C64 Longplay - Rambo - First Blood

Tool assisted longplay from the C64-game "Rambo - First blood"

[@benbaselet2026]

The glory of this game remains in my brains. It was something out of this world for sure.

[@Retsler54]

For us kids this game was kind of forbidden. Almost as the movie we were not allowed to watch. The government said no as did our parents.

[@stephenthomas1492]

@@Retsler54 - Thankfully my parents were cool about it. I remember playing this game vividly as a kid. That music always brings be back to simpler times! I could do without the long load times though.

[@AchtungBaby77]

@@stephenthomas1492 The long load times were all part of the experience!! It would psyche you up seeing the title screens with loading music.

[@diamondsmasher]

Some tips for those who want to play this: - Stick with knives. They are silent and don’t trigger more enemies. Use bazooka sparingly only to cut down trees. Any other weapons cause a swarm. - Enemy helicopter section: fly up and right, when the heli shows up, lean left and circle around it counter clockwise. Don’t even need to stop and shoot.

[@jmp01a24]

The SID music of Martin Galway is simply outstanding, even today, with it's smooth and well designed analogous sounds. Wonderful memories from playing this game back when it was released. Thanks for sharing - now I need to find that SID file so I can listen to all of the music.

[@KretinoSantino]

Now listen to Gianna Sisters C64 intro by Chris Huelsbeck.

[@jmp01a24]

@@KretinoSantino This game came out 2-3 years before Giana Sisters. That said, the best Huelsbeck track imo is one of his first: Shade/Newlook. That was in '86 I think. Galway was the first love and you'll never forget your first love.

[@cherylp6047]

I LOVED this game on my C64. The music is still awesome and catchy and I still hum along after all these years lol

[@neojeets]

Oh the C64 memories! I remember freaking out when I finally freed the POWs in the camp.. but I could never beat that gunship that appears outta nowhere.

[@gjc82071]

+neo Jeets I also have a lot of great C64 memories. I remember my friends & I having "Summer Games" tournaments. I remember my first RPG game, "Questron", & my first military strategy games, "Lords of Conquest", "Wargame Construction Kit", & Colonial Conquest. (a PC remake was recently released on Steam, for the latter) I still love the C64 & play it regularly. (thanks to emulators like VICE & CCS64) CCS64 even has netplay, so you can play online with other people. }:-)

[@crewdogg15]

neo Jeets me neither!

[@commandingjudgedredd1841]

Only completed the game once. After that...the bloody gunship kept screwing me over!!!

[@CKevni]

The countless hours i used to spend playing this as a young boy. I remember i could never get passed the first chopper stage. My chopper would always run out of gas (i think) and just crash and die... But now after watching this , i realize i was flying in the wrong direction the whole time!

[@imMcLovin33]

hahahah yes same here!!

[@davidjohnsimpson]

me too!

[@krispy7971]

🤣🤣🤣

[@fancyman6840]

I'm crying right now. So many memories!

[@Watto-lp8lr]

Same here, didn't have a clue what to do! 😂😂

[@treksterjsc]

Some of the best music ever for the Commodore 64!

[@holden6104]

I haven't heard that first stage music since the second grade. I started humming it right away. Funny how stuff like that never leaves you.

[@hunter141072]

One of the first games that i completed, and i remember that i did it with a strange bug that i found. In the final helicopter scene i was always killed by the enemy gunship but i found out that if you kept pressed the joystick forward and a key from the keyboard i don´t remember which one i think it was the one who is in the position of TAB key in a modern keyboard, the helicopter flied on a straight line and the gunship never appeared, it was a great discovery for me and thanks to that i was able to complete it.

[@megna1]

One of the best memories of my youth 🤗

[@bariPlayer79]

nostalgia, I liked this game a lot, also because of the musical accompaniment in it, which beautifully used the music from the movie Rambo...

[@antoniocaprari4167]

the sid of commodore 64 was very advanced for those times. Great soundtrack for this game.

[@magicmulder]

Hahahaha, a good 3 minutes of gameplay, oh the little things we were happy with...

[@SlackrUk]

I used to play this endlessly, and Commando too :) Commando high score would reset once you hit 1 million so we'd be keeping a count lol

[@66cuda]

I remember playing this game on my old c64, was great times was hard for me then

[@Sirajdinseerjeehotmailbe]

Thanks for this little return in the past , the world has so changed , it’s incredible !

[@illuminatipizza7968]

I used to play this just to rock out to the soundtrack. Not to mention it is such a fantastic game.

[@bigdaddydon1974]

boy what memories this brings back!

[@gjc82071]

+bigdaddydon1974 Sure does, although I thought "Airborne Ranger" was better than Rambo.

