Bionic Commando (NES)

Infobox VG
title=Bionic Commando


caption=North American boxart
developer=Capcom
publisher=Capcom
designer=Tokuro Fujiwara
composer=Junko Tamiya
engine=
released =vgrelease|JP=July 20, 1988|NA=December, vgy|1988 [cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/completeoldgameslist.pdf|title=List of release dates from Nintendo.com] |EU=October 26, 1990
genre=Platform game
modes=Single-player
ratings=
platforms=NES/Famicom
media=2-megabit cartridge
requirements=
input=NES controller

"Bionic Commando" (also known as nihongo|"Top Secret: Hitler's Revival"|トップシークレット ヒットラーの復活|extra= in Japan) is an action/adventure video game released in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is a sequel to the original arcade game released in 1987.

In the game, the player has to explore each stage and obtain the necessary equipment to progress. The protagonist is Nathan "Rad" 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.

Plot

In the year 198X, a group of imperialist Nazis (referred to as Nazz in the instruction manual) developed a project called "The Albatross". The project was put to practice by their leader Generalissimo Weizmann. [cite web|author=Reidy, Gearoid|date=January 22, 2008|url=http://www.bioniccommando.com/us/blog_entries/view/64|title=Bionic Commando Newswire|accessdate=] During the game it is revealed that part of the plan consists in resurrecting Adolf Hitler to lead them to dominate the world.

The Federation found about the project and decided to send special commando "Super Joe" (the protagonist of "Commando"); [cite web|author=BC.com|date=|url=http://www.bioniccommando.com/us/pages/NG_Key_figures/id:18#content|title=Bionic Commando: Personnel - Key Figures|accessdate=] however, they lost contact with him when apparently he was captured by the Imperialist forces.

The main character of the game, Rad Spencer, is sent behind enemy lines to try to rescue Super Joe. [cite web|author=Elite Coder|url=http://www.elitecoder.com/bionic/manp4.html|title=Bionic Commando HQ - Instruction Manual|accessdate=]

Characters

* Nathan 'Rad' Spencer - The hero of the game. A special commando armed with a bionic arm that must complete all the levels and rescue Super Joe. [cite web|author=BionicCommando.com|date=|url=http://www.bioniccommando.com/us/pages/NG_Key_figures|title=Bionic Commando Key Figures|accessdate=]
* Super Joe - A special commando sent to infiltrate the Enemy forces and ended up being captured. The purpose of this game is to rescue him. He was the player's character in "Commando".
* Generalissimo Killt (Weizmann in the Japanese version) - The leader of the Imperialist Forces (Nazis/Badds). He is the one leading the Albatross Project meant to resurrect Master-D.
* Master-D (Hitler in the Japanese version) - The last boss of the game. The purpose of the Albatross Project was to resurrect him so he can help the Badds dominate the world.

Localization

For the release of the American version of the game, several changes were made to the game. Due to the strict censorship of Nintendo of America at the time, all references to Nazism were removed from the American release. This meant that the swastikas shown on cinema sequences or the background of some levels were replaced by Albatross figures. Furthermore, the enemies were renamed from "Nazis" to "Badds" (though the backstory in the instruction manual referred to them as Nazz). [ [http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/bionic_commando.shtml Bionic Commando instruction manual] . p. 3. Capcom/Nintendo. Retrieved on 2008-07-09] Also, the name of the leader of the Imperialist group was changed to Generalissimo Killt.

One of the most known changes involved the final boss of the game (Adolf Hitler). For the American version, the name was changed to "Master-D", but he still clearly resembles Hitler. There is a notably gory ending sequence in which his face explodes, which was kept intact in the American version; unusual considering the heavy censorship issues at the time. [Sandvik, Per Arne (2002-11-15). [http://encyclopedia-obscura.com/gameshorror.html The Horror!] Encyclopedia Obscura. Retrieved on 2008-07-09] In the artwork for the American version, the figure of Hitler was changed with a hat, a heavy beard and glasses (see picture).

Another difference is that the overall difficulty of the game was reduced. All these changes remained for the European version, but the game manual still mentions Nazis. [cite web|author=Elite Coder|date=|url=http://www.elitecoder.com/bionic/famiver.html|title=Bionic Commando Famicon Version|accessdate=]

Gameplay

Stage-selection map

Another original 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 a numbered area, 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). 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 Alpha works only in Areas 1, 4, and 5, and so on.

There are also green enemy trucks 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.

Some of these stages are neutral areas, in which the player gets information as well as items that might be helpful. In these areas it is forbidden to fire any weapon or the player will be attacked by a squadron until he or she leaves the stage.

Bionic arm

Radd Spencer 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, 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.

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.

Music

The NES version of the music, produced and composed by Junko Tamiya (under the pseudonym "Gondamin"), is also very highly praised for its militaristic compositional element. Two songs from the Arcade versions are used in some areas.

Releases

The NES game has been re-released, along with "Mighty Final Fight" and the NES edition of "Strider", in the "Capcom Classics Mini-Mix" compilation for Game Boy Advance.

An enhanced remake of the game was released in August 2008 for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and Windows under the name "Bionic Commando Rearmed".

"Bionic Commando" has not been approved by Nintendo for a re-release on its Virtual Console service for unspecified reasons. [cite web|author=|date=|url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=2&cId=3169224|title=Capcom's Ben Judd Interview|accessdate=2008-08-24]

Game Boy version

The Game Boy version of the game is almost a direct remake of the NES installment with only a few differences. While bearing the same plot (rescuing Super Joe), the enemy forces are referred to as the Doraize Army (instead of Nazis or Badds), and their leader is called Director Wiseman, like the Japanese version of the game [cite web|author=|date=|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRUZLhVLD8|title=Bionic Commando GB Intro|accessdate=] . Also, main character is named "Rad Spencer", without two "d"s like in the NES version.

territory. The uniforms and helmets of the enemies are changed for futuristic armors and "spiky" hair. This version also adds a more modern cinema-like opening and ending sequences. These sequences and character drawings in the in-game dialogues are drawn in manga-style panel illustrations, making the Game Boy version more story oriented.

Like the NES version, the player must navigate through the overworld map to move from level to level with a transport helicopter, called "DX-3 Turbocopter". Another difference from the NES version are the player's encounters with enemy transport vehicles. While on the NES version, these encounters featured a top-down interface, on the Game Boy version, they remain side-scrolling like the rest of the game. [cite web|author=Game Spot|date=|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gameboy/action/bioniccommando/player_review.html?id=347941|title=Bionic Commando Game Review|accessdate=]

Novelization

A book was written in the Worlds of Power 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.

References

External links

*moby game|id=/bionic-commando_|name="Bionic Commando"
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMDbwyvDSaw Nintendo Archives' Review]