The history of the revolutionary run and gun game Please visit my Patreon at / pdbowl Follow me on Twitter at / pdqc1971 Follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.c...
Pat, I wanted to say the same thing. What region is your accent from? I'm told I have a Chicago or Midwest accent, which must be true as I grew up in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
@@DavidKimFX Thank you, I live in the Quad cities which is right on the border between Iowa and Illinois. I never knew I had an accent either until I was playing with somebody on Xbox live and They mention it LOL
This game was one of my first video game loves when I was a kid. The C64 made a huge impression on me. I used to have the theme song as my ringtone on my phone.
I remember playing this (Also Ikari Warriors among other classics) at Franks Party Store on Vinewood and Vernor back in the days in the late 80’s in SW Detroit. Just my personal memories...
The Spectrum version didn't originally have any music, that was added much later by a 3rd party. It was a really good version given the limitations of the Spectrum 48K
A lot of arcade games converted to computer back then had no soundtrack. I know the skateboard game 720 didn’t, but then the arcade was huge and with massive speakers and iirc the soundtrack was licensed. You’d hear it anywhere in the arcade. I can’t remember if if Outrun was the same on C64, but I do remember Zapp64 or another C64 game magazine gave a free music tape with the original arcade soundtrack on so I only remember listening to that even when I wasn’t playing Outrun... Musical soundshower anyway? 😜
@@Madyetmellow - I believe one of the computer mags (C&VG?) gave away a tape with the Afterburner arcade music one month and then the companies jumped on board, giving away soundtrack tapes with 720 Degrees and OutRun. I don't remember any others though. Edit, sorry timeline is totally out on that, 720 and OutRun came out on the Speccy in 87, Afterburner was 88.
Thank you so much Patman :_) this brought back some wonderful memories, my grandfather owned this arcade machine in his dance hall and from the very first time I visited only 6-8 months after I was born, I was plopped infront of the game and played on infinite credits, I enjoyed playing it every time I visited and by the time I was 3 I could beat the first stage (which given how hard this game is, thats quite the accomplishment for someone who couldn't even tie his shoes yet) I own a tiny 3D printed replica of the arcade cabinet but someday I will own the original in memory of my late grandfather.
I played the Commando rip-off 'Who Dares Wins 2' a lot on the 8-bit homecomputers; it was a lot of fun too. Somehow I preferred it over Commando, probably because the enemies were more aggressive and really coming for you - and fast - in most cases, not just a basic pattern. That was, until Ikari Warriors came out a few years later of course :) But I'm glad you covered this iconic classic Patman !
Who Dares Wins 2 was a game I played and I was wondering if anyone would mention it. Another one of my old time upscrolling C64 games in this sort of vein was Rambo 2. Tough as nails to beat as a kid!
I was hoping you'd eventually do "History of..." for Commando. I have a lot of memories and great nostalgia for the game. I loved the arcade machine and played it often at a local pizza place. I also owned the NES port as one of the few games I owned as a kid. I remember how glitchy it was, but I was very forgiving of it back then and loved it despite its flaws. I also had Frontline for ColecoVision before Commando and drew the comparisons as well. I had a lot of fun with both games. I never played the sequels other than MERCS, which I thought was fun but I don't remember it as fondly. Great video as always! Thanks for the entertainment. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I do watching them.
Thanks for the nice words. I'm glad you enjoy my content and yes I do enjoy making these videos and getting to talk about something I've enjoyed for the last 40 years. I don't think I had frontline for the Coleco I could be mistaken though. Thanks for sharing your memories
I used to love all these one man army style games as a kid. I remember playing one called "land air sea squad" or something like that at my local convenient store. These videos are awesome because they churn up long forgotten video game memories. Thanks again.
My first exposure to Commando was in the "Commando" segments in the NES Bionic Commando game. Super Joe was actually the soldier taken prisoner in that game and the protagonist was actually on a mission to rescue him. There's an Easter Egg in the game too in a weapon called "Joe's Machine Gun" that fires rapidly but the bullets don't reach the end of the screen. Anyways, it was years later before I pieced the connection between the games together even though I owned both Commando and Bionic Commando for the NES. Love your videos man. Every week when I get the notification that a new one is up, a smile crosses my face.
it could've been worse. it could've said "conglaturation. you have completed a great game. and prooved the justice of our culture. now go and rest our heroes."
My fav arcade machine game ever, I remember playing this for hours when I was 11.This game , along with Ghost and Goblins and Kung Fu Master are the Holy Grail of arcades
Great episode! One of my favorite arcade games; I loved the NES port when I got it as a kid. By the way, the best two home ports came much later for the Saturn and PlaySation included on Capcom Generations 4, they're pretty much arcade perfect.
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries They're actually ports! What's curious is that the Commando versions found on the Capcom Classics Collection (Xbox, PS2) and Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded (PSP) are emulations from the Saturn port and not the arcade original since the Saturn was so accurate.
Just a quick comment to say THANK YOU, PAT! I love these mini single-game documentaries. I know a LOT about classic games but I still learn the occasional nugget of fascinating info from these videos. Keep up the great work, my friend!
Thanks for the review! I was never much good at the vertical run and gun games even in my gaming prime, and this one especially kicked my ass. I think my biggest problem was that I’m a perfectionist who always wanted to clear every single enemy on the screen, and in games like Commando that’s just a ticket to an early Game Over (1942 with its “% clear” bonuses was even worse for me in that regard).
