Sinclair ZX Spectrum

SWIV

SWIV is a 2D vertically scrolling Shoot 'em up game originally released in 1991 for the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC home computer formats. It was converted to the Game Boy Color in 2001. The game was considered a spiritual successor to Tecmo arcade game Silkworm, which The Sales Curve had previously converted to home computer formats in 1989. The game's heritage is evident from the game design whereby one player pilots a helicopter, and the other an armoured Jeep. SWIV is not an official sequel, as noted by ex-Sales Curve producer Dan Marchant: "SWIV wasn't really a sequel to Silkworm, but it was certainly inspired by it and several other shoot-'em-ups that we had played and loved."[1] In the game's own manual (for the Amiga, at least), however, it was explained that "SWIV" was both an acronym for "Special Weapons Interdiction Vehicle" and also short for "Silkworm IV" (even though there was not a Silkworm II or III). SWIV is a vertically scrolling shoot-em-up which plays in a typical fashion to other games in its genre. The player chooses between using either a helicopter or a jeep at the beginning of the game and then plays in their chosen vehicles through scrolling levels, shooting at oncoming enemies. If two players are present, both vehicles will be used at once. Certain enemies when shot drop shield power-ups which can be either picked up to afford temporarily invincibility or detonated to destroy all enemies onscreen. Every so often a boss enemy will attack. The destruction of these bosses will give upgrades to the player's forward firing gun.