[@Simon0]

i never managed to complete this too hard!

[@patricksputnick5094]

@@gjc82071 "Airborne Ranger" was a bit ahead in this category of games I guess, and the company that made it did way better games than most imo.

[@gjc82071]

@@patricksputnick5094 Yes, Airborne Ranger was ahead of it's time. My friends & I spent many hours playing Airborne Ranger on the C64. MicroProse was a good software developer & made some excellent games. **sigh** I miss those days. I still play C64 from time to time, except now I use emulators. (VICE emulator)

[@patricksputnick5094]

@@gjc82071 Those were th days. I didnt know there was a simulator with that game. Another one that is my absolute favourite game from the 80s era was Paradroid. How I wishd back then that one could have saved, since its quite challenging. My C-64 overheated too often. Had to pause, and go to sleep too :).

[@machachaist]

OH...that music... =) great, great memories. Tx! for the vid! look forward to more like this!

[@FairbankOtter]

That chopper fight at the end was always a killer. I only managed to do it once.

[@kke]

Just plug in a second joystick. Pull it backwards. The chopper will fly super fast.

[@pitchou1971]

Take the north direction, then press softly RESTORE then RETURN,( try to keep the both keys pressed or stop pressing restore to then press return) the chopter will fly very fast.

[@adammclaughlin845]

This looks so simple but back in the day, the helicopter scene (level 2) was game over. It just ran out of energy and blew up, we never knew where to go.

[@drdubberruckie2346]

Wow the memories! Absolutely amazing to see & hear that game again. Thanks for posting mate👍🏻

[@8ballofwakefield]

I have never seen the gunship level or the rescue of the pow's as I never knew what to do once I landed the helicopter back in the camp.

[@CompTechMike]

"You must not engage the enemy" -- game drops you right into a fight. 🤷‍♂️🤣

[@proteus404]

Music at 2:21 reminds me so much of playing on my Commodore, GO64!!

[@governmentdivides7063]

So crazy how the sound effects leave a permanent imprint on your brain.

[@Jim-Passingham]

The first time I got to the helicopter 🚁 and flew it back I was so chuffed what an awesome feeling. My brother was so jealous .👌 We used to share our C64 Rambo was the first game we played , along with Miami Vice 🎮

[@fancyman6840]

I'm crying right now. So many memories!

[@fancyman6840]

@@michielvantwist Until then maybe you can give me a hand job.

[@fancyman6840]

@@michielvantwist Prove it!

[@navbuoy]

I remember beating this game but it was incredibly tough. Nice music and smooth gameplay but way too challenging!

[@diymicha2]

Great... I had to get 50 years old to learn that there was a jail in the camp where I had to release the prisoners. I never got past LV2 back in the day, and got frustrated. I just watched this clip for the glorious game music that is burned in my brain.

[@petar.banovac]

My best mate had a C-64 and I had a ZX Spectrum. Whenever we'd argue which one is better, he'd simply start Rambo 2. But then I came back with Renegade 2 for a tie. But that Rambo 2 hurt, so much better than on Speccy :D

[@TheLemminkainen]

this was my 1st game what i loaded with my brand new C64c from Hollywood Collection's pack :)

[@steveh4290]

I had the same bundle! I couldn't get any further than picking the helicopter up! C64 games were always so bloody hard!

[@mikakorhonen5715]

I had it too. Did they sell it at early 90´s.

[@jjhelios7214]

I had this as a kid. Had some of the coolest music.

[@nicktaylor8032]

Destructible environments and stealth being an option?!? How far ahead of its time?!

[@Dick_Assman_]

I still cant even damage a chair in rising storm 2

[@Alianger]

Destructible obstacles - ​Western Gun/Gun Fight (ARC, 1975), ​Castle Wolfenstein (AII, 1981), Raiders of the Lost Ark (A2600, 1982), Aztec (Apple II/Multi), Pengo (ARC, 1982), Mr. Do's Castle (ARC etc., 1983), Shoot Out/Shootout (ARC, 1985) Stealth - Manbiki Shounen (Shoplifting Boy)(PET/CBM, 1979), 005 (ARC, 1981), Castle Wolfenstein (AII, 1981), Beyond Castle Wolfenstein (PC, 1983), King's Quest III: To Heir Is Human (PCs, 1986)

[@xretroman]

This stage song popped in my head after 37 years or so and I wasn’t sure if it was Rambo for c64, but I’m here just to confirm. It was.

[@limegreensquid]

I never really knew how to play this game as a kid, but I loved running around and shooting people. How do I not remember this amazing music? I remember so much other music, but this stuff is great! This is the game that got little 5, 6yo me wanting to play video games. I didn't even know there was a helicopter flying level!

