This is the US-developed port of Capcom‘s Bionic Commando. It was created by Pacific Dataworks International and published by Capcom in 1988. If you want to see the (IMHO vastly superior) British version of the game: click here.

The US version of Bionic Commando is almost apologetically meek in comparison to the British port. The graphics, while neat enough, are fairly plain. The enemy sprites are cute-looking and more numerous than in the British version, but they’re also quite dumb and don’t provide much challenge. The game also seems to be missing all of the larger enemies. There is a rather strange-looking tall soldier (double the height of regular soldiers), but he looks completely out of place.

The levels are larger in this version of the game, compared to the British version, although they’re much less interesting from a visual standpoint. The time limits also don’t seem to be as tight. Which does make the game feel easier. At least in terms of lack of urgency.

Unfortunately, two things really let this port down, and they are: 1. the grapple hook (swinging around on it is nowhere near as dynamic and fun as in the British version), and 2. the music, which is pathetic in this (compared to Tim Follin‘s masterpiece of a soundtrack in the British version).

It’s impossible not to compare the US and British versions of Bionic Commando, as they came out around the same time. They are an example of cross-Atlantic competition where the Brits clearly came out on top. As a kid who was well into his games at the time, I had a reverence for many US-produced Commodore 64 games, but Bionic Commando is one example of the Americans seriously letting the side down with a lacklustre performance. I can imagine the devs at Pacific Dataworks International feeling pretty sick when they saw the British version of the game and compared it to theirs…

If you’re only going to play one version of C64 Bionic Commando, it has to be the superior British version. Or – even better – you should play both and make up your own mind. You’ll no doubt come to the same conclusion I did, though.

More: Bionic Commando on Wikipedia
More: Bionic Commando on CSDb