So cool. I have great memories of this game on the Atari 7800. I didn't have the console, but my cousin did. Whenever we visited (which was often, they lived only 2 blocks away), I was glued in front of the TV playing.
One of my favorite arcade games... I remember that i watched Rambo & Commando movies in the theather back in the day and got all pumped😂up afther the movies and there was an arcade in the mall & i would go all inspired afther the movies and put on a very highscore... A man it was a great time😇 to be alive in the 80's... As always i enjoy very much these mini docu's Thanks👍👍👍for the uploads & stay safe Pd i even got the nes ver when that came out (dont have😪the game but i now play on emulation) as i dont have the $$ to buy real hardware... What i do have is the poster that came with the game (commando nes) that have an early desing of captain commando "the challenge series" and the poster advertised three games; Commando Ghost & Goblins 1942 Also have a bunch of other posters that came in the nes boxes & some snes posters as well... That is what i enjoy the most these mini docus because you bring a lot of good classic memories I hope this and all your videos get a lot of views, i dont know the patreon stuff but i will try to help you by sharing the videos whit my friends so you can get some more views... Excuse my english if i write some words wrong i am not from the US... Greetings from mexico Stay safe my friend & hope you can keep these videos or more uploads Thanks👍👍👍again
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed the content so much. As a kid of the 80s I grew up with action movies as well as action games so it was a great time to be a video gamer. Hope you are safe down there in Mexico, English is just fine :-) thanks for sharing
This was my game. I remember playing this at a local Fish and Chips restaurant in Connecticut back in the mid 80's. I still have the NES game cartridge which from time to time, I pop up my console and start kicking a$$!!
8 Stages?!!! I could only pass the first stage. I remember playing this in Nathan’s - they had a huge arcade and you could hear the thunderous roar of all the machines from outside. What great memories.
I love your history of arcade videos. i built a custom arcade1up with a raspberry pi 4(bored during lock down and wanted to learn something new). I've been enjoying all these classic arcade games I never got to play growing up. it's been so awesome keep up the great work. I just finished golden Axe and golden axe revenge of death adder. gonna try out commando now. keep up the great work👍
Had this on my ZX Spectrum 48k (one with the rubber keys) absolutly loved it could only ever get to level II then get my ass handed to me. Also had a 128k Plus and still played this game lots of fond memories playing it with my late father the entire Spectrum era always remind me of playing games with him and it's what started me doing what I do today PC Engineer/Tech. Always use the line 10 Goto 20 basic programming even had it put on a T-Shirt So Thanks matey your videos are an inspriation to most a link to fond memories for all
I used to play this game at my local 7-11, id get a Big Gulp and the checker would let me get a refill. I like Mercs a little because you could drive the vehicles and I loved this flame thrower. I never played this game on any of the home consoles, they never seem to capture the arcade fill at all, this game was meant to play at an arcade, thanks for another informative review.
This was great on NES and one of my first NES games back then. Only challenge is the firing only aims where you're facing, which makes the player vulnerable. Great history.
When I was a kid this game (on the NES) was top tier, no one had it and everyone wanted it! All everyone could talk about on the bus or on recess was where all the secret stairs were and what was at the end of the levels. Similar to Castlevania 2 and all its secrets, that's all we talked about haha
Really? My cousin had it and I didn't think it was very good even back then. I don't think I ever heard anyone talk about it except when I got Bionic Commando.
I never got to play this in the arcade, but boy did I ever play it on the NES, so much so that I could actually beat it. Wasn't until years later that I saw the C-64 version, with the spectacular soundtrack.
I played Commando and Mercs back in the day at the arcades, so much fun. I never bought the home conversions. Commando was sort of an early version of Ikari Warriors, I wish they had developed sequel where you could change out your weapons, have bosses at the end of the levels or commandeer vehicles. Imagine flying around in a Huey taking out enemy soldiers and structures with that bird, it would’ve been fun, thanks for the review.
These Capcom titles were so great and diverse,thank you for all of your detail and care that you put into all of your clips.⚡️ You do a great job,and we’ve all learned a lot from your passion to document these works of art. Thank you. Any chance on the horizon for a Section Z clip?😎 I love that game,seems like not a lot of info out there about it.. I know that Hyper dyne is in the lineage,but there was something special about Section Z...The soundtrack is STILL top notch,and the gameplay as well. Really keeps you on you toes.😏 Aside from the NES release,(which had some great aux/cut scenes within) there weren’t many ports... “That I know of.” 🤠
This video made my day. love the way you start off with the arcade then compare the ports. you have a great style and sense of humor so many funny jokes love the cig picture! great stuff
I just want to thank you for these videos. Especially because I did not expect to learn about news games from it. Been a fan of Commando since it came out but never knew about Mercs. Looking forward to adding it to my MAME system's favorites list.
Absolute Classic! I always pretended Super Joe was from the Royal Air Force, as his uniform was blue like theirs lol It was only when I joined the RAF myself, that it dawned on me that wearing bright blue instead of desert DPM in the middle of that particular theater would more than likely have resulted in poor old Joe being picked off as soon as he jumped from the chopper?! My only frustration with the game... Could I hit take out that motorcycle guy throwing grenades off the bridge?! Could I Hell!!! Thanks for a super nostalgia hit PatMan. Made me so happy to see all these other gentlemen of a certain "vintage" share the same passion for Commando! Take care my friend 🇬🇧🇺🇲👍
I loved Commando in the arcades but was well pleased with the C64 conversion, but a slight let down with just 3 levels. But at the time, that was all they could offer! Still a good video and very welcome to watch. Nice trip down memory lane. Thank you.
