"Save hostages and blow stuff up, all from the comfort of your own home"

This was one of the earliest games I'd ever bought for my old-school NES. While it's certianly not the pinnacle of 8-bit gaming, Cobra Command isn't a bad game, and it does offer some innovative game play for its time.

Graphic wise, Cobra Command isn't anything special. There is some nice animation when you turn your helicoptor around and the large pictures of the hostages that talk to you to give you information are kind of neat. It is pretty cool when your helicopter is about to die as well; it catches on fire. Other than that, there's nothing that's especially memorable about your scenery or your enemies.

There are only about three different music tracks, and again, mediocrity reigns. They aren't good enough to stick in your head not bad enough to make you go at your TV speakers with a steak knife. They're pleasently average. As for sound, well, the only effects are things shooting and blowing up. Such an effect track is a hard thing to screw up (though there are games that have managed, I assure you).

It's the game play which makes this game special. While that mostly consists of flying around, blasting everything that moves and saving hostages, it also features gathering new equipment for your helicopter akin to an adventure game. Not only that, but you get to keep all of your old equipment. This allows you to customize your helicopter on the fly for whatever the current situation is. Say you're moving too fast for being in a base. Just switch back from hyper engines to turbo. Away from water? Ditch your mines in favor of dual missiles. This is probably Cobra Command's best and most innovative overall feature.

Alas, the good news can't last for long. The story about taking on a rouge military force with world domination aspirations isn't anything new and the ending is nothing to write home about (they mispell "congradulations" too).

Cobra Command is kind of nice for a change of pace, almost a mutant hybrid of an action and an adventure game. It's not too hard and not too easy. A la Goldilocks, it's just right.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 09/06/05