[Arcade][Late 80s to Early 90s]Helicopter Rail Shooter
Arcade
Rail Shooter
1988-1995
**You were the pilot of an Apache helicopter; your character was an actual Apache ... probably. Open cockpit. Certainly wouldn't fly today, all jokes aside. **
There'd be certain points -- after you cleared the level, or if you pulled off a sick move, your guy would pull a 180 and give you a little thumbs up.
Played at the Arcade at Canobie Lake Park, probably 1988 to certainly before 1995
Posted May 19, 2022, 1:24 AM UTC
15
Air Rescue (Sega 1992)
Japan Sales Flyer
You may be confusing this game with another cockpit:
Apache 3 (Tatsumi 1988)
Apache 3 was much closer to what I remember. It was definitely 3rd person, and it was the pilot of the helicopter who'd turn and break the fourth wall, giving you a thumbs up.
Wing War (Sega 1994) also had Apache helicopters as one of the options, but I don't remember any thumbs up gesture.
Apache 3 is not properly emulated, so most the videos you see of it have incomplete or corrupt graphics, and the only video I have seen from the hardware does not seem to show the thumbs up either.
I don't see it in Steel Talons (Atari Games 1991) either.
And just to re-iterate, basically, your guy looked like "Spirit" from G.I. Joe, twin braids flapping in the breeze... It really wasn't a realistic depiction of a helicopter, but pretty much exactly what a Taito (or Capcom. Or Namco) would think an "Apache" rail shooter should be. And I'd even chalk it up to some fever dream, if it weren't for the fact I can put the cabinet right next to Chase HQ
(to add: and even if it was a fake G.I. Joe license, I'd be stunned. Nothing about it even whispered G.I. Joe)
...and for formality's sake, yes, I know there was a helicopter in Chase HQ, but it is not what Im thinking about.