Difference between revisions of "Bionic Commando (NES)"

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[[Image:Bionic Commando - NES - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|North American box art.]]
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{{Video Game
 +
| Title            = Bionic Commando
 +
| Image           = Bionic Commando - NES - USA.jpg
 +
| ImageDescription = Game Boy - USA - 1st edition.
 +
| Developer        = {{VideoGameDeveloper|Capcom}}
 +
| Publisher        = {{VideoGamePublisher|Capcom}}
 +
| PublishedYear    = 1988
 +
| PublishedMonth  = 07
 +
| PublishedDay    = 20
 +
| Platforms        = {{Platform|NES}}
 +
| Genres          = {{VideoGameGenre|Action video game|Action}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Metroidvania|Metroidvania}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platform shooter|Platform shooter}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platformer|Platformer}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Shooter|Shooter}}
 +
| Themes          = {{MediaTheme|Action}}, {{MediaTheme|Adventure}}, {{MediaTheme|Human Stasis}}, {{MediaTheme|Science Fiction}}, {{MediaTheme|War}}, {{MediaTheme|World War II}}
 +
| Series          = ''[[Bionic Commando (universe)|Bionic Commando]]''
 +
| Distributions    = {{VideoGameDistribution|Commercial}}
 +
}}
  
'''''Bionic Commando''''' is an action platform game by [[Capcom]], released on the [[NES]] on 1988-07-20. This is the second game in the [[Bionic Commando (universe)|series]], and while it's based on the arcade game, it was remade to better-fit home console play. In the Japanese version of the game, neo-Nazis have discovered lost plans for a giant war machine, but only Hitler knows how to build it, so they're trying to resurrect him. Allied forces sent Super Joe to infiltrate them, but he was captured, so you play Captain Rad who must rescue him, and stop the neo-Nazis. The American version was highly censored and all references to Nazism were removed, but Hitler is still quite recognizable.
+
'''''Bionic Commando''''' is an action platform game by [[Capcom]], released on the [[NES]] on 1988-07-20. This is the second game in the [[Bionic Commando (universe)|series]], and, while it's based on the arcade game, it was remade to better-fit home console play.
 +
 
 +
In the Japanese version of the game, neo-Nazis have discovered lost plans for a giant war machine, but only Hitler knows how to build it, so they're trying to resurrect him. Allied forces sent Super Joe to infiltrate them, but he was captured, so you play Captain Rad who must rescue him, and stop the neo-Nazis. The American version was highly censored and all references to Nazism were removed, but Hitler is still quite recognizable.
 +
 
 +
==Personal==
 +
{{VideoGameStatus
 +
| Own      = Yes. Two USA copies. One is complete in box and signed by [[Harumi Fujita]], the other is a loose cart.
 +
| CantOwn  =
 +
| Won      = Yes. USA, Japanese, and European versions without continues.
 +
| CantWin  =
 +
| Finished = Mid 1990s.
 +
}}
  
 
My brother got this game, some time in the late 1980s. I remember being very frustrated with the swing mechanic, and dying and missing swings all the time. It took me a long time to get good enough to actually play the game competently. Both my brother and I had a hard time trying to get past Area 6, but he was able to do it one day, and beat the game. Then, he played through it again to show me the ending, which is fantastic! I was able to beat it myself much later, and it has since become a favorite of mine.
 
My brother got this game, some time in the late 1980s. I remember being very frustrated with the swing mechanic, and dying and missing swings all the time. It took me a long time to get good enough to actually play the game competently. Both my brother and I had a hard time trying to get past Area 6, but he was able to do it one day, and beat the game. Then, he played through it again to show me the ending, which is fantastic! I was able to beat it myself much later, and it has since become a favorite of mine.
  
==Status==
+
==Review==
I own this game and have beat it many times. I've also beaten the Japanese release and the European release. At my peak, I could beat the game without needing to continue.
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{{Video Game Review|8|6|8|8|7|Windows}}
  
==Review==
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{{Spoilers}}
{{Video Game Review|9|6|8|7|7|74%|Windows}}
 
  
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
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* The ability to travel semi-freely over the main map takes away from some of the linearity of the game.
 
* The ability to travel semi-freely over the main map takes away from some of the linearity of the game.
 
* The Commando-esque Meet With Enemy sequences are fun and nostalgic.
 
* The Commando-esque Meet With Enemy sequences are fun and nostalgic.
 +
* Requiring the player to have to earn [[continue]]s was a nice addition and doubles as a way to permanently stave off a dreaded [[game over]].
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
* The game is ripe with typos and translation errors making certain things hard to understand.
 
