1944: The Loop Master (Japan 000620)

Capcom CPS-II cart. published 25 years ago:

1944 - The Loop Master (c) 2000 Capcom Company, Limited.

Warbirds Fly Again!

- TECHNICAL -

Runs on the "CP System II" hardware.
Green Board [Japan]

Main CPU: Motorola 68000 (@ 11.8MHz).
Sound CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 8MHz).
Sound Chips: Q-Sound (@ 4MHz).

Screen Orientation: Horizontal.
Screen Resolution: 384x224
Refresh Rate: 59.629403Hz
Palette Colours: 4096

Controls: 8-way joystick (per player)
Buttons: 2 (per player)
= > [A] Shot/Charging, [B] Bomb

- TRIVIA -

1944 - The Loop Master was released on June 20, 2000 in Japan. It was known as the 33th CPS-2 game.

Known export release:
[US] "1944 - The Loop Master [Blue Board]"

Like many other large companies as-of-late, Capcom has started farming out the programing of their games to third party companies. In this case, 1944 was made by 'Eighting / Raizing' and published by Capcom.

The Stage Clear background music samples "Green Onions", an instrumental piece by the R&B band 'Booker T. & the M.G.'s', released in 1962.

The game forbids the initials 'SEX' on the high score table. If you try, it gets changed to 'CAP'.

Default High-score table 'Score ranking':
(Rank - Name - Score - Stage - Destroy rate)
1st CAP 1000000pts. 3st1 90%
2nd COM 900000pts. 3st1 85%
3rd CAP 800000pts. 3st1 80%
4th COM 700000pts. 2st1 75%
5th CAP 600000pts. 2st1 70%
6th COM 500000pts. 2st1 65%
7th CAP 400000pts. 1st1 60%
8th COM 300000pts. 1st1 55%
9th CAP 200000pts. 1st1 50%
10th COM 100000pts. 1st1 45%

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

* The game features 15 stages & bosses:
Stage 01: The Deep Blue - Boss: High Speed Destroyer 'Nagi'
Stage 02: Iron Beast Warcry - Boss: New type heavy tank 'Shouto'
Stage 03: Jungle Fight - Boss: Prototype Attacker 'Akane'
Stage 04: The Rock Fortress - Boss: Cruising Tank 'Noroshi'
Stage 05: Eagle Territory - Boss: Intercontinental Bomber 'Kyuoh'
Stage 06: Devil Mountain - Boss: Special Attacker 'Haruka'
Stage 07: Nightmare Valley - Boss: Anti-Submarine Battle Cruiser 'Kai'
Stage 08: Fields Of War - Boss: Multi-Cannon Tank 'Ishizue'
Stage 09: Muddy Interceptor - Boss: Middle Class Bomber 'Akatsuki'
Stage 10: Storm Fortress - Boss: Super Gigantic Battleship 'Kaijin'
Stage 11: Oil Legion - Boss: Anti-Aircraft Battleship 'Yu'
Stage 12: Leviathan's Mouth - Boss: Twin-Bodied Transporter 'Take'
Stage 13: Battle Of Green Field - Boss: Gigantic Fighter 'Arashi'
Stage 14: The Last Duel - Boss: Railed Tank 'Goku'
Stage 15: Bell Of Triumph - Boss: Moving Fortress 'Appare Toride'

After destroying Stage 15 boss, the game ends if stage layout is set to 1 loop, or the game continues with stage 1 with enemy firing faster bullets, if the stage layout is set to endless.

* Hold FIRE to charge guns. When it is fully charged release FIRE. The plane will be INVINCIBLE for a short period of time and fire powerful low range projectiles. Then the guns will overheat preventing you from charging them for a short time.

* The mini fighters that appear beside your plane are destroyed after taking two hits. Destroyed side fighters are replaced if you have more in stock. During charge attacking or when there is no bomb, pushing BOMB makes side fighters charge forward for a powerful suicide attack.

- SERIES -

1. 1942 (1984)
2. 1943 - Midway Kaisen (1987)
3. 1943 Kai - Midway Kaisen (1988)
4. 1941 - Counter Attack [B-Board 89625B-1] (1990)
5. 19XX - The War Against Destiny [Green Board] (1995)
6. 1944 - The Loop Master [Green Board] (2000)
7. 1942 - Joint Strike (2008, PSN/XBLA)

- CONTRIBUTE -

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