Thank you very much. I don't know why it was only three levels. If it was a space issue considering most games were released on tape over in Europe you would think they could've released part two with the missing levels.
Dude..... Who is playing this game!?!? Whoever it is, they are CRUSHING IT!! ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS the entire video! If anyone was ever that skilled at Commando, they deserve a trophy, a medal, a button, a ribbon, a button with a ribbon .... SOMETHING! S#!T, give this MoThErF@#$&R a PURPLE HEART!
Damn. First game I remember playing with the old man rip. Ended up getting it as my first nes game. Haven't seen game footage...for a long time. Good vid
I freaked outfor a sec as i didnt remember any in game music on the spectrum - i see that it was written on a 128 machine and hacked into a new version. Spectrum played really well thou and was a decent, challenging version worthy of praise when it came out.
The NES port wasn’t done by Micronics-it was the first game that Capcom themselves designed for the system. It’s definitely a bit of a mess, but the additional content was a sign of their later arcade ports being expanded for home systems.
I love this channel. Keep up the great work! Also I'd live to see a video on the history of Afterburner or the history of Sega's legendary R360 arcade cabinet.
Thanks for this entertaining presentation of an old classic. I had it on the Amstrad CPC. Speaking of ports and releases, 2 compilations (Capcom Generations on PlayStation 1 and Capcom Classics Collection on PSP) included both Commando and Mercs. They were emulated as far as I can remember.
I really enjoyed this video. Keep up the stellar work sir. The regular nintendo version was glitchy, but it was still fun. Way better than ikari warriors.
I loved playing the C64 version when I was young. As soon as I heard that music, I was taken back to sitting in front of my computer, joystick in hand for hours. This was a very smooth and playable port for the time.
These "History of" videos are a welcome addition from the comparison only ones, although I like them all really. I think You are a bit harsh on the Spectrum version, it's amazing considering what the hardware is capable of. Atari 2600 version is terrible and very poor choice of colours. MSX horrendous but is apparently very difficult (almost impossible) to get the screen scrolling smoothly. I guess back in the day it was a lot about money, so lots of rubbish was released, although there were always some amazing games around. I wonder who the idiot in a suit was in Germany who made the decision to ban games where people got shot and changed it to space aliens.
I've given certain spectrum games major props the course of these documentaries but I just didn't see what the appeal was of this game. Again, I'm no authority it's just my opinion
@Imperious685 the country has very strong "Youth Protection" laws, which govern not only videogames, but also television, movies and music. However, the majority of the censorship is actually carried out by the local developers and publishers, in an effort to allow the game to hit the shelves straight away without frustration. It's an odd dichotomy as post-Cold War unified Germany is incredibly liberal and democratic, yet it's censorship of the arts is one of the most archaic.
Excellent job! I always wondered what was up with the Nintendo version as it had all of those ladder and bunkers that you had to rescue POWs. I even think Nintendo power released a map guide or hint guide on the game if my memory serves me correctly.
Now you're smoking 5 packs of cigs a day? Glad you cut down. I had Commando on Intellivision, which I thought was amazing (considering the hw). (which also featured the smoking soldier graphic btw). This game was SO influential as time marched on! Very important history! Thanks PatmanQC!
I hate when classic franchises get a "sequel" from some semi-amateur developer that doesn't revive the series, but instead puts the final bullet into it by making trash. (commando 3, the latest contra monstrocity, etc)
@@PlasticCogLiquid Well, not as many games as professional studios like Ubuysoft or EA; but I agree; especially that 2008 Commando 3 looked like a game from the late 90s tech-wise.
I had a love / hate relationship with this game on NES. I remember being obsessed with finding the binoculars and after getting the Nintendo hint book and sneakily reading it 8th grade Social Studies class I found out how to get them. Coincidentally, I became sick to my stomach after that class and had the nurse call my mom to pick me up and take me home...hehe.
I always thought of Frontline as a really bizarre in-joke on the part of Taito. They made the protagonist an apparent US soldier (going by the color scheme) and the animation of running around literally has characters traipsing about with a sort of dancing motion in their legs. Such a weird game. | I remember those underground bonus areas from the NES Commando which were totally absent from the arcade original. It's interesting to see that the 7800 version had something similar. Also the music/sound in the 7800 version is doing more than the native hardware could, so they must have had an extra sound chip in the cartridge.
I thought it was strange as well of the 7800 version added hidden areas just like the NES version. As far as frontline goes, I still love it as a kid but it doesn't hold the same charm nowadays as commando does
Man takin me back! Totally remember this and actually liked using the knob controller as opposed to the standard stick..well they called it a 'joy'stick for a reason
I really like all the information you have and all these games I don't know whether you look at all up or whether you just know it from when you were a kid but it's great to know all this and foam from all the games we all enjoyed
Couldn't forget the C64 version, the music and the action were fantastic! who could forget the soundtrack?! I think that's the best conversion followed by the ZX one, which is a great achievement for the system resources, and the Amiga version in third place for its lack of background music!
recuerdo que cuando enchufabas el arcade antes de que se ponga la plantalla de inicio, apretabas el boton de start y disparo a la vez, tenias acceso al menu de sonidos y configuracion del juego. todavia se puede hacer en mame. recuerdo que estaba horas escuchando las melodias de este juego. son arte, bellezas sonoras.
