Field Combat is a unique vertical-scrolling shoot-’em-up released for the NES in 1985. Developed by TOSE and published by Jaleco, the game puts you in command of the Genesis, a futuristic radar warship on a hostile battlefield. Rather than just relying on your own firepower, your primary advantage is the ability to capture enemy tanks, helicopters, and infantry using your ship’s tractor beam, converting them to your side to build an army on the fly.
How to Play
Your objective is to navigate the Genesis to the top of each battlefield while destroying or absorbing the opposing red forces. When you face overwhelming numbers, you can deploy your captured units as reinforcements to fight alongside you. You also need to watch the skies for enemy UFOs that will attempt to abduct your deployed troops. Control the Genesis using the arrow keys to move, press Z to shoot your main missiles, and use X to capture units or deploy your reserves. Press Enter to start or pause the game.
Tips
- Focus on capturing helicopters and heavy tanks early in a stage; they provide much better fire support than basic infantry when deployed.
- Don’t hoard your captured units. Deploy them to create a defensive screen when the battlefield fills with enemy fire.
- Keep moving vertically. If you linger too long in one area, enemy UFOs are more likely to swoop in and steal the units you worked hard to collect.
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