In 1987, Capcom launched "1943: The Battle of Midway," a vertically scrolling shooter for arcades that served as the first sequel to their earlier hit, "1942." In this game, players take on the role of American forces battling against the Japanese air fleet, reflecting Capcom's strategic approach to appeal to Western audiences. The title pays homage to the historic Battle of Midway, which took place in June 1942.

Set against the backdrop of the Pacific theater during World War II, the game immerses players in the intense conflict off the coast of the Midway Atoll, where the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces serve as the main antagonists. Players step into the shoes of an unnamed U.S. Navy ace pilot fuelled by a desire for revenge. Their mission is to take down the Japanese naval air forces responsible for attacking the American aircraft carrier, annihilate all enemy air and sea units, and navigate through 16 challenging stages of combat. The ultimate goal? To defeat the formidable battleship Yamato, the game’s climactic final boss.

Of the 16 stages, 11 are dedicated to air-to-sea battles featuring either a battleship or an aircraft carrier as the boss, while the remaining 5 focus on all-aerial skirmishes. In the aerial stages, players must engage either a squadron of strategic bombers or tackle a single heavy bomber, which demands skilful targeting to destroy its engines for a successful takedown.

In this game, reminiscent of 1942, you pilot a P-38 Lightning. The controls have a familiar feel: pressing button 1 unleashes your main weapons, while button 2 allows for two special maneuvers. You can execute one of three lightning attacks, which will use up some of your fuel, or perform a loop maneuver by pressing buttons 1 and 2 together, just like in the classic 1942.

Players have only one life, represented by a large "fuel" meter that steadily decreases but can be replenished by collecting various power-ups. In two-player mode, if both players' planes overlap on-screen, the player with more fuel can transfer some of their energy to assist the other. Taking down a complete formation of red enemy planes rewards you with power-ups, which can include health boosts or new main weapons.

Upon it’s release in Japan the game faced criticism from Japanese right-wing politicians for having players fight and kill Japanese military. Producer Yoshiki Okamoto, said that he didn’t think at the time how sensitive this could be and that making the player play from the side of the war’s winners made sense. He also claimed that the game differs from actual battles that occurred in the war.

There are numerous cheat codes that can be accessed for each level. We will leave them for you to find out. Our 1943 is in a lovely Silverline cab.