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Captain Skyhawk

NES

NES

No one noticed when they landed, and now it might be too late to stop them! In remote corners of the globe, alien invaders are draining Earth's energy and "feeding" it to their space station. When the power drain is complete, the aliens plan to vaporize Earth with a deadly laser blast. You're ...

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Developer
Rare

Released on
1990

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Shooter

Publisher
Nintendo

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

No one noticed when they landed, and now it might be too late to stop them! In remote corners of the globe, alien invaders are draining Earth’s energy and “feeding” it to their space station. When the power drain is complete, the aliens plan to vaporize Earth with a deadly laser blast.

You’re Captain Skyhawk – the only person who can stop them! Climb aboard your hi-tech F-14VTS jet – fully equipped with the latest in deadly weapons. A unique spy satellite viewer lets you see your entire plane as you battle alien forces over amazing gridscape graphics. Whether you’re soaring over mountains at Mach 3 or floating in hover mode, your F-14VTS will measure up to any challenge! When you run out of firepower, just rocket up to your space station and load up with Phoenix missiles, Hawk bombs and more!

The final challenge is still to come. You must destroy the dreaded alien space station! Fire up your afterburners, Captain! It’s time to fry some aliens!

Captain Skyhawk

Overview & History

Released by Rare in 1990 and published by Milton Bradley, Captain Skyhawk is a technically ambitious vertically scrolling and free-roaming shooter for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game casts players as ace pilot Captain Skyhawk, tasked with defending Earth from an invasion by the alien Confederacy of Ordered Systems (C.O.S.). To save the planet, you must pilot your advanced supersonic fighter, the VF-01, across multiple hazardous worlds, destroy the alien dreadnoughts, and ultimately rescue a captured Federation scientist.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Captain Skyhawk stands out in the NES library for its dynamic mix of gameplay perspectives. Levels alternate between intense, forward-scrolling aerial dogfights and unique 360-degree free-roaming aerial exploration sequences where players must actively track down enemy installations and fuel depots on a radar grid. Between missions, players must also successfully dock with orbiting space stations in a challenging first-person minigame to restock ammunition and repair shield damage. Power-ups scattered throughout stages upgrade your weaponry from standard dual lasers to devastating homing missiles and plasma bombs, essential for overcoming the relentless onslaught of alien fighters and heavily fortified ground turrets.