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Legendary Wings

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Legendary Wings is an arcade shooter influenced by Greek mythology. A heroic figure from ancient times thrust into a strange futuristic world, you must fight your way through six levels to defeat "The Devil" and save the day. The primary gameplay mode is a top-down, vertical-scrolling shooter ...

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Developer
Capcom

Released on
1986

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Legendary Wings is an arcade shooter influenced by Greek mythology. A heroic figure from ancient times thrust into a strange futuristic world, you must fight your way through six levels to defeat “The Devil” and save the day.

The primary gameplay mode is a top-down, vertical-scrolling shooter similar to Xevious and Capcom’s own 1943. Your main weapon is used to attack flying enemies, and your secondary missile weapon is used to attack fixed placement, land-based enemies. Numerous powerups are available along the way, and these both improve your weapons and your resistance to damage (every “upgrade” is worth a free hit from enemies without dying).

Several secondary gameplay modes (Danger, Lucky, and Palace) are also triggered at key points in the vertical-scrolling mode. All of the secondary modes are side-scrolling shooters. The Danger stage requires you to face a gauntlet of enemies, while the Lucky stage is full of powerups, game continues, and other bonuses. The Palace stage is triggered when you defeat a mini-boss; you must get past the palace defenses before you can face the end-of-stage boss. And, oh yeah…don’t get crushed by those walls!

Legendary Wings

Overview & History

Released by Capcom in 1986, Legendary Wings (known in Japan as Ares no Tsubasa or Wing of Ares) is a visually striking coin-op arcade game that blends vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up action with side-scrolling platforming elements. Set in a mythical sci-fi antiquity, the storyline follows two brave human warriors gifted with mechanical wings by the Greek god Ares. Their sacred mission is to infiltrate a sprawling, biomechanical floating fortress controlled by a rogue supercomputer known as the Dark Core, which threatens to annihilate human civilization. The game is celebrated for its unique alternating perspective, shifting dynamically from sweeping aerial bombardments to intense ground-based platform crawling upon entering enemy fortresses. Capcom later ported the title to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989, but the original arcade cabinet remains the definitive experience due to its vibrant sprites, challenging difficulty curve, and unforgettable coin-op atmosphere.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Legendary Wings challenges players across distinct operational phases. During aerial stages, players maneuver their winged heroes over ruins, clouds, and oceans, firing dual forward projectile shots at swarms of mythical and mechanical foes while dodging incoming return fire. To survive, players must collect power-up icons that upgrade their weapons into devastating spread-shots and lasers, or grant temporary invincibility shields. Periodically, players must bomb ground-based fortress entryways to transition into the labyrinthine underground platforming segments. In these side-scrolling sections, the perspective shifts: players must jump across treacherous gaps, avoid toxic pools, and defeat heavily armed sentinels before the stage timer expires. At the end of these trials lies a massive guardian boss requiring precise positioning and relentless assault. The two-player simultaneous co-op mode adds a frantic strategic element, allowing partners to share screen space and obliterate bosses with coordinated firepower.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move character in 8 directions (flying and walking)
Action Keys: Attack / Jump (Shoot aerial or ground projectiles; jump across gaps in platforming stages)
Enter: Start / Pause