The battle for the Coral Sea has begun on “Battlefield 1943.” A multiplayer competition gets under way today as the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live communities race to reach 43 million kills on their separate networks.

To the winners of the conflict goes a new map, the Coral Sea, and all the adventure that lies therin.

“Battlefield 1943,” a shooter debuting on consoles this week and pitting U.S. Marines against the Japanese navy in World War II, comes with three battlefield maps: Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Wake Island. Up to two dozen players can engage each other on land, sea or in the air in those environments. The Coral Sea map, however, features chiefly air engagements.

Gamers can download “Battlefield 1943″ as a standalone for $14.99 on PlayStation Network, or 1,200 Microsoft points on Xbox Live Arcade.

A version of the game for PC will appear next month. Details on the challenge are available through Twitter at OfficialBF1943.