 
* Despite loving the swinging mechanic, it takes a lot of time to get used to it. The game could have did a better job at easing you into the more complicated sections.
 
* Despite loving the swinging mechanic, it takes a lot of time to get used to it. The game could have did a better job at easing you into the more complicated sections.
 
* The American release was short-changed, not just because it censors out the Nazi plot, but because it's missing several other additions (rock barriers, land mines, shooting star, etc.). The Japanese version also fills out the maps better with more enemies and power-ups and has better dialogue and the interrogation scene.
 
* The American release was short-changed, not just because it censors out the Nazi plot, but because it's missing several other additions (rock barriers, land mines, shooting star, etc.). The Japanese version also fills out the maps better with more enemies and power-ups and has better dialogue and the interrogation scene.
 
* The game focuses too much on the swinging mechanic and doesn't give enough play to more traditional run-and-gun mechanics. Although there are a lot of enemies, most of the enemies are very easy to deal with or don't occur enough. This was fixed in the Japanese release.
 
* The game focuses too much on the swinging mechanic and doesn't give enough play to more traditional run-and-gun mechanics. Although there are a lot of enemies, most of the enemies are very easy to deal with or don't occur enough. This was fixed in the Japanese release.
* Large sections of several maps can be avoided (area 1 inside, area 3 right mountainside, area 2 bottom near the end, area 5 right side, area 8 entirely, etc.). They probably should have required the player to traverse more of it.
+
* The game is ripe with typos and translation errors making certain things hard to understand. The manual is especially bad.
 
* Both the wide cannon and machine gun are horrible weapons, though, with a little tweaking could have been made good if they acted more like they do in the meet with enemy sections.
 
* Both the wide cannon and machine gun are horrible weapons, though, with a little tweaking could have been made good if they acted more like they do in the meet with enemy sections.
 
* Most of the secondary items aren't very useful to begin with, but are made even less useful because you receive the vastly superior medicine so early in the game.
 
* Most of the secondary items aren't very useful to begin with, but are made even less useful because you receive the vastly superior medicine so early in the game.
 +
* Large sections of several maps can be avoided (area 1 inside, area 3 right mountainside, area 2 bottom near the end, area 5 right side, area 8 entirely, etc.). They probably should have required the player to traverse more of it.
 
* There is no save-game or password system. Although, this is alleviated by the ability to farm extra hit points and continues.
 
* There is no save-game or password system. Although, this is alleviated by the ability to farm extra hit points and continues.
 
* Taking into account where you usually get it, and how brief it lasts, the POW item is nearly useless.
 
* Taking into account where you usually get it, and how brief it lasts, the POW item is nearly useless.
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<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
Bionic Commando - NES - Japan.jpg|The original Japanese box art is fantastic. It shows the violence of the game, with a demonic Hitler looming in the background. My favorite art, and Rad looks like how he does in the game.
 
Bionic Commando - NES - Japan.jpg|The original Japanese box art is fantastic. It shows the violence of the game, with a demonic Hitler looming in the background. My favorite art, and Rad looks like how he does in the game.
Bionic Commando - NES - USA.jpg|The USA box art is very well made, but it's based off the arcade release. The NES remake doesn't have giant mechs and Radd doesn't wear a blue 70s uniform.
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Bionic Commando - NES - USA.jpg|The USA box art is very well made, but it's from the [[Bionic Commando|arcade release]]. The NES remake doesn't have giant mechs and Radd doesn't wear a blue 70s uniform.
 +
Bionic Commando - NES - USA - Back.jpg|The back of the US box has a beta screenshot.
 
Bionic Commando - NES - EU.jpg|The European art work is well-painted, if Bionic Commando was a spy game from the 50s. Rad isn't a blond who wears a green jumpsuit with bright yellow boots and gloves.
 
Bionic Commando - NES - EU.jpg|The European art work is well-painted, if Bionic Commando was a spy game from the 50s. Rad isn't a blond who wears a green jumpsuit with bright yellow boots and gloves.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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===Documentation===
 
