Bionic Commando retrospective: This machine-arm kills fascists | NES Works

One of December 1988's all-timers arrives this week, and while it may not be the best-remembered of the bunch (not when the other two big releases belonged to huge ongoing franchises), but I'd argue that it's the best and most polished. It's also the most fearless; Bionic Commando didn't so much ask players to learn an entirely new style of platform gaming as demand it as the price of entry. But once you got a handle on the grappling mechanics, Bionic Commando played like nothing else on the system, becoming a fast-paced action game with breezy, high-speed action through a dozen stages linked by an interesting narrative and well-conceived adventure gameplay flow. It remains the gold standard for grapple-based action gaming to this day, and for good reason: It rules.
Production note: NES footage captured from ‪@analogueinc‬ Mini. Arcade footage captured from MiSTer FPGA cores; special thanks to ‪@MiSTerAddons‬. Video upscaled to 720 with XRGB Mini Framemeister. Audio unfortunately suffered this episode due to it being produced on portable equipment while traveling.
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[@bankuei]

"The Hitler killing will continue until morale improves" is gold. I want this on a shirt.

[@woogha]

I'd buy that shirt.

[@Rountree1985]

Unfortunately saying Hitler was bad is a controversial statement nowadays.

[@woogha]

@@Rountree1985 When anyone comes at me trying to defend Hitler I reply with a "huh, you learn something wrong every day" and walk away.

[@brigtsd7179]

Ironically, that's a very fascist statement.

[@TedDiabetes]

​@@woogha case in point right above me. ⤴️

[@RetroCabeza]

Happy 100th episode! Killing nazis is an old videogame tradition, such as eating fruit and breaking bricks with a ball. Never gets old 🍻

[@yellowblanka6058]

“Mein leiben!”

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

One of those proud old traditions we need to bring back. What? Videogames? Oh, there too I guess.

[@nfugitt89]

The bounce back and forth as the Commando pulls up animation has always been a personal favorite. Someone really cared about getting that to look great.

[@kommissar.murphy]

The swing, arc and momentum are just so satisfying.

[@StewNWT]

totally

[@goldenage]

This game required some trust upfront. Once the player grasped the mechanics it was very rewarding.

[@dialaskisel5929]

I understand why Bionic Commando can't jump. He loves his arm too much not to use it. Heck, he's practically married to it!

[@JeremyParish]

Zing!

[@dbfd276]

@@JeremyParish will you gonna make the Game Boy Works for Bionic Commando it's pretty underrated legacy-wise

[@seth410]

I see what you did there

[@Danenos]

Bionic Commando 2009 was truly

[@jaredmcdaris7370]

“Until morale impro- oh, has morale improved already? … Ya know what, let’s keep going.”

[@jessragan6714]

I regret that Hitler only has one life to give for his country.

[@SovrinnK]

Omg your cart is signed by my two favorite Capcom composers! Junko Tamiya and Harumi Fujita often seemed to end up working in tandem. For Strider, the scoring went the opposite way, where Tamiya scored the arcade and Fujita the NES version.

[@JeremyParish]

Yeah, I had a chance to interview them a few years ago (when they signed this and my Top Secret cart) and mentioned this precise factoid, which they had never really considered before. It was pretty fun.

[@SovrinnK]

@@JeremyParish Junko’s work on the Sweet Home soundtrack is singular, there’s very little else ever done on the system that compares in terms of creepy atmosphere. Maybe the MegaTen games? Both these composers are fantastic.

[@kerred]

I can only imagine that head exploding got past Nintendo censorship because no one could get that far and looking at the tileset made it look incomprehensible.

[@Dwedit]

This game predated video game ratings. There was no ESRB, no CERO, no RSAC, no PEGI, etc.

[@SovrinnK]

@@Dwedit True but Nintendo of America censors were usually extremely stringent about this stuff. Look no further than the slew of regional differences typically seen in most NES localizations. It's bizarre this one slipped through, not to mention the "damn" in the script. It's definitely an oddity.

[@JeremyParish]

From what I've heard, Nintendo tightened up their standards after this and Golgo 13 came out.

