Aqua Jack (known as Aquattack overseas) is a 1989 arcade Rail Shooter made by Taito.
Recycling a gameplay format from Chase H.Q. a year ago, but now on water; you're an elite commando of the "Aqua Jack" unit, sent to an unnamed Banana Republic to take down a dictator, where you infiltrate the country through its rivers while operating a high-speed, turret-equipped motorboat, shooting down enemy vessels, tanks and aircrafts in eight missions.
The game is mostly forgotten even by Taito's hardcore fans, save for its Gainax Ending near the end.
Aqua Jack contains examples of:
- Actually a Doombot: The final cutscene, where you barge into the office of the unnamed Big Bad and gun him down, only to find out you just shot a robotic double. And then the game ends.
- Airborne Mooks: Helicopters and jets, which drop projectile attacks at you from above. But they can be shot down with some precise timing.
- Auto-Scrolling Level: All of the levels, because you're on a motorboat moving forward at max speed. Though you can make it slower to avoid obstacles by holding down.
- Banana Republic: From what we can see in the public, the game's setting seems to be in some unnamed, generic-looking South American country.
- Cool Boat: You spend the game piloting a weaponized speedboat shooting at assorted enemies.
- Deadly Walls: In the forms of rock formations, fences, and steel pipes which you need to destroy or suffer damage.
- Gainax Ending: The game infamously ends like this, where, after defeating hordes and hordes of enemy mooks and forcing your way into the Big Bad's stronghold, the final cutscene then reveals the villain to be... a gray-skinned, red-eyed demon in a business suit, who gloats at your character, and then the credits roll. The subsequent Taito game The Ninja Warriors would identify the demon as Banglar and continue the storyline.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: In the cutscenes, this is how you extract information from captured enemies. The one after the bridge's boss have you interrogating an enemy by shoving your Uzi into his mouth while demanding answers.
- One-Man Army: One of you, against hordes and hordes of enemy soldiers and bosses that you blow apart with ease.
- Red Baron: That's right, Aqua Jack.
- Sea Mine: Multiple areas throughout the game have mines floating all over the place, and you'll either need to shoot or dodge them to avoid damage.
- Sentry Gun: The riverbanks are often filled with automated turrets that shoot at you on sight.
- Smart Bomb: Your boat has missiles which deals damage to every onscreen enemy, and kills off most low-level mooks instantly. They're obviously limited in capacity and you get 3 by default (or if you die and respawn).
- The Squadette: On two-player mode, the second playable character is a female commando and seemingly the only woman in the military.
- Waterfront Boss Battle: All of the bosses, because you spend the game kicking ass atop a speedboat on a stream.
