Bionic Commando

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Bionic Commando (North America, Europe) Hittora no Fukkatsu: Top Secret ("Top Secret: Hitler's Revival") (Japan)

Developer(s)	Capcom, Software Creations
Publisher(s)	Capcom, Go!
Release date(s)	^JPN July 20, 1988 ^NA 1988 ^EU October 26, 1990 (dates for NES version)
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Single player
Platform(s)	Arcade, Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Famicom/NES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
Media	2-megabit cartridge
Input	Joystick, NES controller

Bionic Commando (Top Secret (トップシークレット, Top Secret^?) in Japan) is the name of several video games, the first being an arcade game released by Capcom in 1987.

It was later released for several home computers (ported by Software Creations and published by Go!). Perhaps the most well-known version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Capcom itself, which is actually a different game from the original (Top Secret: Hitler no Fukkatsu (トップシークレットヒットラーの復活, Top Secret: Hitler no Fukkatsu^?) in Japan). Games in the series have also appeared on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, these two games being more closely related to the NES game than the arcade game.

The main character (depending on the version, it might be Super Joe, Radd (or Ladd) Spencer, among others), is a commando with a gun and, more importantly, a bionic arm which can grab onto surfaces, allowing him to pull himself forward, or swing from the ceiling. The game is notable for being one of few platform games in which the player cannot jump. To cross gaps, the hero must swing like Tarzan on a vine, by manipulating the bionic arm.

1 Arcade version
2 NES version
3 Game Boy versions
4 Computer ports
5 Music
6 Novelization
7 External links

[edit] Arcade version

The original arcade version, consists of the commando Super Joe (the hero from Commando and Speed Rumbler), who transverses through five levels from a forest to a base, in order to stop a threatening armed force. The levels themselves are, like any conventional platformer, straightforward, with many situations in which there are enemies and other dangers lurking, while at the same time, cliffs that must be passed through. Prizes like points and power-ups can only be obtained from crates that come on the screen in a parachute, which can be revealed by shooting them. Unlike most other versions, the player cannot use the arm and shoot at the same time, the arm cannot be used in the air and the only power-ups are weapon enhancements.

This version was later released in the compilation Capcom Classics Collection for the PlayStation 2 and XBox.

[edit] NES version

The original Japanese version of Bionic Commando placed the character in a battle against futuristic Nazis. The final boss was Adolf Hitler, who had been resurrected by evil scientists. All references to Nazism were removed from the American release: the swastikas were replaced by eagle figures, the enemies were renamed from "Nazis" to "Badds" and the overall difficulty of the game was reduced. The final boss's name was changed to "Master-D", but he still clearly resembles Adolf Hitler. There is a notably gory ending sequence in which his head explodes, which was kept intact in the American version; an unusual move, considering Nintendo's heavy censorship issues at the time. All these changes remained for the European version, but the game manual still mentions Nazis. The story featured in the English version of the game begins with a search for Super Joe, who was the main character of Commando. In truth, Commando and this version of Bionic Commando are actually unrelated games.

Unlike the arcade version, the NES version is an action/adventure game, in which the player has to explore each stage and obtain the necessary equipment to progress through the game.

[edit] 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).

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, although there is no saving in the NES version (the GameBoy version uses passwords, and the GameBoy Color version saves automatically).

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.

[edit] Bionic arm

Bionic arm in use (NES version)

Radd/Ladd Spencer sports a gun with one hand and an extensible 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Game Boy versions

The original Game Boy version (known worldwide as Bionic Commando) was released by Capcom. It is a futuristic version of the NES version, with a refined control, different plot and some new scenarios, though it heavily borrows settings from its predecessor. It is also possible to continue the game by passwords. This version is not as popular as the NES version, mostly because of the game's environment, which didn't attract attention compared to the Nazi setting of the earlier game.

A Game Boy Color game named Bionic Commando: Elite Forces was developed by NST and released by Nintendo under permission from Capcom. It also borrows some elements from its predecessor, but it is a completely different game, with a different plot. The characters have a few more moves, such as the ability to climb down from platforms. There are some special feaures, such as the possibility to save the game via battery back-up (which has been known to introduce a game-freezing bug), some shooting sequences and being able to choose the character's gender. Also, the characters sport rotoscoped animation, similar to that of Prince of Persia.

The original NES version has been released along with Mighty Final Fight and the NES version of Strider in a compilation known as Capcom Classics Mini-Mix on the Game Boy Advance.

[edit] Computer ports

The computer ports of the game, all of them from the arcade version, (available for 8-bit computers Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum and 16-bit computers Amiga and Atari ST) received average or decent reviews. For Commodore 64 there are two different versions, a US version by Capcom and a UK version by Software Creations. The UK version for Commodore 64 seems to be the most well received computer port, while the US version is considered poor.

[edit] Music

The music for the computer conversions was arranged by Tim Follin and has been considered to be of high quality. Credits are given for Tim Follin's brother too, but he only programmed a music-playing routine. The original music was composed by Harumi Fujita for the YM2151 arcade-game sound chip. Tim Follin rearranged original compositions and utilized capabilities of computer sound chips well; the music on stage four is mainly Follin's own composition. The game's music sounds very different on every machine due to differences in sound chips. The Amiga version features music that is based on well-chosen instrument samples while the C64 version is a great example of utilizing the capabilities of the SID-chip. The Atari ST music is well done despite of the limitations of the YM2149 soundchip.

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.

[edit] Novelization

A book was written in the Worlds of Power series of novels based on Bionic Commando (the American NES version). The Bionic Commando is 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.