Commando
1985 · Run and Gun · Arcade
Overview
Commando (1985) is Tokuro Fujiwara's Capcom run and gun, in which Super Joe fights alone through enemy territory with a rifle and a limited supply of grenades.
Deep Dive
Super Joe's rifle never runs out and fires in eight directions, while grenades are rationed and thrown forward to clear obstacles and groups of enemies. The arcade game has eight levels. It popularised the run and gun and inspired many imitators, including SNK's Ikari Warriors.
Developer Story
Fujiwara designed it and Tamayo Kawamoto composed the music. Released in May 1985, it was the UK's highest-grossing arcade game of the year and among the top three in the US. The NES version sold about 1.14 million copies, and the sequel, Mercs, followed in 1989. It is unrelated to the 1985 film.
Did You Know?
- Its Japanese title, Senjō no Ōkami, means "Wolf of the Battlefield".
- Rob Hubbard reportedly wrote the Commodore 64 version's music in under 12 hours.
Sources & further reading
- Commando (video game) — Wikipedia