[@yellowblanka6058]

Can’t have boobs on statues in castlevania, but a graphic head exploding sequence is fine, lol.

[@dc9662]

@@yellowblanka6058 If you Think that's wild, Nintendo removed the nude statue of Nurse Edna in Maniac Mansion, and left in the ability for some party members to be able to microwave Weird Ed's hamster (among other things)!

[@jameshenderson4089]

The nostalgia runs strong in this one. I never owned bionic commando when I was a kid but I rented it regularly.

[@Larry]

The Xbox 360/PS3 3D version had to be delayed by several weeks as GRIN went so hard-core with the swing physics/mechanics, that playtesters could never get the timing right so was way too difficult to control. Also GameTrailers got into a lot of heat from Capcom as they thought it would be a great idea to fill their review with spoilers and the ending!!! (Which Capcom partially blamed poor sales of the game on)

[@Shrapnel82]

I can't read any of your comments without mentally inserting "But hello you" at the end.

[@the_mr_wyatt]

Love the Woody Guthrie reference in the title. Bionic Commando is my all-time favorite NES title.

[@Choralone422]

Bionic Commando didn't get enough credit back in the day for how unique and good it's control scheme is. I remember some of my classmates complaining that you couldn't jump like pretty much every other side scroller on the NES. But for those willing to learn the grappling hook it was a real blast to play! Side note: There was a lot of audio popping going on throughout the video for some reason. Made it harder to understand some words during your narration.

[@ASH-RAID]

Woot woot! Have been waiting for this one. One of my NES ATFs

[@Jamie-nx2cg]

Bionic commando was probably my fav on the system. Top tier for sure.

[@darktetsuya]

definitely one of my all time NES favorites! something about getting really good at the controls and just almost effortlessly swinging through the levels it's quite magical. and that final scene though!

[@vertigov5303]

This is a solid 100 game. I was never a war game kinda kid, but loved action/adventure and rpg. and this totally hits the spot.

[@Poever]

Episode 100: Sweet Jeremy Parish’s Baadasssssss Song

[@chaseman94]

Thank you for all the hard work you put into this video about my all time favorite NES game which I've enjoyed since I bought my 1st copy from a pawn shop back in October 1991. My 2nd copy I bought brand new from Montgomery Ward in 1993 for $10 after my first one got stolen. My 3rd copy I bought from Funcoland used back in 1997 after I traded my 2nd copy in along with some other stuff the year before to get a game for my newly acquired Playstation and when I seriously started collecting NES games.

[@EvilHienSan]

When my family got the NES Action set, we bought 3 more additional games: Super Mario Bros 2, Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle, and Bionic Commando. I spent most of the time with BC and it will always hold a special place for me.

[@tranwc]

Still have my original Bionic Commando cartridge. 😃 YES!

[@Unquestionable]

This was a staple of early game rentals for me and I even ended up buying the rental copy when the video store was clearing out it's NES stock. The emphasis on rewarding skill can't be overstated, while I never really got to the end game I did successfully learn the mechanics well enough to make the first half a breeze and many a junior high after school sessions started with an almost meditative run through the areas I had mastered. One of my favorites and thrilled to see such a comprehensive analysis on NES Works.

[@GaryHodgesDVSM]

One of my top 5 NES games, hands down.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

So, the 100th Anniversary involves defeating fascism. As I've somehow never played Bionic Commando before, I'm definitely going to give it a go now! And it's better than Bionic Granny (A real game) could ever be!

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

@@havanaradio Yeah, I've always been vaguely aware of its quality, but I have no idea why I've never tried it!

[@evilskunk1]

This was a childhood favorite game of mine. Funny thing is though, years later when I went to the Art Institute of Seattle, one of my instructors then later the Dean happen to be Jack Snowden the animator for Bionic Commando. Small world to say the least.

[@shane1489]

I cannot count how many times I beat this game. I was speed running back before that was even a thing.

[@FallicIdol]

Same. I am pretty sure i have a deathless playthrough

[@shane1489]

@@FallicIdolI can’t say that myself probably made it 99.9% but don’t think I got the heli in one try.

