Ludography
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SWIV cover

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

PlatformReleasedRegions
Amiga31 December 1991Worldwide · Europe 31 December 1991
Amstrad CPC31 December 1991Worldwide
Commodore C64/128/MAX31 December 1991Worldwide
MSX31 December 1991Worldwide
Atari ST/STE31 December 1991Worldwide
Game Boy Color31 December 2001Worldwide

Games like this

Collections3 collections

Platform libraries

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.