Joseph Gibson aka Super Joe was front and center, no pun intended, in the Capcom arcade games you have mentioned. Believe it or not, he was Capcom's equivalent to G.I. Joe, hence his name, Super Joe, especially playing a key role in the NES version of Bionic Commando. The only downside is the fact that Capcom made him a villain in the reboot, which I elect to ignore. Other than that, another well put review. At least I got the Capcom Arcade Cabinet to play this game whenever I want.
the name "super jo" was only used in the western version. CapCapcom USA also used it as the name of the character of the game "the speed rumbler", suggesting either that both games are set in the same universe (he was also the protagonest of bionic commando in the arcade, but the nes version made him a damsel in distress), or that the US executives wanted a universal character that they could reuse (similar to Mr. Video, an early prototype of mario).
like i've previously said, you would give the guy who narrated Stand by me , a run for his money ! lol i watch your videos because they trigger good memories, and give tons of fun facts, and of course your delivery is always top notch. id see you narrating the new cgi blockbuster hit Gunguns and dragons a galactic affair. vol2 am i the only one that see's it?
Had the C64 version as a kid, still listen to the music to this day!
It was fantastic
Yea I had it on the C64. Although in my opinion I think who dares wins 2 was a better game on the C64
A group released an updated version a few years back with all the levels from the arcade, even including the helicopter
Same! The music is iconic, alongside C64’s Ghost’n’Goblins.
I also had Rambo which seemed a copy at the time.
Your voice is made for documentary of gaming. Thank you for the content and research.
That is very kind of you to say. Glad you enjoyed the content,, thanks
Pat, I wanted to say the same thing. What region is your accent from? I'm told I have a Chicago or Midwest accent, which must be true as I grew up in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
@@DavidKimFX Thank you, I live in the Quad cities which is right on the border between Iowa and Illinois. I never knew I had an accent either until I was playing with somebody on Xbox live and They
mention it LOL
This game was one of my first video game loves when I was a kid. The C64 made a huge impression on me. I used to have the theme song as my ringtone on my phone.
LOL, that's excellent. That's one of those themes I'll never get out of my head
I remember playing this (Also Ikari Warriors among other classics) at Franks Party Store on Vinewood and Vernor back in the days in the late 80’s in SW Detroit. Just my personal memories...
Awesome, thank you for sharing
SW in the building
I have fond memories of playing this game on the NES at my grandmother's house so, so many years ago. What a great game!
Your Granny had a NEW?!!
Now *THAT* is a cool grandparent! 😉
I also played this at my grandmother's as a child. We were alone together lol
Very cool
LOL
The Spectrum version didn't originally have any music, that was added much later by a 3rd party. It was a really good version given the limitations of the Spectrum 48K
Retro Pob i thought the music was only on the 128k if I remember
I have only played on an emulator as I never had owned one back in the day so thanks for the info
A lot of arcade games converted to computer back then had no soundtrack. I know the skateboard game 720 didn’t, but then the arcade was huge and with massive speakers and iirc the soundtrack was licensed. You’d hear it anywhere in the arcade. I can’t remember if if Outrun was the same on C64, but I do remember Zapp64 or another C64 game magazine gave a free music tape with the original arcade soundtrack on so I only remember listening to that even when I wasn’t playing Outrun... Musical soundshower anyway? 😜
@@consty715 That is a more recent hack - the original (and its official rereleases) was 48k only, so no music.
@@Madyetmellow - I believe one of the computer mags (C&VG?) gave away a tape with the Afterburner arcade music one month and then the companies jumped on board, giving away soundtrack tapes with 720 Degrees and OutRun. I don't remember any others though.
Edit, sorry timeline is totally out on that, 720 and OutRun came out on the Speccy in 87, Afterburner was 88.
Thank you so much Patman :_) this brought back some wonderful memories, my grandfather owned this arcade machine in his dance hall and from the very first time I visited only 6-8 months after I was born, I was plopped infront of the game and played on infinite credits, I enjoyed playing it every time I visited and by the time I was 3 I could beat the first stage (which given how hard this game is, thats quite the accomplishment for someone who couldn't even tie his shoes yet) I own a tiny 3D printed replica of the arcade cabinet but someday I will own the original in memory of my late grandfather.
That is fantastic. I love reading about families and videogames. Thanks for sharing
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries @3:48 You were a smoker, do you have any idea too much smoking cause LUNG CANCER!!??
I played the Commando rip-off 'Who Dares Wins 2' a lot on the 8-bit homecomputers; it was a lot of fun too.
Somehow I preferred it over Commando, probably because the enemies were more aggressive and really coming for you - and fast - in most cases, not just a basic pattern. That was, until Ikari Warriors came out a few years later of course :) But I'm glad you covered this iconic classic Patman !
That game kept popping up when I was doing my research. I'm sure I played as a kid but have no recollection of it
Who Dares Wins 2 was a game I played and I was wondering if anyone would mention it. Another one of my old time upscrolling C64 games in this sort of vein was Rambo 2. Tough as nails to beat as a kid!
Lol I just commented about playing who dares wins 2 and preferring it. Then the next comment I see this 😂
@@Madyetmellow Guess we're not as mad as we thought we were :)
Even passing a level was a challenge.
