1992 · Eidos Interactive · Shoot 'em up · Shooter

Mega SWIV

Timed Nintendo exclusive

Choose between a Helicopter Gunship or an Armoured Jeep and prepare to enter enemy territory as part of the elite assault team of SPECIAL WEAPONS INTERDICTION VEHICLES. Battle against enemy 'copters, thanks, hovercraft, snowmobiles, mechanised flying fish, giant weapons installations andmuch more in this vertically scrolling shot 'em up. But beware, the enemy is armed with the latest deadly weaponry, including the lethal SILWORM IV homing missile.

Released: 1992
Platforms: SNES Sega Genesis
Genres: Shoot 'em up Shooter
Developers: Eidos Interactive
Publishers: Atari Games
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Action Science fiction
Country: United Kingdom
Languages: English
Composers: David Whittaker

About

Super SWIV (Firepower 2000 in the US) is a top-down shoot 'em up released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. It was released as Mega SWIV on the Mega Drive in 1995. It is the sequel to the 1991 game SWIV. It was followed by SWIV 3D in 1996.

The game's story involves a secret underground race on an island in the Atlantic Ocean which has stolen top military vehicles and equipment from around the world and built powerful war machines from them. Military and intelligence officials of major countries detect them, but are afraid that they will be unable to prepare against an assault by this underground race. They send the player character in to infiltrate their base and destroy them.

›Story

A secret "underground race" on an island in the mid-Atlantic ocean has stolen top military vehicles and equipment from around the world and have rebuilt powerful war machines from them. They are even piloted by robots with one mission: to destroy. Military and intelligence officials of major countries have detected them, but they are afraid that they will be unable to prepare against an assault by this underground race. Their plan is to send you in to infiltrate their base and destroy them before they have a chance to unleash the war upon the rest of the world.

Keywords

modern warfare
helicopter
shoot 'em up
multiple protagonists
modern military
upgradeable weapons
vertical scrolling
retroachievements

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Reception

Super Gamer reviewed the SNES version and gave an overall score of 70% writing: "Another vertical scroller with the addition of simultaneous two-player action. Sadly graphics and gameplay are rather dull and unoriginal." In 1995, Total! rated Super SWIV 72nd on its Top 100 SNES Games writing: "It looks a bit dated but this shooter is brilliantly designed.

It's a two-player jobby too." Glenn Rubenstein of Wizard praised Firepower 2000 for there finally being an above average shooter for the SNES that was not produced by Konami, however not much effort was put into the graphics or plot. He commented that the gameplay being heavy on action made it an overall winner concluding: "Should be big with shooter fans, but the general player probably won't get too into it."