[@Belzeboobies]

Oh, the cartridge is signed! Very cool.

[@eyes2shatter559]

All right, NES works!!

[@ztoxtube]

The thing that strikes me about this NES game is that it feels like the very best iteration of the series, after several reiterations. At the time, the game felt like an ambitious but clunky learning curve. Capcom soon found amazing formulas in the Mega Man/ Disney NES games as well as the SF2/Final Fight standard and pumped them out endlessly, but going back, continuing to master the mechanics of this old game is rewarding and thrilling to this day.

[@philmason9653]

My friend across the street owned this, and when I finally got my NES it became the first game I ever finished. I am entirely here for its canonization in the library's toppest tier.

[@matthewpaul526]

Received Bionic Commando for my 10th birthday and it ended up being one of the best gifts of my pre-teen years.

[@oman1825]

Junko Tamiya, what an incredible composer. Been looking foward to this Retrospective. Also best video game ending ever!

[@SecretSeashell]

"This machine-arm kills fascists" Absolute home run. I wish I could buy you a cake for that one.

[@Swordblade2k]

To give BCR2 some credit, the jump is only a single tile high, and is mainly intended to give the newly mustachioed Spencer the ability to create more complex swing trajectories than actually clear distances. The game itself is certainly an acquired taste, as it simply refuses to take itself seriously, almost to the extent 2k9 refuses to lighten up. To get the best experience, just hunt down one of PJ DiCesare's GDQ runs and enjoy the hype. There's plenty to go around.

[@Plasmariel]

Fun fact: The C64, Amiga, ZX Spectrum and Atari ST ports of the game were composed and arranged by Tim Follin the legend

[@Panzer_the_Merganser]

Congratulations on hitting 100 for NES Works!

[@GuiltyKit]

Amazing controls, great music, innovative grapple gameplay, AND I get to kill Nazis? Contender for best game for sure.

[@charleybarley7148]

This game is one of the most unique and enjoyable platformers on the NES. The Game Boy adaptation is excellent as well!

[@staguar]

I think this might be favorite NES game. I had so much fun playing it as a kid and it's just as fun as an adult

[@kmaru80]

Bionic commando is one of my top 5 NES games. Moving just feels so cool

[@thejackal007]

I loved this game enough that I wrote in a notebook every conversation and cut scene you'd see in the game. I'm not entirely sure why, but that's what I did. This game is definitely an instant classic. *shudders at the thought of the furnace of Area 10* Definitely agree with the arm mechanics to be precise and involved enough without going too far. Even the Rearmed games that came out after were close to this, but somehow muddied the purity of the NES's mechanics a bit. Also worth noting is the amazing soundtrack. NP's coverage was a fantastic thing for me to re-read many times, too.

[@calicocalpico]

Get the heck out of here, you nerd

[@silverserpentor6710]

Definitely in my Top 5 NES games and the soundtrack is amazing

[@codekhalil6437]

Loved this one! First of all, congrats on 100 episodes. This has to be the most well crafted and cared for retro gaming channel on KZbin. Second, we have to talk about the amazing remake Bionic Commando Rearmed. IMHO, one of the best remakes ever made. And that Simon Viklund music score! UNREAL! Going back to the original game though, it was criminally overlooked because of that learning curve. But once you got it, it was one of the most rewarding games around

[@jamesmoss3424]

Happy 100th episode. 😀👍🎮

[@Silverset_]

Let’s not forget how awesome the music was in this classic!!

[@absolutezeronow7928]

Going from Bionic Commando, a great NES game to Temple of Doom is quite a contrast. Still amazing that Umihara Kawaze is on Japanese NSO, but Bionic Commando isn't on any form of NSO yet. I guess it's true that Every Rose Has Its Thorn.

[@yellowblanka6058]

Also, Ninja Gaiden on NSO, but not 2 or 3 etc.

[@absolutezeronow7928]

@@yellowblanka6058 I'd definitely would like to see Ninja Gaiden II on NSO as well.