It got really tough really quick
I was hoping you'd eventually do "History of..." for Commando. I have a lot of memories and great nostalgia for the game. I loved the arcade machine and played it often at a local pizza place. I also owned the NES port as one of the few games I owned as a kid. I remember how glitchy it was, but I was very forgiving of it back then and loved it despite its flaws. I also had Frontline for ColecoVision before Commando and drew the comparisons as well. I had a lot of fun with both games. I never played the sequels other than MERCS, which I thought was fun but I don't remember it as fondly.
Great video as always! Thanks for the entertainment. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I do watching them.
Thanks for the nice words. I'm glad you enjoy my content and yes I do enjoy making these videos and getting to talk about something I've enjoyed for the last 40 years. I don't think I had frontline for the Coleco I could be mistaken though. Thanks for sharing your memories
Always love when you make a new video. Your information and humor are top notch man!
I appreciate that! Thank you very much
I used to love all these one man army style games as a kid. I remember playing one called "land air sea squad" or something like that at my local convenient store. These videos are awesome because they churn up long forgotten video game memories. Thanks again.
Thank you very much for the nice words. Glad you enjoyed them
Looks like commando himself is playing here because I’ve never ever seen anyone get so far without dying 90 times. Great vid.
My first exposure to Commando was in the "Commando" segments in the NES Bionic Commando game. Super Joe was actually the soldier taken prisoner in that game and the protagonist was actually on a mission to rescue him. There's an Easter Egg in the game too in a weapon called "Joe's Machine Gun" that fires rapidly but the bullets don't reach the end of the screen. Anyways, it was years later before I pieced the connection between the games together even though I owned both Commando and Bionic Commando for the NES. Love your videos man. Every week when I get the notification that a new one is up, a smile crosses my face.
“Congratulation... Your every duty finished”
I was going to make a reference of that LOL
it could've been worse. it could've said "conglaturation. you have completed a great game. and prooved the justice of our culture. now go and rest our heroes."
A winner is you!
@@MattGreerMusic One of my favorite NES wrestling games :-)
Love your docs!!
Thank you very much :-)
My fav arcade machine game ever, I remember playing this for hours when I was 11.This game , along with Ghost and Goblins and Kung Fu Master are the Holy Grail of arcades
All absolutely, those are all in my top 10 for sure
Loved both the arcade & NES versions. The play style always reminds me of Gunsmoke.
Great episode! One of my favorite arcade games; I loved the NES port when I got it as a kid. By the way, the best two home ports came much later for the Saturn and PlaySation included on Capcom Generations 4, they're pretty much arcade perfect.
I'm sure the Saturn and PlayStation versions are emulated though which would explain their accuracy. I could be mistaken though.. Glad you enjoyed it
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries They're actually ports! What's curious is that the Commando versions found on the Capcom Classics Collection (Xbox, PS2) and Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded (PSP) are emulations from the Saturn port and not the arcade original since the Saturn was so accurate.
This was the first game I ever beat in 1987 when I was 7. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.
LOL, it sure is :-)
Cool! I love this game on the Capcom Collection for Xbox. Been playing it over and over shooting for high scores. Very fun.
Just a quick comment to say THANK YOU, PAT! I love these mini single-game documentaries. I know a LOT about classic games but I still learn the occasional nugget of fascinating info from these videos. Keep up the great work, my friend!
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed the content :-)
Yay! New episode! I always look forward to your videos.
Glad you like them! Thank you very much
Thanks for the review! I was never much good at the vertical run and gun games even in my gaming prime, and this one especially kicked my ass. I think my biggest problem was that I’m a perfectionist who always wanted to clear every single enemy on the screen, and in games like Commando that’s just a ticket to an early Game Over (1942 with its “% clear” bonuses was even worse for me in that regard).
Thanks for watching, I thought the game was difficult as well especially growing up
Hearing that music on the C64 version brought back a ton of memories.
So cool. I have great memories of this game on the Atari 7800. I didn't have the console, but my cousin did. Whenever we visited (which was often, they lived only 2 blocks away), I was glued in front of the TV playing.
Very cool, sounds like my childhood :-)
One of my favorite arcade games... I remember that i watched Rambo & Commando movies in the theather back in the day and got all pumped😂up afther the movies and there was an arcade in the mall & i would go all inspired afther the movies and put on a very highscore... A man it was a great time😇 to be alive in the 80's...
As always i enjoy very much these mini docu's
Thanks👍👍👍for the uploads & stay safe
Pd i even got the nes ver when that came out (dont have😪the game but i now play on emulation) as i dont have the $$ to buy real hardware... What i do have is the poster that came with the game (commando nes) that have an early desing of captain commando "the challenge series" and the poster advertised three games;
Commando
Ghost & Goblins
1942
Also have a bunch of other posters that came in the nes boxes & some snes posters as well...
That is what i enjoy the most these mini docus because you bring a lot of good classic memories
I hope this and all your videos get a lot of views, i dont know the patreon stuff but i will try to help you by sharing the videos whit my friends so you can get some more views...
Excuse my english if i write some words wrong i am not from the US...
Greetings from mexico
Stay safe my friend & hope you can keep these videos or more uploads
Thanks👍👍👍again
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed the content so much. As a kid of the 80s I grew up with action movies as well as action games so it was a great time to be a video gamer. Hope you are safe down there in Mexico, English is just fine :-) thanks for sharing
This was my game. I remember playing this at a local Fish and Chips restaurant in Connecticut back in the mid 80's. I still have the NES game cartridge which from time to time, I pop up my console and start kicking a$$!!
