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Bionic Commando (NES)
Encyclopedia
Bionic Commando, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure
video game released by Capcom
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
in 1988. It is loosely based on the 1987 arcade game
Bionic Commando
. In the game, the player has to explore each stage and obtain the necessary equipment to progress. The protagonist is Ladd Spencer, a commando equipped with a bionic arm featuring a grappling gun
, allowing the protagonist to pull himself forward or swing from the ceiling. As such, the series is one of few instances of a platform game
in which the player cannot jump. To cross gaps or climb ledges, the hero must use his bionic arm.
of the Imperial Forces, decides to complete the project himself. When the Federation learns of the Empire's plot, they send in their national hero, Super Joe (the main character from the Capcom game Commando) to infiltrate the Empire, but he ends up being captured. To rescue Super Joe, the Federation sends in a second operative named Ladd Spencer of the FF (Double Force) Battalion, a team of commandos specially trained to use wired guns, to rescue him.
-like screen. The player can move his helicopter one space at a time between the areas, represented by numbers.
Once above a numbered area, the player can either choose to descend or move to another area. The player has to complete the current level to move on, although he can go back to the map by pressing either Start, A, and B, or Select, A, and B (depending on the version). After descending in the selected area, the player will be prompted to select their desired equipment for the mission. Certain equipments are designed to work at certain areas. For example, communicator α
works only in Areas 1, 4, and 5, and so on.
There are a total of 19 areas in the game. Area 1 to 12 are combat areas in which the player must visit to complete their mission, while Area 13 to 19 are neutral areas where fighting is forbidden. If the player fire their weapon at these areas, they will be attacked by a peacekeeping force. The neutral zones are a place where the player can get vital information and items to help fulfill Ladd's mission.
There are also green enemy trucks on the map selection screen that will try to intercept the player's helicopter. If the player's helicopter flies into one while traveling between areas, he will be forced to battle with enemy troops. These enemy encounters are fought from an overhead perspective similar to Commando. Destroying certain enemies at these stages, namely shielded soldiers, armed jeeps, or wired soldiers, will yield an eagle mark which will grant the player an additional continue.
Ladd sports a gun with one hand and an extendable bionic gripper device on the other. His bionic arm can be extended and rotated in 45-degree increments, from horizontally left to directly upwards to horizontally right. Once attached to something, Ladd can pull himself to wherever the arm has latched, typically leaving him swinging back and forth under the point of connection. From this position, he can swing off or hoist himself up to the point of connection. This is offset by the fact that, unlike conventional platformers, Ladd is unable to jump.
The bionic arm can also deflect some types of bullets and grab certain enemies and items.
Enemies can sometimes be defeated for "bullets", which, if the player gets enough of them, will add extra units of health. This is important because the player only starts with one life point. A maximum of nine life points can be gained, after collecting a total of 300 bullets.
For the release of the international version of the game, several changes were made. All references to Nazism
in text and imagery were removed for the English localization. The Empire in the Japanese version was actually a neo-Nazi
nation and the Imperial Army's insignia was a Nazi Swastika with a thunderbolt behind it. In the English version, the Nazis were referred as the "Badds" (though the back-story in the American version's manual referred to them as the "Nazz"), the Imperial Army's Swastika insignia was changed into a new one resembling an eagle, and the leader of the villains, originally called Weizmann in the Japanese version, was renamed Killt.
One of the most prominent differences involves the ultimate antagonist of the game, who is meant to be a revived Adolf Hitler in the Japanese version (hence the title). For the English version, the character was renamed "Master-D", but his likeness to Hitler was unchanged. There is a notably gory ending sequence in which Hitler's face explodes, which was kept intact in the English version. Additionally, the word "damn" was left in an end-game dialog sequence of the North American release, which was almost certainly an oversight. All officially-approved Nintendo games released during this time were heavily censored for even the most benign instances of profanity, blood and gore, sexual situations, religious symbolism and ideas, and many other sources of potential controversy.
In addition to the graphical changes, the difficulty of the game was rebalanced and some of the areas were made less difficult.
