Twin Cobra

Game Details:

The game has 10 stages (some versions have 8 stages that loop), featuring a variety of enemy aircraft, tanks, and anti-aircraft turrets. The core system is a 4-color power-up upgrade:

Red: Shotgun - Blue: Straight Laser - Yellow: Fan-shaped Fire - Green: Rotating Bullet.

Picking up the "B" bomb clears the screen and grants temporary invincibility; the "S" item increases helicopter speed. The end-of-level Bosses are designed as large armored vehicles or warships, requiring concentrated firepower to destroy the core. In the two-player cooperative mode, players can take turns picking up weapons and utilize teamwork to quickly clear out enemies. The original arcade version was later ported to platforms such as FC, MD, PCE, PS4/Switch (ARCade Archives).

Editor's Recommendation:

"Twin Cobra" is hailed as a textbook example of "hardcore vertical shooting": While the barrage is not as dense as modern standards, the fast-scrolling screen + instantly fatal firepower still tests your positioning skills; the randomness of the power-up drops makes each playthrough full of variables. The game has a fast pace, satisfying explosion effects, and the background music is synthesized from the classic FM sounds of Toaplan, making it highly memorable. If you want to experience the charm of the golden age of arcade shooting from the 80s and 90s, or want to challenge your reaction limits, "Twin Cobra" is definitely worth collecting.

Game Guide:

• Prioritize familiarity with the 4 colors of firepower: Red shotgun is suitable for clearing groups, blue laser for breaking Bosses, yellow fan-shaped for both, recommended to start with red → blue cycle.
• Maintain a medium speed for your aircraft: Speed items can stack up to 3 layers, medium speed is convenient for weaving through bullets; too fast can easily lead to collisions with bullets.
• Save bombs for critical moments: Use them during the second phase of the Boss or when surrounded from all sides, it can save your life and quickly break armor.
• Control power-up techniques: After shooting down a power-up carrier, don't rush to collect it, wait for the color to roll to the type you want before picking it up.
• Cooperate in two-player mode: One player focuses on attacking the air, the other specializes in hitting ground turrets, which can significantly reduce the firepower pressure.
• Cycle difficulty increase: After clearing the game, the enemy bullets become faster and denser, it is recommended to memorize the enemy spawn points and move in advance.