Back when arcade games were literally everywhere. Restaurants, gas stations, department stores etc.
8 Stages?!!! I could only pass the first stage.
I remember playing this in Nathan’s - they had a huge arcade and you could hear the thunderous roar of all the machines from outside. What great memories.
I could make a very far either LOL
This channel is my one of my favorite time machines
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed so much
I love your history of arcade videos. i built a custom arcade1up with a raspberry pi 4(bored during lock down and wanted to learn something new). I've been enjoying all these classic arcade games I never got to play growing up. it's been so awesome keep up the great work. I just finished golden Axe and golden axe revenge of death adder. gonna try out commando now. keep up the great work👍
Thank you very much, hope you enjoy your cabinet
Had this on my ZX Spectrum 48k (one with the rubber keys) absolutly loved it could only ever get to level II then get my ass handed to me. Also had a 128k Plus and still played this game lots of fond memories playing it with my late father the entire Spectrum era always remind me of playing games with him and it's what started me doing what I do today PC Engineer/Tech. Always use the line 10 Goto 20 basic programming even had it put on a T-Shirt So Thanks matey your videos are an inspriation to most a link to fond memories for all
I used to play this game at my local 7-11, id get a Big Gulp and the checker would let me get a refill. I like Mercs a little because you could drive the vehicles and I loved this flame thrower. I never played this game on any of the home consoles, they never seem to capture the arcade fill at all, this game was meant to play at an arcade, thanks for another informative review.
Thank you very much, and thanks for sharing your memories. Mercs Was definitely the better game but it also came out a few years after the original
Absolutely loved this game and mastered it in the arcade as a kid was so happy when it came out on the C64.
It was really good on the Commodore
This was great on NES and one of my first NES games back then. Only challenge is the firing only aims where you're facing, which makes the player vulnerable. Great history.
Thank you, yes the NES conversion was really good
When I was a kid this game (on the NES) was top tier, no one had it and everyone wanted it! All everyone could talk about on the bus or on recess was where all the secret stairs were and what was at the end of the levels. Similar to Castlevania 2 and all its secrets, that's all we talked about haha
Really? My cousin had it and I didn't think it was very good even back then. I don't think I ever heard anyone talk about it except when I got Bionic Commando.
I vaguely remember that C-64 version from childhood... that music is insane! WOW!
It is absolutely fantastic
I never got to play this in the arcade, but boy did I ever play it on the NES, so much so that I could actually beat it. Wasn't until years later that I saw the C-64 version, with the spectacular soundtrack.
The soundtrack is so good on the Commodore
My uncle and aunt had this game when I was a kid. I remember going up to their house and playing it, contra and The Weird black cart PacMan.
Very cool, thank you for sharing
I love this game and it was out also that recent picture of you made me chuckle
LOL, thank you :-)
I played Commando and Mercs back in the day at the arcades, so much fun. I never bought the home conversions. Commando was sort of an early version of Ikari Warriors, I wish they had developed sequel where you could change out your weapons, have bosses at the end of the levels or commandeer vehicles. Imagine flying around in a Huey taking out enemy soldiers and structures with that bird, it would’ve been fun, thanks for the review.
Thanks for watching, a full-blown SQL would've been fantastic with the features you mentioned
These Capcom titles were so great and diverse,thank you for all of your detail and care that you put into all of your clips.⚡️ You do a great job,and we’ve all learned a lot from your passion to document these works of art. Thank you. Any chance on the horizon for a Section Z clip?😎 I love that game,seems like not a lot of info out there about it.. I know that Hyper dyne is in the lineage,but there was something special about Section Z...The soundtrack is STILL top notch,and the gameplay as well. Really keeps you on you toes.😏 Aside from the NES release,(which had some great aux/cut scenes within) there weren’t many ports... “That I know of.” 🤠
Thank you very much, I can look into it but don't know how much info is out there
Loved Commando on my C64. Sometimes, I still play the music in my head. ;)
Someone released a version a few years ago which includes all the levels of the arcade
Yes I talked about it in my video
That music is fantastic
This video made my day. love the way you start off with the arcade then compare the ports. you have a great style and sense of humor so many funny jokes love the cig picture! great stuff
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoy my content and my sense of humor so much :-)
I just want to thank you for these videos. Especially because I did not expect to learn about news games from it. Been a fan of Commando since it came out but never knew about Mercs. Looking forward to adding it to my MAME system's favorites list.
Glad you like them! Thank you very much
Absolute Classic!
I always pretended Super Joe was from the Royal Air Force, as his uniform was blue like theirs lol
It was only when I joined the RAF myself, that it dawned on me that wearing bright blue instead of desert DPM in the middle of that particular theater would more than likely have resulted in poor old Joe being picked off as soon as he jumped from the chopper?!
My only frustration with the game... Could I hit take out that motorcycle guy throwing grenades off the bridge?! Could I Hell!!!
Thanks for a super nostalgia hit PatMan. Made me so happy to see all these other gentlemen of a certain "vintage" share the same passion for Commando!
Take care my friend 🇬🇧🇺🇲👍
Thank you my friend. I never knew commando was so popular either but apparently it was. Hope you're staying safe.
I’m impressed with how good the 7800 version looks
So was I
This Game ROCKS! Played it back when Grocery stores had arcade machines!