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@absolutezeronow7928 Yeah, there are headscratching gaps like that in nso while they add games few people asked for like dig dug II

[@ginormousaurus8394]

The NES version of Bionic Commando never received a Virtual Console release for the Wii, Wii U, or 3DS, but the Game Boy version of Bionic Commando and Bionic Commando: Elite Forces were released for the 3DS. I suspect the NES version isn't available because of the image of Hitler.

[@Darkbeatdk]

Bionic Commando is super cool. I bought my copy at a time where I was a little worried about bootlegs, but someone wrote “Vanilla Ice” on the back of the game, which somehow legitimizes it for me. It has to be someone’s original game.

[@RadikAlice]

I agree with everything you said, glad I snatched Rearmed on Steam years ago as it's been de-listed Which I understand as GRIN sadly went under, but still. Anyway, speaking of going under The audio quality in this episode seems rougher than it should be. I noticed rather audible microphone pops all the way, I could speculate. But it's just something I wanted to note, you probably corrected it by now

[@Ryan-jo9td]

This is great Jeremy. I've been looking forward to this one. I've loved this game since its release.

[@thecunninlynguist]

One of my fave nes games ever. Never saw the arcade prequel in the wild. But loved this game, and the rearmed version.

[@yellowblanka6058]

The arcade game is the very definition of “quarter muncher”, even getting through the first stage without getting hit is tough. The NES game is far better balanced.

[@thecunninlynguist]

@@yellowblanka6058lol you aren't wrong. Played it on one of those capcom arcade compilations for ps2 and I was abusing credits

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@thecunninlynguist yeah, have it on capcom arcade stadium and it’s frustrating. It’s like they designed the challenge around smoother movement/swinging mechanics that don’t exist.

[@emukidid]

I was looking through your NES Works to see if you'd made an episode on my favourite game, I see now you saved it for #100 because it's your favourite too, very well produced as always :)

[@sofubisamurai]

Bionic Commando is so under rated, and really should be up there with Mega Man when it comes to classic capcom franchises. It blew my mind in ‘88. Its my favorite NES game and is one of my top 10 games of time. I still play through it once a year.

[@f0ry0u81]

Thank you for uploading this! I really appreciate your content, Mr. Parish.👍✌️

[@randallross420]

this was a game that i just could not figure out as a child. the inability to jump honestly baffled me, and went against everything i knew about side scrolling video games up to that point.

[@ruminator3570]

Stone cold banger. Great review Jeremy. There's one small thing that sticks out in this game. Castlevania kind of incorporates it but Rygar does it full out. It cuts the music out and goes to silence when you enter certain areas. To be specific when you go into a control room and wiretap. That silence which is already a bit unnerving can sometimes be uprooted with alarms going off. That anticipatory tension getting shattered is just a nice touch. As you said it's a masterpiece.

[@XanthinZarda]

Congratulations on 100 NES works. Only what, 800 or so to go? (Depending if you plan to delve into unlicensed titles and so on.)

[@foxhack5011]

Action 52 would require its own series. And a lot of liquor.

[@redpup112]

I believe he's focusing on only licensed titles, with notable unlicensed games going into NES Works Gaiden. Either way, he's still got ~600 to ~500 episodes to go.

[@chazmaru9583]

Congrats on Episode 100! Not convinced it’s the best NES game but there’s a strong argument for best arcade game "conversion" on the NES. I am surprised Monster Hunter doesn’t have a grappling hook as one of its weapons yet.

[@StewNWT]

I've had the urge to play this game again and try and finish it - I only ever made it to Level 16 back when I was a kid

[@aewtech]

One of my favorites that I owned as a kid, loved it

[@tekkensentai]

When I saw the video for BC Rearmed I knew I wanted to buy the game again.

[@vincently1995]

Happy 35th Anniversary the NES Bionic Commando game!

[@joshuachristian5443]

When you face the end boss, he calls you a "Damn Fool". That was extremely unusual to have that word in ANYTHING made for children...even today. As a kid, all of us that played the game were pleasantly shocked and thought it made the game more badass. Is there any other Nintendo game that has that in it?

