Choplifter is an action game for the NES, originally released in 1982, in which you pilot a military helicopter into enemy territory on a rescue mission. Your job is to locate fortified bunkers holding hostages, shoot them open to free the captives, pick them up, and fly them back to your base — all while enemy tanks, jets, and infantry work to shoot you and your passengers out of the sky.
How to Play
Fly left across the scrolling map to reach the enemy compound. Destroying a bunker releases the hostages inside; once they emerge, land nearby so they can board, then carry them back to the base on the right. Your helicopter can rotate between three facing directions — left, right, and forward — and the forward-facing position lets you strafe ground targets directly below you. Land carefully: setting down on top of hostages kills them, and enemy fire can cut them down while they are still on the ground.
Arrow keys move the helicopter. X and Z handle firing and rotating your facing direction. Enter starts the game; Shift is Select.
Tips
- Switch to the forward-facing position when attacking tanks and soldiers below — side shots are ineffective against ground targets.
- Enemy jets are the most dangerous threat in the air; deal with them before turning your attention to the ground.
- Touch down a short distance from hostages and let them walk to you rather than landing directly on the group.
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