Choplifter Bootleg is an unlicensed arcade copy of Sega’s 1985 System 1 hardware original, Choplifter!, itself an arcade port of Dan Gorlin’s pioneering 1982 rescue game for the Apple II. You fly a helicopter behind enemy lines to pull hostages out of guarded POW camps and ferry them back to a friendly base, all while enemy tanks, jets, and ground fire try to stop you. It’s less a shoot-’em-up than a rescue mission with combat as the obstacle: every hostage you lose or every trip you botch counts against you.
How to Play
Steer the helicopter with the arrow keys, using left/right for horizontal thrust and up/down to control altitude. Z and X are your action buttons, used to fire on tanks, jets, and gun emplacements guarding each camp. Press Shift to insert a coin and Enter to start. Land carefully near a POW camp so the hostages can board your chopper, then fly them back to base to complete the rescue โ losing hostages to enemy fire or a rough landing works against you.
Tips
- Take out visible tanks and turrets before you try to land near a camp; they’ll keep firing on you and the hostages while you’re on the ground.
- Hovering in place makes you an easy target for enemy jets, so keep moving between engagements rather than sitting still.
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