Genre: Flight Simulation / Action
Developer: Realtime Associates
Publisher: INTV Corporation
Year: 1986
Platform: Intellivision
Hover Force is a flight simulation and action game developed by Mattel Electronics and later retooled by Realtime Associates for release by INTV Corporation in 1986. The game is set in the fictional city of New Seeburg, which has been overtaken by terrorist forces equipped with heavily armed combat helicopters. Players assume the role of a pilot operating the top-secret JAF-3000 helicopter, tasked with eliminating enemy helicopters and extinguishing fires caused by the terrorists’ activities.
The gameplay is presented from a top-down perspective, with players using a radar screen to locate enemy targets and navigate the city. The JAF-3000 is equipped with laser cannons to destroy enemy helicopters and water cannons to put out fires. Both weapons have limited ammunition, requiring players to manage their resources effectively. The helicopter can also sustain damage from enemy attacks, affecting its performance and potentially leading to a crash if critical systems are compromised.
Missions begin and end at an island base near the city, which can repair, refuel, and re-arm the helicopter during the mission. However, the base can only assist the player twice; a third attempt to land before completing the mission results in a crash. Upon mission completion, players receive a rank between 1 and 100 based on their efficiency in eliminating enemies and minimizing damage, with a score of 100 considered perfect.
The game offers three difficulty levels, including the “RANGER” level, named in honor of the Blue Sky Rangers, the original developers of many Intellivision games. The island city of New Seeburg derives its name from the initials of Steve Ettinger, one of the game’s developers.
