Aqua Jack

A third-person pseudo-3D water-vehicle shooter from Taito released in 1990. Players pilot the armed hovercraft Aqua Jack through rivers, wetlands, ruined cities, and enemy naval bases, blasting a terrorist organization's amphibious vehicles and combat helicopters before ultimately destroying their ultimate weapon. The cabinet came in both upright and sit-down configurations, with steering and throttle controls that put players in the cockpit. Taito's sprite-scaling hardware delivered an effective sense of high speed. Though less celebrated than Chase H.Q., Aqua Jack stands as one of the defining vehicle shooters in Taito's early-1990s lineup.