Jackal

Jackal, also known as Top Gunner, is a classic overhead run-and-gun shoot-'em-up arcade game developed by Konami in 1986. The game immerses players in a high-stakes mission to rescue prisoners of war (POWs) from enemy territory using armed jeeps.

The Elite Jackal Unit
Players take on the roles of members of the Jackal unit, a team of four highly trained soldiers: Colonel Decker, Lieutenant Bob, Sergeant Quint, and Corporal Grey. Their mission is to infiltrate hostile territory with two armed jeeps to rescue and extract POWs.

Gameplay Mechanics
Jackal can be enjoyed solo or with a friend in a two-player cooperative mode, where a second player can join at any time. The jeeps, distinguishable by numbers on their hoods, are controlled using an eight-way joystick and two attack buttons. One button fires the jeep's northward-facing machine gun turret, while the other launches grenades or missiles in the direction the jeep is facing. The grenade launcher can be upgraded to a missile launcher, enhancing its range and destructive capability.

Objective and Progression
The game starts with jeeps being airdropped into enemy territory. The primary objective is to penetrate the enemy's headquarters and destroy their ultimate weapon. Along the way, players rescue POWs from internment camps, with solitary camps providing upgrades to the jeep's weaponry. Jeeps can carry a maximum of eight POWs and must transport them to extraction choppers for points and potential weapon upgrades.

Continuous Level Design and Dynamic Music
Unlike many games of its era, Jackal doesn't have separate stages but is one long, continuous level. Players traverse through varied terrains like ruins, lakes, hills, and mountains, with the background music evolving as they progress deeper into enemy territory.

Jeep Dynamics and Extra Lives
The jeeps can overrun enemy foot soldiers but are vulnerable to projectiles and collisions. When destroyed, a new jeep appears with a slight downgrade in missile capability. Any carried POWs scatter from the wreckage, awaiting rescue once more. Players can earn extra jeeps by scoring points. The game ends upon mission completion or if all jeeps are lost. The game over screen displays a map showing the player's progress. Additionally, players can 'cheat' by switching controls before the game over screen to continue playing.

Jackal offers a blend of strategic gameplay, cooperative action, and classic arcade excitement, making it a memorable title in the shoot-'em-up genre. Its continuous level design, upgrade system, and cooperative play set it apart in the arcade gaming scene of the 1980s.