This game features a highly detailed setting and striking visuals. The simple yet calculating gameplay provides players with endless thrills. A timeless vertically scrolling shooter, this masterpiece has received widespread acclaim from fans of the genre.
FLYING SHARK/SKY SHARK
Japanese title: 飛翔鮫
| Release | 1987 |
| Genre | Vertically scrolling shooting |
| Platforms | Arcade PlayStation 4 Nintendo Switch Famicom Steam Others |
Story
With the war nearing its end, most of our military bases have been occupied by enemy forces. We are left with no choice but to entrust one man with the task of reviving our flagging fortunes... We refer to him as “Flying Shark”.
Controls & How to Play
The game is played with an 8-way joystick, a Shot button, and a Bomb button.
Use the Shot and Bomb buttons to destroy enemies.
If your plane is hit by enemy fire or collides with an airborne enemy, it will be destroyed and you will lose a life.
You will not lose a life for colliding with enemies located on land or on the sea.
When you restart after losing a life, your power-ups will be reset and you will begin with three bombs equipped.
The game is over if you lose all of your lives.
There are a total of five stages.
【Items】
"S" item
These appear if you shoot down all of the red formation, and it powers up your shots by one level when you pick it up (6 levels).
"B" item
These appear when you destroy certain ground-based enemies.
Pick this up to add one bomb to your inventory.
"1UP" item
These appear if you shoot down all of the white formation, and it gives you an extra life when you pick it up.
They appear when you meet certain conditions.
- POINT1
- You will receive 1,000 points if you shoot down all of the yellow formation.
- POINT2
- When you clear a stage, you will receive 3,000 bonus points for each bomb you have remaining, and your bomb inventory will be reset to three.
Impressions
Although it is a relatively simple shoot-'em-up, it is clear that the realistic graphics and thrilling gameplay helped draw players into the world of Flying Shark. In this game, the range of the main shot that was used in Tiger-Heli and Slap Fight was removed. Additionally, for the first time in a vertically scrolling shooter from Toaplan, the game scrolled slowly to the left and right according to the movement of your plane, while also performing the basic vertical scroll motion. As a result, it is possible to play in a space that is 4/3 the size of the area shown on screen, allowing for additional strategic gameplay elements, such as scrolling so that enemies are pushed off-screen to prevent their attacks. These features left a strong impression on players and proved to be a major reason for why the game was so well-received both in Japan and around the world.