Overview
Fly in. Land. Load hostages. Fly out. Choplifter combined shooting action with humanitarian objectives—rescuing prisoners from enemy territory. The helicopter could face three directions, land to collect survivors, and had to return them safely to base. Created for Apple II, it became one of the few home games adapted into an arcade version.
Fast facts
- Developer: Brøderbund.
- Designer: Dan Gorlin.
- Origin: Apple II (1982).
- Unusual: Home-to-arcade port.
Gameplay mechanics
| Element |
Function |
| Helicopter control |
Fly, hover, land |
| Three orientations |
Left, right, forward |
| Hostage capacity |
16 per trip |
| Base return |
Deposit rescued |
Threats
| Enemy |
Behaviour |
| Tanks |
Ground fire |
| Jets |
Air attack |
| Anti-aircraft |
Fixed positions |
| Drone mines |
Aerial hazards |
Hostage system
| Aspect |
Detail |
| Barracks |
Destroy to release |
| Running hostages |
Must land nearby |
| Capacity |
16 maximum |
| Friendly fire |
Can kill hostages |
Technical features
| Platform |
Notable aspect |
| Apple II |
Original version |
| Arcade |
Sega enhancement |
| Master System |
Home arcade quality |
| C64 |
Solid conversion |
Design innovation
| Element |
Impact |
| Moral objective |
Rescue, not just destroy |
| Risk/reward |
More hostages = more danger |
| Directional control |
Tactical depth |
| Home-to-arcade |
Reversed typical flow |
Legacy
| Influence |
Area |
| Rescue games |
Genre template |
| Helicopter games |
Control conventions |
| Objective variety |
Beyond pure shooting |
See also