[@theirongoat8499]

Rambo has, or initially had, the word "hell" in it. This was actually edited out in a subsequent production run. Specifically, in the original version, Trautman says, "You've got 36 hours to get in, complete your assignment, and get the hell out." That last bit was changed to "and get out alive."

[@joshuachristian5443]

@Michael Turner that's because the game was simply, far too demanding for the skills possessed by the Nintendo of America approval team.

[@jbanks979]

I think this is also the point where the cream of the Nes home port crop (Capcom, Konami, etc. ) had really gotten a handle on maximizing performance graphically and sound wise. A machine made to play a good game of Donkey Kong from 1983 was never going to compete with the capabilities of the 16 bit arcade machines from 1988 even, but the presentation efforts of the good development teams made it feel like NES wasn’t that much of a downgrade yet. This is easily superior to its arcade predecessor and this wouldn’t be the only time this happens. I suspect it’s how the machine stayed relevant really through 1992. (I also agree this is a 10/10 title great work again)

[@mariogeraci8186]

This was a regular rental of mine back in the day even after I beat it Loved it

[@GarlicMonoxide]

Happy 100th! Lots of good memories with this game. Still have t beaten it though

[@user-do2ev2hr7h]

Sad to say, this is a game I never really appreciated until I got older. As a kid, the unusual mechanics and the fact that the difficulty curve starts off as hard as it does made me check out before I could really get into it.

[@bluesmandingo]

I loved this game a kid! :D

[@TheRickHoward]

Your praises of this game give me great hope that the recesses of the internet might one day realize its greatness.

[@ryuhoshu3303]

Love this game so much, happy to see it get some love, great gameplay and the music that will forever be stored in my brain, like Contra I prefer the NES version, I do however like the Gameboy version a bit more, I just love the aesthetics of that version

[@LordSephleon]

I played this game so much as a kid that I was able to beat it relatively quickly - one of the few back in the day that I probably could have tried to speed run competitively, if I had been interested in that. I remember in my first year at college, my new friends and I were talking about tough NES games, and they brought up Bionic Commando. I told them how easy I found the game, and then I proceeded to beat it in under 20 minutes (skipping unnecessary stages and items) in front of them because they didn't believe me. I don't remember if the run also ended up being deathless; pretty sure I maybe died once, but my memory is fuzzy on that aspect. I don't think I could do that now since I haven't played it since then (though I did play through the remake some years later, which was a great change-up).

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Happy 100! Bionic Commando was among the few NES games I 'get' it. Which I could play without hopelessly getting slammed. Speaks to this games' great design. Personal note - I wasn't a skilled players as a kid, so it took me until playing metroidvanias (mainly Aria of Sorrow) and 2D indie games like Rogue Legacy to finally be skilled in demanding action games.

[@smashmaster128]

Very VERY glad you talk about nintendo power more. I feel like those sort of things are vital.

[@ValkyrieTiara]

Of all the games I never owned on NES, Bionic Commando was perhaps the one I wanted the most. That, or Mega Man 3. Congratulations on 100 episodes! And what a great game for it to land on. Total coincidence with no manipulation or finagling on your part, I'm sure.

[@HPRshredder]

💯 💯 💯 Congrats on 100! Here’s to 100 more 😎

[@JeremyParish]

100 more will get me to... hmm, looks like that would be either Super C, Final Fantasy, or Ninja Gaiden II. Man, spring 1990 was STACKED.

[@Nails077]

Amazing game. One of my favorites on the system too.

[@guyfromnj]

Great game even today. Just beat it a few months ago. So ahead of its time.

[@gfhrtshergheghegewgewgew1730]

it's weird, bionic commando was always a bit outside my palette, but i love unihara kawase

[@jbates237]

Bionic Commando is almost a perfect game.

[@SlyBeast]

I remember my dad coming home with Bionic Commando instead of the game I had requested (Mega Man 2) and I acted like a spoiled little ass about it. After my well-deserved punishment, I was able to play what would become one of my top 10 video games of all time. Thanks, Dad. You really DID know what was best!