Nintendo Power
ranked it as the 17th best Nintendo Entertainment System
video game, describing it as one of the console's most original action games due to the ability to swing.
in . The Game Boy version is based on the NES game, featuring the same gameplay and stages, as well as a similar plot, but changes the present day setting of the NES version into a futuristic one. A second remake, titled Bionic Commando Rearmed
, was developed by GRIN
and released in as a downloadable title for the PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
, and PC
. A sequel
to this version, which follows an original story, was developed by Fatshark and released in February 2011.
The original NES version of Bionic Commando is one of three NES games featured in the Game Boy Advance
compilation Capcom Classics Mini-Mix, the other two games being Strider and Mighty Final Fight
.
series of novels based on the NES version. The main character is identified as Jack Markson, who loses an arm when ninjas attack his hotel room and kidnap Super Joe. The Federation replaces his missing limb with a bionic arm that has a grappling hook and a number of other gadgets that are not featured in the game, like a flame thrower and a device that forces prisoners to tell the truth. Like most books in the series, violence was toned down to non-lethality in most cases (he usually shoots enemy soldiers with tranquilizers), although certain events, like the deaths of Hal and Killt, are kept. Much of the game's middle is skimmed over in order to fit it all into the book.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game released by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in 1988. It is loosely based on the 1987 arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando (arcade game)
Bionic Commando, released in Japan as , is a action platform game released by Capcom for the arcades. It was later released for several home computers...
. In the game, the player has to explore each stage and obtain the necessary equipment to progress. The protagonist is Ladd Spencer, a commando equipped with a bionic arm featuring a grappling gun
Grappling hook
A grappling hook is an anchor with multiple hooks , attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge...
, allowing the protagonist to pull himself forward or swing from the ceiling. As such, the series is one of few instances of a platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
in which the player cannot jump. To cross gaps or climb ledges, the hero must use his bionic arm.
Plot
Set sometime in the 1980s, Bionic Commando centers around two warring states: the Federation and the Empire. One day, the Imperial Forces discovers classified documents involving the development of a new weapon known as the "Albatros project", which was started by an organization known as the "Badds", but was never completed. Killt, the GeneralissimoGeneralissimo
Generalissimo and Generalissimus are military ranks of the highest degree, superior to Field Marshal and other five-star ranks.-Usage:...
of the Imperial Forces, decides to complete the project himself. When the Federation learns of the Empire's plot, they send in their national hero, Super Joe (the main character from the Capcom game Commando) to infiltrate the Empire, but he ends up being captured. To rescue Super Joe, the Federation sends in a second operative named Ladd Spencer of the FF (Double Force) Battalion, a team of commandos specially trained to use wired guns, to rescue him.
Stage-selection map
Unlike other action games, instead of moving in a straight path through the levels, the player can, between levels, move around on a mapOverworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
-like screen. The player can move his helicopter one space at a time between the areas, represented by numbers.
Once above a numbered area, the player can either choose to descend or move to another area. The player has to complete the current level to move on, although he can go back to the map by pressing either Start, A, and B, or Select, A, and B (depending on the version). After descending in the selected area, the player will be prompted to select their desired equipment for the mission. Certain equipments are designed to work at certain areas. For example, communicator α
Alpha
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Alpha or ALPHA may also refer to:-Science:*Alpha , the highest ranking individuals in a community of social animals...
works only in Areas 1, 4, and 5, and so on.
There are a total of 19 areas in the game. Area 1 to 12 are combat areas in which the player must visit to complete their mission, while Area 13 to 19 are neutral areas where fighting is forbidden. If the player fire their weapon at these areas, they will be attacked by a peacekeeping force. The neutral zones are a place where the player can get vital information and items to help fulfill Ladd's mission.
There are also green enemy trucks on the map selection screen that will try to intercept the player's helicopter. If the player's helicopter flies into one while traveling between areas, he will be forced to battle with enemy troops. These enemy encounters are fought from an overhead perspective similar to Commando. Destroying certain enemies at these stages, namely shielded soldiers, armed jeeps, or wired soldiers, will yield an eagle mark which will grant the player an additional continue.
Bionic arm
The bionic arm can also deflect some types of bullets and grab certain enemies and items.
