Super Joe is the Lone Arcade Commando – Today in History – May 8th, 1985
Capcom used to make these awesome arcade games. From Final Fight to Street Fighter II, Capcom were kings of the arcade for years. One early title that holds a lot of nostalgia power with us old timers is Commando. While war is not something to make light of, it is usually the best and most generally accepted form of blasting enemies with weapons. Commando has this aspect in spades. The popularity of this title over the years, partly thanks to Capcom keeping it available via compilations of some sort, has held the title high for many fans.
Back in the mid 1980’s arcade games had a harder time getting attention than they did later on. Around this period arcades were in their heyday and popular- available in many locations such as malls and even standalone buildings. Arcades were king. Only partially affected by the video game crash of 1983/1984, arcades trucked on doing what they did best- quick action based adrenaline rushes for a quarter.
Commando is a vertical scrolling action title that pits your little soldier against untold numbers of enemy soldiers, vehicles and firepower. The fun of Commando is in the challenge- there is no hand holding, there is no tutorial stage, there is no easy mode. You get what Capcom programmed, and what the arcade owner adjusted inside the cabinet, and that was it.
This title has seen multiple home releases. From the Nintendo Entertainment System to computers such as the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum among many others. Capcom has done well in keeping Commando alive for more recent gamers too through collections for the PlayStation series of consoles, the PlayStation Portable, Xbox consoles and more.
If you are wanting to relive the glory days of arcade gaming then grab a copy of Commando from Ebay or check Amazon
This article was originally published on Retro Gaming Magazine, a gaming website I own.