This time, we're strapping in for a helicopter mission to achieve just the bare minimum of game-playing experience!
#1: And it's not just ANY helicopter mission...evidently during this mission, we'll:
#2: featuring that "we're not really trying" feel that ROMSTAR is known for!
So, you're a helicopter.
You fly around and shoot at planes. And boats. And soldiers. And tanks.
But don't think you have to pull a
Xevious, firing bullets at air-targets and bombing ground-targets: somehow your gunfire targets whatever is in a straight line in front of you. Talk about Magic Missiles!
#3: And speaking of missiles...there's Power-Ups a-go-go
You can pick up "Smart Bombs", which both kill all enemies on the screen AND destory incoming projectiles. That last bit's pretty neat; it means instead of just clearing the screen, if you're paying attention you can use them to save yourself from being shot down.
Then, they blow it with the Shifting Power-Ups for your main gun: Not only is the "shifting power-up" thing kind of tricky: every gun power-up shifts through different power-ups in a set order, and you pick it up when its the one you want. This is kind of annoying, given there's about 6 different power-ups it cycles through and the screen auto-scrolls. (Unfortunately the SPEED-ups are also mixed in with this, so you'll want to grab some of them if you want to be able to survive!)
Anyway, back to weapon power-ups: there ARE some interesting armaments -- you can Double your missiles (all enemies take a few shots to destroy, so that's certainly welcome); or you can get a number of other choices (firing backwards, for example) -- OR if you choose the right one, you can get a Super-Cuts-Through-Everything-in-One-Hit Laser Cannon. By creating one overpowered weapon, they've shot their whole "buncha things, some stackable" system all to hell.
#4: Blow the roofs off stuff, rescue hostages...
...and READ 'EM AND WEEP with the end-of-level score tallies!
again, your missiles and bullets can rip the tops off "shootable" parts of ships, but will completely ignore the hostages underneath. However, touching them with your helicopter (somehow) spirits them away to complete safety!
But at the end of the level, it tallies up your total kills by enemy type, and total hostages rescued. That's kind of neat, I guess...
Well, kind of bland, but that's the ROMSTAR modus operendi.
But I guess there IS one more thing to add...
WARNING!! the end of every level contains...
...HOT HELICOPTER-ON-STEALTH-BOMBER REFUELING ACTION!
— carlmarksguy, 2016-09-19