[@michaeljensen501]

awesome soundtrack and great game for its time

[@baco82]

I was a child and this game was impossible for me! I could never pass the first stage!

[@Freddyfan1428]

I remember playing this and never EVER being able to get past the first POW camp... I hated how it was so easy for the enemies to sap all your energy even before you breached the stockades... Well played, good sir!

[@deadpoolredsuit4892]

Best 8bit audio to play during a commercial game.. period!

[@sgsilvarerum]

I love the music that time. I know this game also. 25 years ago. Can't believe!

[@humblebugg5270]

This game out in 1985. 38 years ago!!!!!

[@2PeteShakur]

"I went and bought a pre-recorded cassette of the official score by Jerry Goldsmith and listened to it over and over. The game's title tune was an arrangement of the main Rambo theme, but I was actually influenced by the night- time stalking-around scenes in the movie, and made it spooky and dark. For the loading music, however, it never occurred to me to use more music from the movie! I came up with an original piece and programmed a morse code routine with a pitch that was musical notes in a tune, quickly launched into an anthemic prog-rock style, and continued in a military direction, so it kind of spells out an infantryman's experience, being excited about going to war, seeing it and living through it, and realising it's a lot grimmer coming out at the other end as a survivor." -- Martin Galway, musician [Rambo - First Blood Part 2 - C64]

[@jamesedgewood4643]

This game with its 'destructible environments' was revolutionary back in the day. Doesn't seem a big deal now....but I remember the show of blowing up palm trees with a rocket launcher.

[@MessiahGaming1080p]

It's amazing how good that soundchip was and still is, there is such a punch in that synth bass and it sounds fresh still to this day. Thanks for sharing!

[@schlagboy]

Loved this.

[@kissme6344]

the last 30-40 years... so it seems.... happend more change on earth, like in thousands of years before. this must be a sign.

[@60BloodyChamp60]

I've never played this or even played a C64 but this looks like 8 bit heaven. I had an NES and the musicless Rambo NES game was BAD. This looks badass, complete with the actual movie theme.

[@oranzotango]

what a game, I had a lot of fun playing it

[@PrepaidKreditkarte81]

Come a long long way. Damn those times. California games etc.

[@josephskiles]

I loved this game so much as a kid ( pretty sure I was like 5 or 6 when we had this game) . I could never beat the gunship at the end ,in fact I didn't even know you could back then, I just tried to fly away from it and eventually the game just ends after you fly through so many screens.

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

Oh man...that opening music...* I can remember when my friend and I downloaded this from a local BBS back in the day (took *A G E S* at 300 baud...) and loaded it up for the first time. We just sat there with our jaws hanging to the floor. The high score screen music is also amazing. The game itself is only slightly above average, but the music, at least at the time, was in a league of its own as far as I was concerned. *It's a shame you didn't let it play because it really gets going after that initial part. The NTSC version plays about 20% faster (than the PAL version) because of the difference in clockspeeds. Here's the full music. It's in PAL. To approximate how it sounds on NTSC machines, change the playback speed to 1.25 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWmZpXqnaNCVjJI

[@drrobert7543]

Nice! All those years ago I never finished. I could sometimes knock out that enemy gunship once, never twice, and never realized I was so close to the end!

[@DaveRucci]

I never made it to the chopper. This game was HARD

[@rafaelsanchez5853]

The music is just mesmerizing for such a limited computer.

[@marianoatari4456]

Exelente juego que de chico difrute muchisimo,y esa musica era impresionante!

[@notanfningain]

Loved this game.

[@dtheundertale3799]

It's hard to remember, that serious movies and at the same time games with those graphics existed.

[@sirosis7858]

Such great music in this one

[@tunnoton]

Perhaps not a bona fide classic, but vivid memories nonetheless. All that I got to see was the first level, like it seems to a lot of people; greets from Finland!

[@ArdaKaraduman]

wow, great game ! Never knew what to do in it ! Impressive that it can be finished in 5 minutes !

[@q2rlz]

C64 shortplay :) good game with good music :)

[@IceDaemon]

Ah brings back some many memories...

[@duodua4130]

Remember the panic as you knew you were about to finish as you were fling over the water and then that gunship kept coming back.

[@tomastelensky-vlog8723]

That's why Rambo 2 was best out of Rambo series. The action story was the best there.

[@Halligen1972]

This one was hard to solve - good job!

[@HellifIknow88]

I only beat this game twice. That end helicopter battle was really hard.

