According to the plot of Ajax...

[Skyknight]

This is the year we must beware. Here's the raw BabelFish translation of the plot found on the Japanese Wikipedia...

Western calendar 2007, the mankind rushed to all-out war. Nuclear possession superpower and the alien corps tie the hand, say that space nation probably will be built. Why, this kind of situation happening? Suddenly, it receives the invasion with terrestrial exogenous ones, superpower side announcing surrender declaration. That communication everything of each country was discontinued lastly. Power, and the nuclear weapon of terrestrial exogenous ones where either expectation is not attached. The worst situation was received and United Nations finally lowered last order. "A-JAX it sorties! "A-JAX is the code name of the special combatant. Now, countdown approaches moment by moment. Betting terrestrial existence dying/fleeing, fight! A-JAX! !

I'll see if I can cobble something more intelligible from this...

A.D. 2007. Humanity has found itself in all-out war. Earlier, an alliance had been forged between a nuclear superpower and an alien race, with plans to build a space-faring nation. But now? The alliance has begun an invasion, ordering unconditional surrender. All communication has been lost from each invaded country. The only promise seems to be nuclear ruin on those who do not accede to conquest. Realizing the worst is at hand, the United Nations prepares its last resort--"SCRAMBLE A-JAX!" A-JAX is the code name of an elite combat unit. Now, the countdown to when the alliance will extinguish all life on Earth is approaching. A-JAX alone can decide whether the end result will be life or death...

In case anyone can do better, here's the source page: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-JAX

[Ed Oscuro]

Cool info, thanks for that.

I wonder if that unreleased Konami shooter was supposed to be a sequel...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For Skynight,

Thanks for the background story to A-JAX...I do have the original Japanese Bios version of A-JAX Jamma PCB.

I like how it has built-in support for those old cocktail-styled arcade cabinets with both player 1 & 2's arcade controls are facing each each other only seperated by the Tate'd screen itself... ^_~

Pretty amazing scaling graphics for it's time back in 1987 that is A-JAX -- definitely before the Super Famicom/SNES's Mode 7 scaling hardware days..... ^_~

I've got fond memories of playing the USA Bios version of A-JAX at a local arcade back 1988-1989 -- old-school arcade shmup action at it's finest..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~