
- 81/100
- Players17 ratings

1991 · Shoot 'em up · Shooter
SWIV
Nintendo console exclusive
SWIV is a vertical scrolling shooter and an unofficial follow-up to Sales Curve's conversion of the side scroller Tecmo arcade game Silkworm.
- Released
- 1991
- Platforms
- Acorn ArchimedesAmigaAmstrad CPCAtari STAtari ST/STECommodore 64Commodore C64/128/MAXGame Boy ColorMSXSNESZX Spectrum
- Genres
- Shoot 'em upShooter
- Developers
- —
- Publishers
- Eidos Interactive
- Modes
- Single-player
- Perspective
- Bird view / Isometric
- Themes
- Action
- Country
- United Kingdom
About
SWIV is a 1991 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by The Sales Curve. It was released for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC computers. A Game Boy Color conversion was published in 2001.
The game was considered a spiritual successor to Tecmo's arcade game Silkworm, which The Sales Curve had previously converted to home computer formats in 1989. The game's heritage is evident from the game design whereby one player pilots a helicopter, and the other an armoured Jeep. SWIV is not an official sequel, as noted by ex-Sales Curve producer Dan Marchant: "SWIV wasn't really a sequel to Silkworm, but it was certainly inspired by it and several other shoot-'em-ups that we had played and loved."
Media
The articlegameplay, story, development, reception
Gameplay
SWIV is a 2D vertically scrolling shooter. The player chooses between using either a helicopter or a jeep at the beginning of the game and then plays in their chosen vehicles through scrolling levels, shooting at oncoming enemies. If two players are present, both vehicles will be used at once. Certain enemies when shot drop shield power-ups which can be either picked up to afford temporarily invincibility or detonated to destroy all enemies onscreen.
Every so often a boss enemy will attack. The destruction of these bosses will give upgrades to the player's forward firing gun.
Reception
On release SWIV was met with positive reviews from most magazines of the time, receiving a 92% from Amiga Format magazine, an 88% from Commodore Format (C64 version) a 91% from Amiga Action, 90% from Computer and Video Games, and a 90% from Your Sinclair. It was ranked the 27th best game of all time by Amiga Power.
Legacy
A sequel was published for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Super SWIV. It was ported to the Mega Drive as Mega SWIV. In 1997 SWIV 3D was released, with 3D terrain and models.
Releases by platformdates and regions as published
Games like this
Nintendo exclusiveDead to Rights (GBA video game)
2004 · Port · Game Boy Advance, Windows
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
Sega exclusiveTwinkle Tale
1992 · Sega Genesis
Shoot 'em up · Shooter

Dimahoo
2000 · Arcade
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
Nintendo exclusiveNebulasRay
1994 · Arcade, Nintendo Switch
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
Sega exclusive79Battle Mania Daiginjō
1993 · Sega Genesis
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
Nintendo exclusive76Telenet Shooting Collection II
2023 · Nintendo Switch, Windows
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
Nintendo exclusive63The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback!
1991 · Game Boy
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
PlayStation exclusiveThunder Force VI
2008 · PlayStation 2
Shoot 'em up · Shooter
Collections3 collections
Platform libraries
- Atari ST gamesCommercial games
- ZX Spectrum games
- Game Boy Color gamesLicensed games (released) › List of games
Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.
