Classic top-down shooters have always been a blast to play. Having to face off against wave after wave of multiple types of enemies at once has been the pinnacle of this genre. There have been many games, like Ikaruga, that have tried to change up gameplay mechanics, but most of the time the games always fall back onto the genre's core style. This isn't a bad thing though. It allows the player to reminisce about all the games of this genre that have came before it.

1942: Joint Strike sets itself into an alternate reality WWII where weapons technology is far more advanced and giant enemy gunships roam the county side waiting to destroy you. Some of the enemies you face are very similar to what Germany used during the 1940s, like the Junker style aircrafts - both small and large. There are also some of the smaller Japanese style aircrafts in there. Tanks and anti-air turrets dot the countryside adding to the mix of enemies needing to be taken down. Each one of the selectable planes has different attributes like being slightly more maneuverable, possessing higher attack power, and stronger defense. Unfortunately, there is not enough change between the three to really tell the difference. The only thing that can get annoying is the repetitive boss fights. You fight virtually the same bosses over and over again. They just evolve a bit each time to give you a more difficult challenge.

The game is set in a 2.5D perspective that visually looks relatively good. When using the bombs, your aircraft will do a back-flip allowing you to see the detail on the underside of your plane. Like stated above, all aircrafts are modeled after WWII aircrafts and vehicles except for the bosses. They are extremely different in their own manner considering there was never a giant tank with 5 turrets that shots bombs and missiles. Still, the game mid-map does give you a short black and white scene with a film projector noise that makes it seem like you're a hero of that war. Sadly, this is pretty much all you get in terms of any sense of a story.

Audio is one of the things that never really changes from top down shooter to top down shooter and 1942: Joint Strike is no exception. The main theme is a bit of an upbeat tune that makes you feel like a soldier. There is a bit of an increase in tempo when facing a boss but again this is traditionally how things are in the genre. The weapons sounds are very clear and crisp, but they are similar to the sounds that can be heard in any other top-down shooter.

Some classics in this genre tend to have issues with screen tearing and over crowding issues with the amount of enemies, but luckily this game doesn't. With the 3D space giving land, air, and sea placement, enemies have enough places to pop-up but there is never over crowding issues where there is not a chance you will survive. There are severe technical issues with the online multiplayer rendering it unplayable. The worst of the glitches can completely crash the game.

Playing by yourself, or better yet with a friend, allows for hours of enjoyment of this classic style of gameplay. During each wave you focus on defeating everything that moves or shoots towards your plane. There are two weapons and three different special attacks at your disposal. One of the weapons is the typical upgradable machine gun, which can be upgraded to shoot lasers or a wider spread of bullets. Your gun can also charge up a powerful blast that can rip through most enemies. The bomb is the final and very limited weapon. It has the ability to wipe out every basic enemy on screen and will do massive damage to the bosses. Special attacks are very different. There is chain lightning that appears between you and your teammate's plane that bounces between enemies unlucky enough to get in-between, an energy beam that bounces between enemies in front of you, and a powerful burst of energy that takes out enemies in front of you.

Replayability is one of the major issues with this style of game. Without working online play this game is slightly hindered, but the enjoyment of playing the campaign at a party, with a friend, or solo is still blast no matter how many times you play through it. The campaign is roughly two hours of gameplay, depending on difficulty and skill, so there is enough there to keep you busy and at the same time it is short enough that you can replay it once or twice. Unfortunately, there is no way to save and come back to where you left off, so be prepared to sit and play if you want to see the end of the game. The two major hits 1942: Joint Strike has for replayability is that there is only one functional gameplay mode and no unlockables for a gamer totry and to win.

Overall 1942: Joint Strike is a sound top-down shooter with a long campaign to keep you busy. If you have a buddy to play with it's twice the fun and a lot easier to beat. 1942: Joint Strike is an enjoyable game for anyone to pick up and play. This game costs $9.99 or 800 MSP on their respective networks. If this is a genre you enjoy and you have friends that come over regularly to play video games, then get this game. If not, it's your money, spend it how you wish.