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Get ready for hardcore action in this creative and compelling NES classic

This week's retro game is an NES classic that you may be familiar with, and that is Bionic Commando. Released in 1988 and developed and published by Capcom, BC is an action platformer, but not a typical one. In this game, you can't jump. You read that right; no jumping at all. Instead the protagonist uses a bionic arm to grab ledges and swing around. That's cool, right? Well, there will be times when you wish you could jump. 

The plot has to do with a team of commandos trying to stop Hitler--er, I mean, a foreign Communist power, from taking over the world, or something. A soldier named Super Joe was sent on this mission, but disappeared. So you have to go rescue him (not so super if you ask me). Although never mentioned in the game, the protagonist's name is Ladd Spencer, and he has a bionic arm. Spencer must rescue Super Joe and destroy the evil Empire (that's what it's called in the game). [Fun fact: the original Japanese version actually showed swastikas in the opening scene, but they were replaced by bird symbols for the American version. The title for the Japanese version was actually Hitler's Revival: Top Secret.]

You'll begin by looking at the map and the different areas you can fly to via helicopter. You can move, descend, and transfer. Along the way, you may bump into the enemy moving along by truck, and you will automatically descend and fight them on the ground; this is reminiscient of the top-down view levels of Super C, and they're a good change of pace from the regular game. These enemy encounters are valuable because they are the only way to gain continues for the main game; you will shoot a bad guy and a bird symbol will appear. Grab it and you'll gain a continue. 

Let me get this out of the way: BC is hardcore. I mean Capcom hard (I'm looking at you, Mega Man). You can't jump. The A button shoots out the bionic arm; the B button fires your gun. You cannot move in mid-air other than by the momentum of a swing; if you drop down from a ledge, you will fall straight down. You cannot grapple onto a ledge below you. However, the programmers understand all of these limitations, and the level design is acclamated accordingly. 

At first I was frustrated because I wasn't used to the controls, and I hated the fact that you couldn't jump, but after awhile, I found myself enjoying the game. Once you get used to using the extendable arm, it's not so bad (although it takes awhile to really get the hang of it). If you tap A repeatedly after hooking a ledge, Spencer will swing back and forth and pull himself up to the ledge; this mechanic is used effectively throughout the course of the game. However, there are times when Spencer will let go when you want him to hang on, or vice versa; the sensitivity of the controls seems to be slightly off. 

What's surprising about BC is the great variety found in the game. None of the levels are the same; one is an enemy base, another is the sewers, another is a high tower; and each level has something unique about it. In the sewers, blobs come out of the pipes and can whoosh you away if you're not careful; one of the levels has quicksand, and you must use your arm to pull yourself out before you go under. These creative implementations keep the game fresh. Also, Spencer will pick up multiple weapons throughout the game; you will be able to choose which weapon to use before you enter an area. There's a standard gun, a missile launcher, a spread gun, and these weapons are vital if you want to proceed in the game. You can also choose certain items and your communication device before you enter, but I was not sure of all their uses. 

BC is also non-linear to a certain degree. You can choose which area to tackle first (although it's best to do them in order). You can also descend into neutral areas, where you can talk to people and find items. The level design offers different areas to explore, although this is restricted quite a bit. Inside the areas, you will find communication rooms, where you can communicate with other soldiers and also wire-tap to listen in on the enemy. This adds personality to the game that could have easily been left out; these moments reinforce the plot to players so they will remember that they're in a war. 

BC is not a perfect game, however. In one area, you have to climb up higher and higher. This wouldn't be so hard if not for the fact that enemy soldiers spawn right on top of you. And when you're hit, Spencer jumps back (just like in most NES games), causing him to jump right off the edge. Luckily, you can grab onto a ledge as you're falling, but then the same thing will happen again. Frustration ensues. Also, there is some tricky platforming and grappling sections in the game. One level has you grappling from fixture to fixture, and if you miss one fixture, you're a dead man. This is all about timing, but it may take you several attempts to figure out. The lack of jumping also brings frustration. One section has balls of spikes rolling down at you, and you must climb to the top (just like in Donkey Kong actually). The uncertainty of the appearance of the spikey balls and the amount of time it takes to grapple to a ledge above you produces great agony. The spikey balls actually move faster than Spencer, which is aggravating. 

     None of the levels look the same; amazing for this kind of game

The ending to BC is kind of famous in NES lore. You fight Hitler, er, I mean Killt (that's his name I believe), who looks suspiciously like Hitler; after you kick his communist butt, his face explodes. The game actually shows this graphically in a three-panel shot of his head. It's quite graphic for an NES game, but for some reason, Nintendo approved it. What a great ending to a great game. 

Final Verdict--4 Stars: Recommended

While not perfect, Bionic Commando is a very unique NES game. It introduced a completely new play mechanic that was fun and compelling; and if nothing else, it created great challenges for the player. The level design is good and never becomes repetitive. I failed to mention the music: it's great (one of the songs even sounds James Bond-ish, which fits the game very well). The action is solid, and the game has personality. Just be warned, this game is hardcore, and frustration is sure to grab you after you swing to your doom one too many times. But hey, Hitler's face blows up at the end, and what else could you want? 

Join me every Saturday as we take a look back at all kinds of retro games, good and bad.