Other features
A well-known feature in this game is the possibility of communication with allied forces in order to get useful information on the current stage the player is in, or some hints. Also, the player can tap into the enemy forces' communication lines for the same results, though the enemy will sometimes detect the infiltrating line and send a squadron to attack the player.Enemies can sometimes be defeated for "bullets", which, if the player gets enough of them, will add extra units of health. This is important because the player only starts with one life point. A maximum of nine life points can be gained, after collecting a total of 300 bullets.
Localization
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in text and imagery were removed for the English localization. The Empire in the Japanese version was actually a neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
nation and the Imperial Army's insignia was a Nazi Swastika with a thunderbolt behind it. In the English version, the Nazis were referred as the "Badds" (though the back-story in the American version's manual referred to them as the "Nazz"), the Imperial Army's Swastika insignia was changed into a new one resembling an eagle, and the leader of the villains, originally called Weizmann in the Japanese version, was renamed Killt.
One of the most prominent differences involves the ultimate antagonist of the game, who is meant to be a revived Adolf Hitler in the Japanese version (hence the title). For the English version, the character was renamed "Master-D", but his likeness to Hitler was unchanged. There is a notably gory ending sequence in which Hitler's face explodes, which was kept intact in the English version. Additionally, the word "damn" was left in an end-game dialog sequence of the North American release, which was almost certainly an oversight. All officially-approved Nintendo games released during this time were heavily censored for even the most benign instances of profanity, blood and gore, sexual situations, religious symbolism and ideas, and many other sources of potential controversy.
In addition to the graphical changes, the difficulty of the game was rebalanced and some of the areas were made less difficult.
Music
The music for the game was composed by Junko Tamiya, who was credited under the pseudonym "Gondamin". It is very highly praised for its militaristic compositional element. Two songs from the Arcade versions are used in some areas.Reception
- 1up: A+
- Gamespot:8.6/10
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
ranked it as the 17th best Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
video game, describing it as one of the console's most original action games due to the ability to swing.
Remakes and re-releases
A portable adaptation of Bionic Commando was released for the Game BoyGame Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
in . The Game Boy version is based on the NES game, featuring the same gameplay and stages, as well as a similar plot, but changes the present day setting of the NES version into a futuristic one. A second remake, titled Bionic Commando Rearmed
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Bionic Commando Rearmed is an enhanced remake of the 1988 Nintendo Entertainment System version of Bionic Commando. It was developed by GRIN and published by Capcom for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade and was released on August 13, 2008...
, was developed by GRIN
GRIN (company)
GRIN was a video game developer based in Stockholm, Sweden. Founded by Bo and Ulf Andersson in 1997, GRIN has worked on numerous titles for the PC, consoles and arcade.-History:...
and released in as a downloadable title for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. A sequel
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 is the sequel to the platforming video game Bionic Commando Rearmed. It was developed by Fatshark and published by Capcom. It was released February 1, 2011 for the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network and February 2, 2011 on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade...
to this version, which follows an original story, was developed by Fatshark and released in February 2011.
The original NES version of Bionic Commando is one of three NES games featured in the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
compilation Capcom Classics Mini-Mix, the other two games being Strider and Mighty Final Fight
Mighty Final Fight
Mighty Final Fight is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System in . It is a spinoff of Capcom's arcade game Final Fight, which was previously ported to the Super NES in two different editions...
.
Novelization
A book was written in the Worlds of PowerWorlds of Power
The Worlds of Power books are a series of novelizations of video games for the Nintendo Entertainment System released in the early 1990s. The series was created by Seth Godin and is characterized by the fact that they are mostly "male-oriented titles," that take creative liberties with their source...
series of novels based on the NES version. The main character is identified as Jack Markson, who loses an arm when ninjas attack his hotel room and kidnap Super Joe. The Federation replaces his missing limb with a bionic arm that has a grappling hook and a number of other gadgets that are not featured in the game, like a flame thrower and a device that forces prisoners to tell the truth. Like most books in the series, violence was toned down to non-lethality in most cases (he usually shoots enemy soldiers with tranquilizers), although certain events, like the deaths of Hal and Killt, are kept. Much of the game's middle is skimmed over in order to fit it all into the book.