1941: Counter Attack

1941: Counter Attack is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game by Capcom, released in February 1990. It is the prequel to 1942, and the third game in the 19XX series. It was ported to the SuperGrafx in 1991 and to GameTap. It was released on Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for the PlayStation Portable and Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was followed by 19XX: The War Against Destiny in 1996.

1941: Counter Attack
Developer(s)Capcom[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Arcade
SuperGrafx
  • JP: Hudson Soft
Director(s)Yoshiki Okamoto
Designer(s)Akira Nishitani
Noritaka Funamizu[1]
Toshihiko Uda
Programmer(s)Yoshihiro Shindome
Artist(s)Akemi Kurihara
Akira Yasuda
Sadaki Matsumoto
Composer(s)Hiromitsu Takaoka
Series194X
Platform(s)Arcade, SuperGrafx
ReleaseArcade
  • JP: February 1990
  • NA: May 1990
  • EU: 1990
SuperGrafx
  • JP: 23 August 1991
Genre(s)Vertically scrolling shooter
Mode(s)
Arcade systemCP System

Gameplay
Arcade version screenshot.

The goal is to shoot down enemy airplanes and collect weapon power-ups (POW).[2] The game uses a vitality system instead of life system in which if the player is hit, it loses one point of vitality and the player is destroyed if hit with 0 vitality then the player is given the option to continue. Lightning attacks can be used by pressing the B button which sacrifices a portion of life energy. Three loops can be performed per level and a bonus is awarded at the end of the level for unused loops. Player 1 uses a P-38 Lightning and Player 2 uses a new plane: DH.98 Mosquito. The game shifts from the original Pacific Front setting with that of the Western Front, in the north Atlantic Ocean.

It is the first shoot 'em up to add +1 to the score when a continue is used.[2]

Release

1941: Counter Attack was first released in arcades by Capcom and Electrocoin in 1990, running on the CP System board.[3][4] In February 2021, it was re-released in pack 2 of the Capcom Arcade Stadium compilation for Nintendo Switch.[5][6][7]

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed 1941: Counter Attack in its March 15, 1990 issue as the third most popular arcade game of the month.[16] The game garnered positive reception from reviewers and awards from Gamest magazine.[15][17] However, the original arcade version had mixed reception from western publications.[3][18] In contrast, the SuperGrafx conversion had very positive reception from Japanese and western critics.[19][20] Readers of PC Engine Fan voted to give the SuperGrafx version a 19.44 out of 30 score, ranking at the number 368 spot in a poll.[21]

Notes
  1. Ported to SuperGrafx by Hudson Soft

References
  1. blackoak. "Capcom 1991 Retrospective with Yoshiki Okamoto, Noritaka Funamizu, and Akira Nishitani". shmuplations.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-21. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
  2. Zverloff, Nick (August 17, 2011). "1941: Counter Attack". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  3. Hogg, Robin (March 1990). "Arcades - Electrocoin". Zzap!64. No. 59. Newsfield Publications. p. 40.
  4. Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). カプコン Capcom; Capcom USA (Capcom Coin-Op); Number. pp. 24, 113, 145. ISBN 978-4990251215. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. Russell, Graham (December 10, 2020). "Capcom Arcade Stadium Brings Retro Hits to Switch in February 2021". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  6. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 10, 2020). "News: Capcom Reveals Capcom Arcade Stadium Switch Collection of Arcade Titles - 32 games available separately or in packs in February 2021". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  7. Romano, Sal (December 10, 2020). "Capcom Arcade Stadium announced for Switch - 32 Capcom arcade classics". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  8. Baize, Anthony (1998). "1941: Counter Attack [European] (Arcade) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-14. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
  9. Loulou; Wilkie (October 1991). "Supergrafx Review - 1941: Counter Attack". Consoles + (in French). No. 2. M.E.R.7. pp. 36–38.
  10. "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: 1941". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 141. ASCII Corporation. September 6, 1991. p. 37.
  11. Huyghues-Lacour, Alain; Demoly, Jean-Marc (October 1991). "NEC | Tests: 1941". Joypad (in French). No. 1. Yellow Media. pp. 88–89.
  12. Demoly, Jean-François (October 1991). "Consoles News: Supergrafx - 1941". Joystick (in French). No. 20. Sipress. p. 155.
  13. Scamps, Olivier (October 1991). "Tests De Jeux – Super G. — 1941: Counter Attack". Player One (in French). No. 13. Média Système Édition. p. 75.
  14. Ladoire, Frank (October 1991). "Console Test: 1941 – Supergrafx". Génération 4 (in French). No. 37. Computec Media France. p. 154.
  15. ザ・ベストゲーム2 - アーケードビデオゲーム26年の歴史: ゲーメスト大賞11年史. 17 January 1998. pp. 18–19. ISBN 9784881994290. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  16. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 376. Amusement Press. 15 March 1990. p. 25.
  17. "極楽VGブラザーズ: 1941 (カプコン)". Beep! Mega Drive (in Japanese). No. 6. SoftBank Creative. March 1990. p. 97.
  18. Locker, Anatol; Gaksch, Martin (July 1990). "Power Tests Automatenspiele — Fang' den Hut". Power Play (in German). No. 28. Future Verlag. p. 133.
  19. "1941: Counter Attack". Gekkan PC Engine (in Japanese). Shogakukan. 1991.
  20. "1941: Counter Attack". Marukatsu PC Engine (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. 1991.
  21. "PC Engine All Catalog '93 10月号特別付録 - 1941: Counter Attack". PC Engine Fan (in Japanese). Vol. 6, no. 10. Tokuma Shoten. October 1, 1993. p. 70.
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