to-ground bombs. Each air-to-air weapon is available through their own specific pick-up icon, while picking up a B upgrades the bombs' speed and power. However, the helicopter can only equip one air-to-air 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

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]