[@muskra66]

Didn’t get very far with this game back in the day.. but I didnt realise it was so short a game

[@limegreensquid]

Imagine being a kid and your only other frame of reference for the word POW was the block in the middle of Mario Bros? Trying to rescue POW blocks made me very confused as a kid! 🤣

[@Coastcrawler]

I remember this one. It was the first vietnam war simulation that depicted the war exactly as it was.

[@pitchou1971]

For the Cartridge owners... Rambo looks as Hulk : POKE 6009,5 Infinite energy : POKE 3215,173 Thru walls : POKE 5603,0 POKE 5607,0

[@markl5562]

Soon as the intro music kicks in, I take my shirt off, tie it around my forehead and get completely into battle mode

[@adrock0801]

Reminds me also of *COMMANDO*, although Rambo was a little bit more varied. When it comes to the music, Martin Galway did many other masterpieces: Terra Cresta, Miami Vice, Green Beret, Highlander, ...

[@johnlewisbrooks]

Damn... now I gotta spend a weekend watching Rambo over a fucking game... Lol???

[@artgarfunkelsgingerfro2886]

Music was really good.

[@markmossop78]

Did you ever press "s" on the keyboard to hear the alternate sounds? It was a hilarious (though juvenile) way to stop game raging at this hard game. I never finished it myself, but it was always fun to play

[@Karl_Sebastian]

Booted up this game several times, always died super fast and always gave up. Today while playing i noticed that I CAN BLOW UP TREES. Finally made some progress. This video will help me even more. Now i know what to do.

[@volpetrolski1]

oh man, that sound. must be 30 years at least....

[@jasonsmith6814]

Omg 😅this tune is triggering childhood memories

[@lucauva6576]

My version was called "Guerra in Korea".... Incredible game in 1989

[@burrowsgod]

Never completed it...this video is actually loads faster to complete than it was to load.

[@neurothoughtmachine]

and to think this used to pass as an 'okay' game. At one point in history people were willing to pay for this.

[@zieonth]

Omg !!! Not heard this music I’m 30y years

[@peterstayne3765]

Loved this game back in the day, Use 2 joysticks for the helicopter push one forward one back to fly super fast and wave goodbye to that gunship

[@DavidSteck83]

Games tough

[@jonkinnear1478]

classic

[@125daz]

you could do up on the joystick and spacebar iirc on the return helicopter level and the heli flew twice as fast backwards

[@buniakragames2805]

Rambo is always good.

[@MaximumEfficiency]

can anyone explain "hat" and "batman" wapon icons?

[@cihandelibas5214]

ilk oynadigim oyun vaybe ...

[@FrancescoPirrone]

Could you please tell me what software you've used to record the screen?

[@dafunken]

as a kid, i always thought rambo’s sprite looked funny. like he was playing guitar while running

[@phj9894]

I have played 3d fan remake version of it. Didn't know it was remake.

[@CompTechMike]

Oh man. That's the ending? And then just start over again? LOL. 🤣

[@matro951]

C64 music is so classic

[@bauke-LV426]

jeez I played this game a lot when I was a kid, but I never made it to that helicopter hahah. That music is epic right, I got a smile at 1:51 "oh yeah, forgot about that!"

[@DethOfDrgnz]

When you get the message about a gunship in pursuit there was a kind of cheat you could do holding the shift and a few other keys your helicopter would fly backwards at a fast speed and you couldn't get gunned down. One time after you get that message "you must go back and get more soldiers trapped by enemy forces" I went back got more soldiers did the helicopter trick to not get killed. I did this for hours and hours and one time when I landed at the H at 4:52, I was out of the helicopter as rambo again! I was surprised and not sure what to do or where to go I stared running right or left I don't remember wondering if there was another level or a end game screen, there was swarms of enemies and I got killed. This ever happen to anyone else? I always wondered if there was more to the game or if this was just a glitch of some kind?

[@duodua4130]

Man he had a lot of knives

[@mumakilor]

As a boy, I hear that each weapon had a "noise or alert level" so if you use the knife, you get less enemies than if you use the grenades.. coukd anybody confirm if that was true?

[@nicko530i]

confirmed! Greetings from Italy :-D

[@judyhopps9380]

it's true. The way I did the first level was knife only, and instead of blowing the hole in the fence, worming my way through gaps in the forest to the north.

[@beholder2012]

Go, Klinksiek - get'em!

[@VulpeRenard]

This is a tool assisted run because there is no goddamn way to beat the enemy HIND without it. Even going back to this game years later after playing it as a child, that's an impossible battle.

[@vjspectron]

Man the music rocks in this game, but my system always sound more like 1.25% playback speed. Do that and password screen will sound really funky!