Tiger-Heli (US)

Take to the skies in Tiger-Heli, a fast-paced vertical shooter for two players where you pilot a helicopter against waves of ground and naval targets. Your mission is to navigate four distinct stages filled with tanks, battleships, and artillery emplacements – all while avoiding enemy fire. The player’s primary weapon is an unlimited supply of missiles, supplemented by powerful bombs that can clear out large areas of the screen. Strategic use of these tools, alongside collectible power-ups like side-firing or forward-firing mini-helicopters, is key to survival. A unique feature of Tiger-Heli is its forgiving respawn system; after being hit, players are instantly transported ahead a full screen, allowing them to quickly overcome obstacles at the cost of losing lives. Bonus points are awarded for destroying everything in your path, even seemingly innocuous civilian structures like houses and oil drums - a characteristic that set it apart from many shooters of the era. Successfully completing all four stages initiates a harder loop, restarting on stage two. Beyond its core gameplay, Tiger-Heli offers secrets to discover. Players can trigger bonus point opportunities by interacting with specific objects within each level; careful observation and precise timing are rewarded. A limited soundtrack album was released in Japan years later, celebrating the game’s sound design.