Bionic Commando

"One of the best NES games, without a doubt."

The NES has given us many classic games that spawned numerous sequels, cartoons, and memorabilia of all sorts (Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, etc.). Some games have been far under-appreciated, like Lucasarts' Maniac Mansion, and others have been over-hyped beyond belief. Bionic Commando is another one of those great ol' NES classics that received a little popularity, but not nearly as much as it deserves. At least now it has a great sequel on the GBC.


Gameplay - 9/10


No strange and furry mascot, no pouncing on enemies, no fantastically cliched environments; Bionic Commando is an action war game with a twist. Your job as a commando is to use your bionic arm (a grappling hook would be a great comparision) to hang on to platforms and swing your way toward an info room and then to your destination (usually inhabited by a boss). However, you're not a weak old man; you have a gun, of course (you'll also get more powerful ones later in the game), but the first can only shoot in a single cardinal direction. Using communicators inside the info rooms, you can contact your base through transmission and learn of your next destination. While the gameplay can get insanely annoying at times, (you get a pack from defeating most enemies, and if you collect enough, you get an extra health unit, but otherwise you only have one hit until you die) Bionic Commando is very enjoyable for the most part and shows game designers that there's no reason to be afraid to try something new.


Graphics - 8/10


Nice looking skies, buildings, caves... a better than average visual showing. While not the best the NES is capable of displaying, Bionic Commando's visuals are still very impressive.


Sound - 10/10


Perfect, without a doubt. You can not honestly tell me that the music to the first level isn't catchy, heroic, or fun to listen to. The music to the latter levels give you the feeling that there's still toughness ahead of you, and the music that plays when you come to a peaceful area (a base of your army) seems like ''a break from the action'', and feels quite relaxing. Bionic Commando gets a vote from me for having one of the best NES soundtracks.


Replay - 6/10


Well, once you complete it, you won't be too anxious to come right back and beat it again. However, Bionic Commando is the kind of game that you'll remember and want to play again a year or two later.


How much cash shall I give up?


This is an NES game, so you'll most likely be able to find it from five to ten dollars. If you do, you're making a great purchase for a great game. What more is there to say?


Overall - 34/40; 8.5/10.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/26/00, Updated 03/26/00