Strike one! Or is it five or six? The venerable heli-blaster series makes a belated N64 debut.
Martin Kitts

Surely not again? In the videogame universe, the US government is shockingly slack with security on their military hardware. This time it's the light-fingered Colonel LeMonde, who has made off with a choice selection of lethal bits and pieces, including a few tasty nukes. Once again, it looks like the good old Strike team are the only folks who can stop him in this umpteenth update of EA's classic chopper series.

The gameplay has barely changed since the game's Mega Drive days, although that's not necessarily a bad thing. The controls are reassuringly familiar and so simple that a lack of chopper-flying expertise can never be blamed for bringing an untimely demise. The 'copter hovers at a constant height over the landscape and the Z and R buttons are used to circle strafe around the many targets you'll encounter during the course of each mission. You don't get much opportunity to explore though, because a rapidly emptying fuel tank adds a sense of urgency to the proceedings. Take too long finding your next objective and you're destined for a swift meeting with the ground.

There are several different missions on each level that must be completed before you can move closer to your ultimate goal of the evil LeMonde's fortress. Although you can only attempt them in the order specified by the game, the levels are fully stocked with enemies from the beginning. This means you can ignore your current orders and fly off somewhere else to soften up a tougher mission for later on. It's a nice touch, even if it doesn't make for a GoldenEye-beater when it comes to non-linear play.