===Documentation===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Bionic Commando - NES - Manual.pdf|Game manual.
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Bionic Commando - NES - Japan - Manual.pdf|Manual - Japan.
Nintendo Power - 1988-06 - 082-083.jpg|[[Nintendo Power]] blurb.
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Bionic Commando - NES - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - USA.
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 006-007.jpg|Nintendo Power, page 1.
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Nintendo Power - 1988-06 - 082-083.jpg|''[[Nintendo Power]]'', 1988-06 - blurb.
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 008-009.jpg|Nintendo Power, page 2.
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Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 006-007.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - page 1.
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 010-011.jpg|Nintendo Power, page 3.
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Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 008-009.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - page 2.
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 012-013.jpg|Nintendo Power, page 4.
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Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 010-011.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - page 3.
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 014-015.jpg|Nintendo Power, page 5.
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Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 012-013.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - page 4.
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 016-017.jpg|Nintendo Power, page 6.
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Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 014-015.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - page 5.
 +
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - 016-017.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - page 6.
 +
Nintendo Power - 1988-09 - Poster.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1988-09 - poster.
 +
Nintendo Power - 1989-01 - 054-055.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 1989-01, Classified Information.
 +
Worlds of Power - Bionic Commando - Mass Market - USA - 1st Edition.jpg|[[Worlds of Power]] ''[[Bionic Commando (book)|Bionic Commando]]''.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
Line 59: Line 89:
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
Bionic Commando - NES - Title.png|Title screen.
 
Bionic Commando - NES - Title.png|Title screen.
 +
Bionic Commando - NES - Screenshot - Eagle Badge.png|You must earn continues by defeating larger enemies and collecting eagle badges.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Videos===
 
===Videos===
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DdCulJ5uc4 youtube.com/watch?v=0DdCulJ5uc4] - Longplay, North American.
+
{{YouTube|DtoQr2GzgS4|Review - NES Works.}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgfJnM_vU1o youtube.com/watch?v=KgfJnM_vU1o] - Longplay, Japanese.
+
{{YouTube|KgfJnM_vU1o|Longplay - Japanese.}}
 +
{{YouTube|0DdCulJ5uc4|Longplay - North American.}}
 +
 
 +
==Play Online==
 +
{{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/hitler-no-fukkatsu-top-secret-japan.html|Famicom}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/bionic-commando-europe.html|NES (Europe)}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/bionic-commando-usa.html|NES (USA)}}
 +
 
 +
==Representation==
 +
{{Representation
 +
| Media                      = Video games
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Fail
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = There are no women.
 +
| BechdelTestStatus          = Fail
 +
| BechdelTestNotes            = There are no women.
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Fail
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = As far as I can tell, everyone is supposed to be European.
 +
| QueerCharacterStatus        = Fail
 +
| QueerCharacterNotes        = Nobody appears queer.
 +
}}
  
 
==Credits==
 
==Credits==
Line 100: Line 148:
 
{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/bionic-commando_}}
 
{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/bionic-commando_}}
 
{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bionic_Commando_(NES_video_game)}}
 
{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bionic_Commando_(NES_video_game)}}
 +
{{Link|StrategyWiki|https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Bionic_Commando_(NES)}}
 
{{Link|GameFAQs|http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/589339-bionic-commando}}
 
{{Link|GameFAQs|http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/589339-bionic-commando}}
 
{{Link|VGMPF|2=http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/Bionic_Commando_(NES)}}
 
{{Link|VGMPF|2=http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/Bionic_Commando_(NES)}}
{{Link|NESHacker|2=http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Games/Hacking/Wiki/index.php/Bionic_Commando}}
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{{Link|ROMDetectives|2=http://www.romdetectives.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Bionic_Commando_(NES)}}
 
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Bionic_Commando_(NES)}}
 
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Bionic_Commando_(NES)}}
  
Line 108: Line 157:
  
  
[[Category: Games]]
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[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Adventure, Strategy]]
[[Category: Video Games]]
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[[Category: Game Mechanic - Boss Trick]]
[[Category: NES Games]]
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[[Category: The Feels]]
[[Category: Action]]
 
[[Category: Platformer]]
 
[[Category: Adventure]]
 
[[Category: Run and Gun]]
 
[[Category: Metroidvania]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
 
[[Category: Favorite]]
 
[[Category: Favorite]]
 
[[Category: Favorite Games]]
 
[[Category: Favorite Games]]
[[Category: Human Stasis]]
 
[[Category: Science Fiction]]
 
[[Category: The Feels]]
 
[[Category: World War II]]
 

Latest revision as of 14:45, 19 March 2024

Bionic Commando

Bionic Commando - NES - USA.jpg

Game Boy - USA - 1st edition.

Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Published 1988-07-20
Platforms NES
Genres Action, Metroidvania, Platform shooter, Platformer, Shooter
Themes Action, Adventure, Human Stasis, Science Fiction, War, World War II
Series Bionic Commando
Distribution Commercial

Bionic Commando is an action platform game by Capcom, released on the NES on 1988-07-20. This is the second game in the series, and, while it's based on the arcade game, it was remade to better-fit home console play.