Back in the good old days :-) grocery stores, department stores, gas stations, they were everywhere
I love your content. It makes me feel great to watch and remember these games
Bruh, I had this game on NES...those old action 80's movies you mentioned, I'd play out some of those scenarios out while playing. Good stuff man.
Absolutely, the 80s were a great time not just for videogames but for action movies as well
I loved Commando in the arcades but was well pleased with the C64 conversion, but a slight let down with just 3 levels. But at the time, that was all they could offer! Still a good video and very welcome to watch. Nice trip down memory lane. Thank you.
Thank you very much. I don't know why it was only three levels. If it was a space issue considering most games were released on tape over in Europe you would think they could've released part two with the missing levels.
That cigarette bit was very funny!. When you mentioned Super Joe I immediately thort of Speed Rumbler - what a great game.
Glad you enjoyed it , Thank you very much
Ghosts and Goblins was awesome got quite good at that. Commando was my ultimate childhood arcade though
Dude..... Who is playing this game!?!? Whoever it is, they are CRUSHING IT!! ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS the entire video! If anyone was ever that skilled at Commando, they deserve a trophy, a medal, a button, a ribbon, a button with a ribbon .... SOMETHING! S#!T, give this MoThErF@#$&R a PURPLE HEART!
"If bright flickering lights and seizures are your thing..." LMAO, that was funny.
LOL, thank you :-)
Damn. First game I remember playing with the old man rip. Ended up getting it as my first nes game. Haven't seen game footage...for a long time. Good vid
Thank you very much
I freaked outfor a sec as i didnt remember any in game music on the spectrum - i see that it was written on a 128 machine and hacked into a new version.
Spectrum played really well thou and was a decent, challenging version worthy of praise when it came out.
Great video. I loved playing that in the arcades when i was young.
Thanks for the Nice words
thanks for making the video.
it's 1 of my favorite c64 games. the music is good, too.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The NES port wasn’t done by Micronics-it was the first game that Capcom themselves designed for the system. It’s definitely a bit of a mess, but the additional content was a sign of their later arcade ports being expanded for home systems.
I love this channel. Keep up the great work!
Also I'd live to see a video on the history of Afterburner or the history of Sega's legendary R360 arcade cabinet.
Thank you, I will put those on the list and see what I could dig up
Thanks for this entertaining presentation of an old classic. I had it on the Amstrad CPC.
Speaking of ports and releases, 2 compilations (Capcom Generations on PlayStation 1 and Capcom Classics Collection on PSP) included both Commando and Mercs. They were emulated as far as I can remember.
Yes I'm pretty sure those were emulated. Thank you
Nice to see Frontline make an appearance! I loved that game.
I always liked frontline as well
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries The twirling gun hand was a bit goofy, but it was a lot of fun.
I really enjoyed this video. Keep up the stellar work sir. The regular nintendo version was glitchy, but it was still fun. Way better than ikari warriors.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the nice words
one of my favourite arcade games of all times loved it when the c64 got a ported release I played it to death on the c64,subbed keep up the great work
It's really good on the Commodore 64. Thank you for the subscription and thanks for watching
Yessss!!!! I love Commando!!!!!!
So do I :-)
Another game I loved as a kid and bloody hard it was as well. Still damn hard as I have revisited it a few times recently on Capcom collection
I always enjoyed it
I loved playing the C64 version when I was young. As soon as I heard that music, I was taken back to sitting in front of my computer, joystick in hand for hours. This was a very smooth and playable port for the time.
It was really good especially back in the day
Great work again, very interesting ! No mention of the awesome Amstrad title music though!
Sorry about that
Wow, I remember playing Mercs a lot. I never knew it was really a sequel to commando.
I never knew it was either until years later
These "History of" videos are a welcome addition from the comparison only ones, although I like them all really. I think You are a bit harsh on the Spectrum version, it's amazing considering what the hardware is capable of. Atari 2600 version is terrible and very poor choice of colours. MSX horrendous but is apparently very difficult (almost impossible) to get the screen scrolling smoothly. I guess back in the day it was a lot about money, so lots of rubbish was released, although there were always some amazing games around. I wonder who the idiot in a suit was in Germany who made the decision to ban games where people got shot and changed it to space aliens.
I've given certain spectrum games major props the course of these documentaries but I just didn't see what the appeal was of this game. Again, I'm no authority it's just my opinion
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries Lol Zx was better then the BBC Micro one I played back in the day!
@Imperious685 the country has very strong "Youth Protection" laws, which govern not only videogames, but also television, movies and music.
However, the majority of the censorship is actually carried out by the local developers and publishers, in an effort to allow the game to hit the shelves straight away without frustration.
It's an odd dichotomy as post-Cold War unified Germany is incredibly liberal and democratic, yet it's censorship of the arts is one of the most archaic.
I've been enjoying your back log of videos :D I love the work.
Glad you like them! tHANK YOU VERY MUCH
Super Joe wasn't the name of the main character in Bionic Commando. It's Spencer Radd. Super Joe is who he's sent to rescue.
Spencer Radd is in Marvel vs Capcom 3
One of my favorite SID music pieces is from Commando for the Commodore 64. I used to boot the game up just to listen to it :)
It is absolutely fantastic
Excellent job! I always wondered what was up with the Nintendo version as it had all of those ladder and bunkers that you had to rescue POWs. I even think Nintendo power released a map guide or hint guide on the game if my memory serves me correctly.
