Put those quarters away, son!

Capcom's latest revision to a classic series hits both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 today, complete with requisite 3D graphics and updated soundtrack.  1943: Joint Strike has been riding high on a series of positive press and of course the legions of twitchy-finger shooter fans since it was announced awhile ago, and now it's finally available to scoop up for both HD-equipped machines.  Those who cringed at the company's recent tread back into the Commando waters needn't worry here, as the simplistic artwork that grazed that revision is largely absent, and the emphasis on some heroic aerial assaults.  Sans quarters, naturally.

1942: Joint Strike should be available by the time you read this, so all you fans out there know what you have to do.  Still, just plunking down a few (digital) dollars and downloading the thing straight to your console's hard drive isn't nearly as thrilling as pushing your way past a few slightly unpleasant and odorous arcade fans.  Man, those were the days...

SAN MATEO, Calif. — July 23, 2008 — Capcom® Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that 1942: Joint Strike is now available for download on PLAYSTATION®Network and Xbox LIVE® Arcade. 1942: Joint Strike is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and is available for 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 on PLAYSTATION®Network.

1942: Joint Strike takes inspiration and influence from the ‘80s 194X series of World War II-themed vertical arcade shooters. The art, sound and gameplay of the new game take cues from the original 194X games, but will stand out as its own unique entry. Gameplay will resemble the classic top down, vertical action that gamers expect, but enhanced with High Definition 3D graphics. Set in a World War II-themed locale, stages, vehicles and weapons have the look and feel of WWII with some stylistic differences.

The world in which 1942 takes place is not our own and the events that transpire are not historically accurate, nor are they intended to be. This is an alternate world where history and technology developed along their own paths. As a result, players will jump into the cockpits of WWII-era aircraft to take on huge waves of incoming enemy fire, dodging explosions and missiles while challenging huge bosses at the end of each stage. New co-op “Joint Strike attacks” combine the powers of two aircrafts into one devastating barrage.

The new 1942: Joint Strike features 2-player online cooperative play. Graphics and music have been similarly updated by Backbone Entertainment, the developers of this latest entry into the 194X series. There’s also a brand new score for the game created by Norihiko Hibino, an international composer well-known for his work creating music for the Metal Gear® series.