Choplifter

Choplifter is a 1982 Apple II game developed by Dan Gorlin and published by Brøderbund. It was ported to other home computers and, in 1985, Sega released a coin-operated arcade game version. While many arcade games have been ported to home computer and consumer consoles, Choplifter was one of the few games (Lode Runner is another) to take the reverse route: first appearing on a home system and being ported to the arcade. In Choplifter, the player assumes the role of a combat helicopter pilot. The player attempts to save hostage being held in prisoner of war camps in territory ruled by the evil Bungeling Empire. The player must collect the hostages and transport them safely to the nearby friendly base, all the while fighting off hostile tank and other enemy combatants. According to the backstory, the helicopter parts were smuggled into the country described as "mail sorting equipment." Although the Iran hostage crisis ended the year before the game was released, Gorlin has stated ...