It was acceptable in the ’80s
Hamster have added another old-school arcade title to their expanding Arcade Archive catalogue. Nichibitsu’s sci-fi schmupArmed Fis now available to download on the Nintendo Switch.
Originally hitting the arcade market in 1988, Armed F (also known as Formation Armed F), is a vertically-scrolling shmup in which players guide the Vowger RC30 spaceship into a deep space anomaly – Point X1Y7Z94 – which has suddenly opened in the galaxy. What will be found on the other side of this black hole? (Hint: it’s aliens and shit).
Armed Ffollows the tropes of your standard shmup; patterned enemy attacks, power-ups and weapon variants, and multiple stages guarded by monstrous bosses. It’s actually a pretty slick title, with great music and brash, colourful visuals, even if the Vowger isn’t quite as smooth and slickly controlled as other shmup battleships.
Armed Fis available to download now on Nintendo Switch, priced around $8.
