Commando (video game)

Commando
Developer(s)Capcom
Publisher(s)
Designer(s)Tokuro Fujiwara
Composer(s)Tamayo Kawamoto
Platform(s)Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System, Apple II, Atari 2600, Intellivision, Atari 7800, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Amiga, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Virtual Console, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release
Genre(s)Run and gun
Mode(s)Single-player

Commando, released as Senjō no Ōkami (Japanese: 戦場の狼, "Wolf of the Battlefield") in Japan, is a vertically scrolling run and gun video game released by Capcom for arcades in 1985. The game was designed by Tokuro Fujiwara. It was distributed in North America by Data East, and in Europe by several companies including Capcom, Deith Leisure and Sega, S.A. SONIC. Versions were released for various home computers and video game consoles. It is unrelated to the 1985 film of the same name, which was released six months after the game.

Commando was a critical and commercial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1985 and one of the best-selling home video games of 1986. It was highly influential, spawning numerous clones following its release, while popularizing the run-and-gun shooter genre. Its influence can be seen in many later shooter games, especially those released during the late 1980s to early 1990s.

The game later appeared on Capcom Classics Collection, Activision Anthology, and on the Wii Virtual Console Arcade, as well as Capcom Arcade Cabinet for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. A sequel, Mercs, was released in 1989.

  1. ^ a b Compasio, Camille (June 8, 1985). "Around The Route" (PDF). Cash Box. pp. 43–4.
  2. ^ "Commando (Registration Number PA0000246461)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  3. ^ "ゲームで見るカプコンの歴史". Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 7. April 1987.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference CVG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Video Game Flyers: Commando, Capcom (EU)". The Arcade Flyer Archive. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Overseas Readers Column" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 263. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 July 1985. p. 26.