If you were to define shmups by their era, there is definitely a point in time between Xevious and Gradius where these games haven't aged as gracefully as those that came before or after. 1942 is one of those titles. It's not simple enough to be an addictive score chaser, and also not complex enough to warrant completing the loop. It's a historical relic of a transitional period, the sort of game your Dad might like, but others will just look at with a sense of curiosity and nothing more. Not bad at all, it's just old.