Choplifter III (USA, Europe)

Choplifter III for the Sega Game Gear is a handheld port of the classic helicopter rescue game, originally released in 1993. It was developed by Beam Software and published by Sega, arriving as part of the series that began on home computers in the early 1980s. This version is a straightforward action shoot-'em-up where you fly a helicopter, and it fits right into the Game Gear's library of fast-paced arcade-style games.

Your mission is straightforward: save prisoners of war (POWs) while avoiding enemy fire. You pilot a helicopter through side-scrolling stages, picking up stranded soldiers and flying them back to base. Enemy soldiers, tanks, and other hazards try to shoot you down. You can also attack with your helicopter's weaponry to clear a path. The pacing is fast, and each stage ups the challenge with more enemies and trickier terrain.

For fans of the Choplifter series, this is a solid portable version that captures the core loop of rescue-and-avoid gameplay. It may not have the depth of later games, but its pick-up-and-play nature makes it worth revisiting today. If you enjoyed similar titles like Desert Strike or the earlier Choplifter games, this one delivers the same tense balance of offense and defense in short bursts perfect for handheld play.