I seem to recall there being a giant map and Nintendo power as well
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries that was it
Another great video from PAtmanQC!
Thanks again!
Played this to death on the zx spectrum only got to play it In the arcades much later, still ❤️ it!
It's good but it's hard :-)
Now you're smoking 5 packs of cigs a day? Glad you cut down. I had Commando on Intellivision, which I thought was amazing (considering the hw). (which also featured the smoking soldier graphic btw). This game was SO influential as time marched on! Very important history! Thanks PatmanQC!
I didn't really start smoking, I've never touched a cigarette my life. It was all done for comedic purposes :-)
I hate when classic franchises get a "sequel" from some semi-amateur developer that doesn't revive the series, but instead puts the final bullet into it by making trash. (commando 3, the latest contra monstrocity, etc)
Yes! This needed to be said! Amateur devs have killed so many great games.
@@PlasticCogLiquid Well, not as many games as professional studios like Ubuysoft or EA; but I agree; especially that 2008 Commando 3 looked like a game from the late 90s tech-wise.
I had a love / hate relationship with this game on NES. I remember being obsessed with finding the binoculars and after getting the Nintendo hint book and sneakily reading it 8th grade Social Studies class I found out how to get them. Coincidentally, I became sick to my stomach after that class and had the nurse call my mom to pick me up and take me home...hehe.
LOL, that's hilarious. Thanks for sharing
Awesome stuff. Just did a Let's Olay on WoTB Commando 3. Auch a great series. Would love another entry.
I always thought of Frontline as a really bizarre in-joke on the part of Taito. They made the protagonist an apparent US soldier (going by the color scheme) and the animation of running around literally has characters traipsing about with a sort of dancing motion in their legs. Such a weird game. | I remember those underground bonus areas from the NES Commando which were totally absent from the arcade original. It's interesting to see that the 7800 version had something similar. Also the music/sound in the 7800 version is doing more than the native hardware could, so they must have had an extra sound chip in the cartridge.
I thought it was strange as well of the 7800 version added hidden areas just like the NES version. As far as frontline goes, I still love it as a kid but it doesn't hold the same charm nowadays as commando does
I had no idea that Mercs was a sequel, I loved that game :)
I enjoyed it back in the day and never knew it was a sequel until years later
Man takin me back! Totally remember this and actually liked using the knob controller as opposed to the standard stick..well they called it a 'joy'stick for a reason
Glad you enjoyed it
Bank Panic! Green Beret next please!
I really like all the information you have and all these games I don't know whether you look at all up or whether you just know it from when you were a kid but it's great to know all this and foam from all the games we all enjoyed
I know a lot of information but I don't know everything. I do a lot of research on all of my videos though. Glad you enjoyed the content
This has the best game over music!
This was one of my fave games on the C64.
It was a really good conversion
Couldn't forget the C64 version, the music and the action were fantastic! who could forget the soundtrack?! I think that's the best conversion followed by the ZX one, which is a great achievement for the system resources, and the Amiga version in third place for its lack of background music!
The Amiga as background music plays at a lower tone
Loved the c64 version, that hubbard tune still gets stuck in my head occasionally to this day.
After doing this video for the last five days It is stuck in my head now to :-)
recuerdo que cuando enchufabas el arcade antes de que se ponga la plantalla de inicio, apretabas el boton de start y disparo a la vez, tenias acceso al menu de sonidos y configuracion del juego. todavia se puede hacer en mame. recuerdo que estaba horas escuchando las melodias de este juego. son arte, bellezas sonoras.
Please cover Bionic Commando, one of my favorites.
I didn't even remember I had this on the NES until I saw the gameplay here.
It sold pretty well on the system him
god,i rememebr playing this on the C64,and discovering Hubbard's work and being amazed
It's amazingThat every are 35 years later still talking about how awesome his compositions were
Joseph Gibson aka Super Joe was front and center, no pun intended, in the Capcom arcade games you have mentioned. Believe it or not, he was Capcom's equivalent to G.I. Joe, hence his name, Super Joe, especially playing a key role in the NES version of Bionic Commando. The only downside is the fact that Capcom made him a villain in the reboot, which I elect to ignore. Other than that, another well put review. At least I got the Capcom Arcade Cabinet to play this game whenever I want.
Thanks for the info!
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries Your welcome. Super Joe deserves a lot of recognition. ;)
I enjoy your efforts, you have done so really well with your videos
Thank you so much 😀
No matter what version, Commando is a merciless game in terms of difficulty.
the name "super jo" was only used in the western version. CapCapcom USA also used it as the name of the character of the game "the speed rumbler", suggesting either that both games are set in the same universe (he was also the protagonest of bionic commando in the arcade, but the nes version made him a damsel in distress), or that the US executives wanted a universal character that they could reuse (similar to Mr. Video, an early prototype of mario).
Very good, thanks for the info
Super Joe is also the character you rescue in Bionic Commando (by Capcom). So that makes it a side story.
like i've previously said, you would give the guy who narrated Stand by me , a run for his money ! lol
i watch your videos because they trigger good memories, and give tons of fun facts, and of course your delivery is always top notch.
id see you narrating the new cgi blockbuster hit Gunguns and dragons a galactic affair. vol2
am i the only one that see's it?
That is fantastic and nice of you to say. I would love to do some voiceover work, if anyone can hook me up by all means please do so :-)