Strikers 1945 II

Tue 30th Jan 2018

Nintendo Life said:

Strikers 1945 II is a lot like the first (already great) game, but improves on it thanks to its frantic gameplay and new approach to charged attacks. Two-player is a lot of fun whether played on the big screen or undocked in TATE mode with detached Joy-Con and trying to improve on your high score adds plenty of replayability. The game could benefit from an online high score board, but Strikers 1945 II is a joy to play through each time and is one of the best shmups available from the growing range on Switch.

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9/10

Sat 22nd Feb 2025

JJtheTexan said:

Strikers 1945 II is another great vertically-scrolling shoot-'em-up from Psikyo. As with the first game in its series, players can choose from among several World War II-inspired fighter aircraft, each with its own unique weapons and special attacks. The enemies are largely pre-rendered sprites, which look great alongside the detailed backgrounds. There are lots of difficulty options, ensuring even the least-skilled among us can play all the way to the end.

The biggest difference from the first Strikers 1945 game is the special weapon system. This time, your aircraft has a three-tiered power meter that slowly fills as your enemy kills pile up. The amount of meter filled determines the strength of your special weapon when it's activated. It adds a decent risk / reward system to the gameplay.

The entire gameplay loop can be completed in around 20 minutes or so, but there's lots of replay value here as you try out different aircraft and aim to get better top scores.

Recommended to all shmup fans. If you like this, try either of the Capcom Arcade Stadium games, which include many similar arcade shooters.

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8/10