"A huge renovation of the classic, but get Elite Forces if you can."

Bionic Commando has seen nearly every console and platform out there. But only the NES and Gameboy(including Color) have seen quality versions of it, in my opinion. You play a Bionic Commando on a mission to rescue Super Joe and destroy the Albetross, a weapon of untold power. To accomplish this task you use your gun and a cybernetic grappling hook to scroll through 17 new enemy and neutral territories. This is a review of the 1992 monochrome version, not the 2000 version. However, I do recommend both versions if you can. But if you're only gonna go with one, I'd have to point you to NSTC's Elite Forces version.

Graphics: 9/10
The graphics are handled without slowdown or flicker, but the animations need more frames, and it shows. The background is very very well done. I was blown away by the background in the first stage, but it seems to go downhill from there. Too bad. Otherwise the game looks fine.

Gameplay 9/10
This is where the franchise shines, really. Swinging across the ceiling is now possible, and multiple grapples are possible. The only revision I didn't like involved meeting enemy convoys. In the NES version, this part was overhead, but in this one its strictly side scrolling. New gamers to the franchise may be awkward with the lack of jumping ability, but once you overcome it, you'll understand how innovative it is. My biggest complaint about the game would have to be the password system rather than battery backed RAM saving.

Sound 8/10
The sound is decent and has some old tunes in it, but its new ones are much better. I'd have to say they should have dropped the old music period. The Sound Effects are decent, but nothing stands out too much.

Control 8/10
The grappling hook has been tweaked to the advantage of the player, and now multiple grapples per ''jump'' are possible. The gun may get on gamers nerves because it cant be aimed at all until they realize that the designers intended this and that the gun is supposed to be used in conjunction with the hook for height aiming. The only real feature missing is dropping down off a platform.

Replay 5/10
Well, once you've beaten the game, theres no ''best'' ending to find or secret levels to find. About the only reason a gamer has to replay it is the fun value, which it contains
in bountiful abundance.

Overall(not an average): 8
Get Elite Forces if you don't have it yet. Its got sram saves, more maps, two characters that play differantly and more playmodes. If you do have it, try out this Bionic Commando if you find it in a used game store, you might end up buying it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/25/00, Updated 06/25/00