Bionic Commando is a game released by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game has also appeared on the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and as an arcade game. The main character, Radd (or Ladd) Spencer, is a commando with a bionic arm which can grab onto surfaces, allowing him to swing. The game is notable for being one of few platform games in which the player cannot jump.

The original Japanese version of Bionic Commando (called Hitler no Fukkatsu: Top Secret (The Ressurection of Hitler: Top Secret)) had the main character fight Nazis and the final boss was Adolf Hitler who has been ressurected (see original cover art [1]). All references to Nazism were removed from the American release: the swastikas were replaced by black eagle figures, and the name of the enemies was changed from "Nazis" to "Badds". Still, though the final boss's name was changed to "Master-D", he still clearly resembles Hitler.

Gameplay and controls

Bionic Commando's hero sports a gun with one hand and a bionic latch device on the other. His bionic arm can be extended in 45-degree increments, from horizontally left to directly upwards to horizontally right. Once attached to something, Radd 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.

Radd's bionic arm can also deflect some types of bullets and grab certain enemies and items.

The game is somewhat like a regular platformer otherwise. However, enemies can sometimes be defeated for bullets, which, if the player gets enough, will add extra units of health. This is important because the player only starts with one life point (three in the Game Boy versions).

Another unique feature of Bionic Commando is that instead of moving in a straight path through the levels, the player can, between levels, move around on a map-like screen. The player can move his helicopter one space at a time between the areas, represented by numbers.

Once above one, the player can either choose to play it 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).

There are also green enemy helicopters on the map, and if the player runs into them between icons, he will be forced into an overhead battle, similar to the previous game Commando. Certain enemies can be defeated there to get extra continues, although there is no saving in the NES version (the GB version uses passwords, and the GBC version saves automatically).

The arcade version is the only one to omit the map feature.

Memorable quotes

• "What, you're going to fight against me? You damn fool." - Master-D (Adolf Hitler)
• "Your number's up, monster!" - Radd

External links

Fan sites

• The Bionic Commando Headquarters
• The Bionic Commando Database