Information

Helichopper is a deceptively simple looking arcade shoot ’em up. The game is played on the same screen for each level. In the bottom right corner is an electric fence. On the right side of the fence is a clone, waiting to be rescued. The player has to land the Helichopper on the other side of the fence. The fence then momentarily deactivates and the clone runs across and boards the Helichopper. The fence then reactivates.

Having collected a clone, the Helichopper then has to fly across to the far left of the screen and land on one of the six platforms as it highlights white. Only then can the clone be safely rescued.

Of course, the route across the screen is peppered with nasties of every conceivable kind. A swamp at the very bottom of the screen is to be avoided, along with the various enemies that live in it, shooting at the Helichopper whenever they can.

The Helichopper can only fire downwards, so can only attack the nasties from above. If the nasties are above, then some adept flying is required to put the Helichopper on the offensive rather than the defensive!

Any contact at all with the enemy or their projectiles will cost the Helichopper one life. If a life is lost, the level is reset but the number of rescued clones thankfully remains as it is. However, to make matters worse the number of clones needing to be rescued varies from one level to the next, as would the timer that makes each level a race against the clock!