Armed Formation F

A space-shooter with unusual backgrounds and no continues.

Armed Formation F is a vertical shooter by Big Don and the adaptation of Nichibutsu’s arcade game originally released in 1988. The player takes control of a red spacecraft called the Vowger and fights his way through several stages made up of all kind of organic components. Tentaculous eye-balls and all sort of armed shellfish try to stop the player in his progression.

To help the Vowger fulfill its mission, special power-ups can be retrieved from flying pods scattered around the game. They deliver basic upgrades such as speed-ups and, more interestingly, new weaponry. The list is actually quite large and includes side-bombs, laser-beams, homing-missiles and other colorful and flashy disc-beams. These power-ups vary throughout the game and each stage features its own set of weapons. Special flying orbs can be collected and have the ability to stay close to the ship to protect it. The second attack button can send them fly in formation for a short amount of time (hence the title of the game).