[@stopmikeandjim3196]

To be fair, those were both good options

[@JohnVullo]

Not only does this have one of the best ending themes of all time (Blaster Master being my #1) but arguably has the best ending of any NES game ever.

[@jamesmoss3424]

Bionic Commando is an great arcade game and excellent nes port. 😀👍🎮

[@brettdulaney8108]

Captain lad? I swear it was Rad Spencer but it must be another situation where those to letters were in reverse ,also love your show, I wait for each episode like it's a real show you would watch on television, amazing quality and info thanks Jeremy

[@JeremyParish]

In the ending of this game, he gives his name as "Captain Ladd." In the GB version and every remake since, he's "Radd Spencer." It's the L/R ambiguity of the Japanese language at work again... I just went with what is presented in this game.

[@picc9000]

Absolutely agree. Total masterpiece and my favorite 3rd party game on the platform. I traded it to my cousin for Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. A fair enough trade, but as soon as Funcoland became a thing, I bought it back.

[@holdingpattern245]

I seem to remember a common complaint about Rearmed being too dark, in the lighting sense, to the extent that even its well-lit areas could pass for the original game's dark areas.

[@andrewkaye2108]

I enjoyed this MUCH better than the arcade original. A great job of re imagining the game play. :)

[@reyvgm]

It's amazing how complex and well done Bionic Commando is for a 1988 game. If you told me that BC came out in 1989 or 1990, that would be more believable for me. Although, you mentioned that Super Joe also appears in Section Z. I think you confused him with Captain Commando? He's the one that appears in the NES one.

[@oaf-77]

As good as the nes version is, the gb version is my absolute favorite, to me the controls are tighter and movement more fluid. One of the best game boy games ever made

[@jitspoe]

If you're interested in an upcoming platformer with grapple swinging, you might want to check out Fist of the Forgotten.

[@SaturmornCarvilli]

I still contend that Bionic Commando was the greatest NES game of all time. I used to play though this game all the time. Because as you said, once you master the game, it truly rewards the player.

[@JeremyParish]

I don’t disagree with this thesis.

[@FessyDKnight]

I still vividly remember getting this game. It was before I started elementary school and my dad had picked it up from the flea market. The grappling arm was such a foreign concept, as a kid, I didn't get it. I watched my older family members play through the game and once I understood it, it stuck with me. One of the few NES games that I can pick up and play from start to finish, even now. Shame about the modern take though.

[@abraveastronaut]

"How can a bazooka protect your mind from the Force?"

[@roberto1519]

It seems to me a modern take on Bionic Commando was Just Cause 3, as one of the main mechanics of that game is using the grappling hook to move around.

[@jimforthew]

Great game. One of the best on the NES. Anyone that says it's not just didn't play it very long.

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

I have two copies of this. (one was marked delivered but I never saw it, so I got another one, then it and two other missing packages showed up looking quite dirty) I have played it a few times, but never quite got far enough to really get into it. This video definitely makes me want to crack the gameplay open and delve into it!

[@kdubatx1]

Another game I totally love

[@pauldyson8098]

An action game where A =/= jump. So metal. And, yes, the best NES game of all.

[@Desmaad]

Out on my birthday, too.

[@allluckyseven]

Expected JJ Fad at the beginning. You know their rhymes are so BIONIC!

[@sdsogiuemaniax]

Hey, I just got my copy of Bionic Commando signed by Harumi Fujita too!

[@willmistretta]

It's always been one of my favorites, too. Play through it every few months. I always grab the rocket launcher first thing and use it all game, though. It's just too strong not to.

[@uncleskeletor]

Kinda like getting the Metal Blade first thing in Mega Man 2. If it’s worth killing, it’s worth overkilling.

[@Tubewings]

About how many NES Works episodes are planned? I ask because we're now into triple-digits in the episode count and I highly doubt there were any TVs from that time period (late 80s/early 90s) that had 200 channels or more.

[@JeremyParish]

There also weren’t NES systems that could capture in 720p RGB back then, and yet. You’ll manage.