In the Japanese version of the game, neo-Nazis have discovered lost plans for a giant war machine, but only Hitler knows how to build it, so they're trying to resurrect him. Allied forces sent Super Joe to infiltrate them, but he was captured, so you play Captain Rad who must rescue him, and stop the neo-Nazis. The American version was highly censored and all references to Nazism were removed, but Hitler is still quite recognizable.

Personal

Own?Yes. Two USA copies. One is complete in box and signed by Harumi Fujita, the other is a loose cart.
Won?Yes. USA, Japanese, and European versions without continues.
FinishedMid 1990s.

My brother got this game, some time in the late 1980s. I remember being very frustrated with the swing mechanic, and dying and missing swings all the time. It took me a long time to get good enough to actually play the game competently. Both my brother and I had a hard time trying to get past Area 6, but he was able to do it one day, and beat the game. Then, he played through it again to show me the ending, which is fantastic! I was able to beat it myself much later, and it has since become a favorite of mine.

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
8 6 8 8 7

Best Version: Windows

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • From start to end, the game has a really cool story line with some interesting twists.
  • While the bionic arm mechanic has a steep learning curve, once your become good at it, you'll not only love it, but wish for it in other games as well.
  • The game has a lot of variety. Each area has new graphics, enemy soldiers, bosses, hazards, and interesting characters to see.
  • The graphics are quite impressive. Each area has its own palette which gives it mood, the intro and ending have wonderful large graphics, and there are a lot of large enemy sprites.
  • The music for this game is phenomenal. It includes some of Harumi Fujita's original arcade tracks, but several new songs by Junko Tamiya.
  • The difficulty level for the game is pretty good. Although the learning curve is steep and requires you to master the swing mechanic, and there are a few difficult spots, you never feel like the game is cheating you.
  • The need to determine the proper communicators for each area is a nice side-puzzle.
  • The ability to travel semi-freely over the main map takes away from some of the linearity of the game.
  • The Commando-esque Meet With Enemy sequences are fun and nostalgic.
  • Requiring the player to have to earn continues was a nice addition and doubles as a way to permanently stave off a dreaded game over.

Bad

  • Despite loving the swinging mechanic, it takes a lot of time to get used to it. The game could have did a better job at easing you into the more complicated sections.
  • The American release was short-changed, not just because it censors out the Nazi plot, but because it's missing several other additions (rock barriers, land mines, shooting star, etc.). The Japanese version also fills out the maps better with more enemies and power-ups and has better dialogue and the interrogation scene.
  • The game focuses too much on the swinging mechanic and doesn't give enough play to more traditional run-and-gun mechanics. Although there are a lot of enemies, most of the enemies are very easy to deal with or don't occur enough. This was fixed in the Japanese release.
  • The game is ripe with typos and translation errors making certain things hard to understand. The manual is especially bad.
  • Both the wide cannon and machine gun are horrible weapons, though, with a little tweaking could have been made good if they acted more like they do in the meet with enemy sections.
  • Most of the secondary items aren't very useful to begin with, but are made even less useful because you receive the vastly superior medicine so early in the game.
  • Large sections of several maps can be avoided (area 1 inside, area 3 right mountainside, area 2 bottom near the end, area 5 right side, area 8 entirely, etc.). They probably should have required the player to traverse more of it.
  • There is no save-game or password system. Although, this is alleviated by the ability to farm extra hit points and continues.
  • Taking into account where you usually get it, and how brief it lasts, the POW item is nearly useless.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Media

Box Art

Documentation

Screenshots

Videos

Review - NES Works.
Longplay - Japanese.
Longplay - North American.

Play Online

Famicom, NES (Europe), NES (USA)

Representation

Strong female character?FailThere are no women.
Bechdel test?FailThere are no women.
Strong person of color character?FailAs far as I can tell, everyone is supposed to be European.
Queer character?FailNobody appears queer.

Credits

The game contains credits, but all of the names are aliases. Over time, several of those names have been identified.

Role Staff
Character Designers Hotaru B., Terukun, Junchan, Gamereon, Haihoo K.
Programmers Ichirou Toyoshima, Twilight, Oki‑Chan, Windy
Music & Sound Effects Junko Tamiya (Gondamin)
Arcade Music Harumi Fujita
Audio Programmer Yoshihiro Sakaguchi
Planning Hatchan
Special Thanks Mr. FF
US Manual Paul Biederman

Titles

Language Native Transliteration Translation
English Bionic Commando
Japanese ヒットラーの復活 トップシークレット Hittora no Fukkatsu: Toppu Shikuretto Hitler's Resurrection: Top Secret

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-GameFAQs.png  Link-VGMPF.png  Link-ROMDetectives.png  Link-TCRF.png