| Twin Hawk | |
|---|---|
European arcade flyer of Twin Hawk. |
|
| Developer(s) | Toaplan |
| Publisher(s) | Taito |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, PC Engine, Sega Mega Drive |
| Release date(s) | 1989 |
| Genre(s) | Scrolling shooter |
| Cabinet | Upright |
| Display | Raster, standard resolution |
Twin Hawk, known in Japan as Daisenpū (大旋風 （だいせんぷう）), is a 1989 vertically scrolling shooter arcade game developed by Toaplan and published by Taito. Due to being developed by Toaplan, it borrows elements and style of Toaplan's other arcade game Twin Cobra in look, sound and feel, but only with a World War II setting and a complete omission of flying enemies throughout four levels.
The game was extremely straight forward: the player could collect power-ups that increased the player's main machine guns from fleeing supply trucks. Beyond that the player could also pick-up extra lives and special weapon icons.
However, the player's bomb/special weapon was not necessarily a bomb as it was a group of friendly AI planes. Once called, upwards of six Flying Fortresses would guard the player's plane and provide back-up fire. The friendly planes were easily taken down by enemy fire, though (one hit), so the player had to use them wisely. By hitting the call button while the other planes were on-screen, the planes would kamikaze into the enemies below while tapping the button to call them in caused them to collide into one enormous explosion.
An active checkpoint system was involved, so the player had to be careful. The omission of flying enemies meant a complete lack of physical obstructions and a stronger focus on the numbers and speed of ground forces.
At the end of an alternate WWII, a new European country is formed called Gorongo. General Giovanni of the Gorongo military was infuriated with the results of the war and what it meant to the country of Gorongo and he initiated a rebellion against the country’s government that was widely followed by his soldiers. Holing themselves up on Bobo Island, south of Gorongo, Giovanni declared the occupation as the independent state of Fuangania and plotted to take over Gorongo. After taking over the town of Kusunoki, the Fuangania invasion - consisting of massive ground and sea attack forces - started to spread.
Gorongo President Bratt ordered a counterattack that focused on the one type of firepower Giovanni lacked: an air force. The special air force “Big Whirlwind” sets up a mountain base after spotting a secret Fuangania fortress under construction. However, nearing the end of their training, the airforce is spotted by the Fuangania and are preparing to attack. It's up to the player, in the role of the Wing Commander, to fly into Giovanni's secret base and take him and his commanding unit out.
Twin Hawk was ported a year later by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in Japan on June 23, 1990, and in Europe on July 25, 1990. During the same year, it was ported and published by NEC Avenue to the PC Engine exclusively in Japan on December 14, 1990. On July 26, 1991, an enhanced re-issue of the PC Engine version for the PC Engine CD-ROM² titled Dai Sen Pū Custom (大旋風 （だいせんぷう） カスタム) was released, which remains pretty much the same as the HuCard version with the added benefit of arranged Redbook audio soundtrack and additional stages and enemies.