Twin Hawk (1989). Play online

Summary

Twin Hawk swoops in as a pure vertically‑scrolling shooter with a WWII twist. Instead of swarms of enemy aircraft, the screen is filled with tanks, battleships and artillery, pushing players to slice through ground forces at breakneck speed. The standout mechanic is the “smart‑bomb” helper: tapping the bomb button summons six friendly Flying Fortresses that orbit your plane and pepper the sky with fire. Press again and those helpers sacrifice themselves in a kamikaze strike, while a quick double‑tap detonates a full‑screen blast.

Two play modes exist—some cabinets use a checkpoint system, others respawn you exactly where you fell, adding a layer of strategy to every death. The Japanese version cranked the difficulty even higher and trimmed cooperative play, giving Western arcs a slightly friendlier ramp. Developed by Toaplan on Taito’s X System, the rights now live with Tatsujin, the company founded by former Toaplan member Masahiro Yuge. Even after the loop backs to the first stage, each pass tightens bullet patterns, making Twin Hawk a relentless test of timing and bomb management.

Storyline

At the close of an alternate World II, the newly formed European nation of Gorongo is thrown into chaos. General Giovanni, outraged by the war’s outcome, leads a rebellion that spreads from Bobo Island, where he declares the independent state of Fuangania, and quickly captures the town of Kusunoki. The Fuangania forces launch a massive ground‑and‑sea invasion across Gorongo. In response, President Bratt creates the elite air unit Daisenpū, which establishes a mountain base after spotting a secret Fuangania fortress under construction. Just as the pilots finish training, the enemy discovers them and prepares an attack.
The player assumes the role of a wing commander in Twin Hawk, tasked with flying into Giovanni’s hidden base and destroying the rebel leader and his command unit to halt the invasion.