is a

rail shooter Rail shooter, also known as on-rails shooter, is a subgenre of shoot 'em up video game. Beginning with arcade games such as the 1985 '' Space Harrier'', the gameplay locks the player character into a set path, only allowing for limited or no di ...

video game released by

Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, Toy, toys, arcade cabinets, and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, Vending machine, vending machines, and Juk ...

in 1985 as an

arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...

as well as for the

Family Computer The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the U ...

. Controlling a Japanese World War II monoplane, the player assumes the role of the pilot of the respective naval aircraft who is required to destroy enemies to clear stages.

Gameplay

In ''Sky Destroyer'', the player controls a plane, equipped with machine guns and torpedoes and ammunition is unlimited. The color of the sky changes according to the time of the day (afternoon, evening, night).

F6F Hellcat The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second ...

s (

F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contracts ...

s in the Arcade Version) are common enemy fighter planes the player will encounter. Occasionally, the player would run into a

B-24 The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...

bomber and has to shoot each of its four engines before the B-24 flies away. Sometimes when player has shot down a number of B-24s, they would encounter a falling satellite across the screen. A high number of points would be rewarded if the satellite gets destroyed. There are bonus stages in this game. Enemy resistance comes not only from the air, but from land and sea as well. Sometimes, an American naval destroyer or submarine would try to down the player's plane with anti-aircraft fire. Aircraft carriers can sometimes be seen in the distant horizon but can still be sunk with torpedoes. At the end of a stage, the player faces a mobile shore battery on an island. This battery must be destroyed in order to complete the mission. If the player is hit even just once by enemy fire, his plane crashes and he loses one life point. The game is over when all life points are used up.

Reception

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Sky Destroyer'' on their December 15, 1985 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.

References

{{reflist 1985 video games Arcade video games Japan-exclusive video games Magical Company games Nintendo Entertainment System games Single-player video games Taito arcade games Video games developed in Japan World War II video games