Nova 2001 (Japan)

Nova 2001 is a two-player horizontal scrolling shooter released in Japan by UPL in 1983. Players control spacecraft and navigate through varied environments, battling waves of enemies while attempting to destroy large formations and bosses. Utilizing an 8-way joystick and two buttons for movement and firing, the game provides a straightforward but challenging experience focused on precision and coordination between players. The visuals are presented in a resolution of 240x192 pixels with a palette of 32 colors. The game’s soundtrack is produced by General Instrument AY8910 sound chips. Nova 2001 serves as the first entry in a series, followed later by Ark Area in 1987. The title was ported to Sony PlayStation 4 consoles in both Japan and Australia, appearing as part of the "Arcade Archives" releases. It runs on a Zilog Z80 processor at 3 MHz with sound provided by two General Instrument AY8910 chips operating at 2 MHz.