Bionic Dudes Can’t Jump
Posted on | January 21, 2008 at 9:34 am | 5 Comments
I have always been into videogames from the beginning, since the days of Pong and Computer Space and the Atari 2600. But there was nothing that captured my attention quite like the old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Yeah, the graphics were crappy, especially by today’s standards, and the gameplay was pretty limited, but there was something magical about it. Who can forget the first time they played Super Mario Brothers? I remember my whole family was into it and when we had get-togethers at my place, my dad and my sisters would play along, and they even bought Nintendos for themselves.
But my all-time favorite NES game was Bionic Commando. It was different from most NES games. It wasn’t just straight action – there was a slight adventure/strategy element to it. You didn’t have to do the levels in a straight linear order. You had to gain intel to help you through certain areas. But the coolest thing about it was that the hero had a bionic arm with a grappling gun, which he would shoot at surfaces and use to swing through the game like a one-armed Spider-Man. And you really had to master that swinging skill, since the hero could not jump. If there was a barrel in front of him, he couldn’t jump or climb over it. He had to shoot the grappling gun at the ceiling, swing over the barrel, and land on the other side. So tasks that would be simple in other games required mastering different techniques in this game. It was just so much fun using that thing and swinging away through the levels.
I always hoped for a sequel. At one point, I tracked down a Game Boy version of it, but I don’t think I ever got all the way through it. It just didn’t have the same magic for me, and I remember it had some glitches that made things too difficult.
But finally, Capcom has announced not one, but two sequels to the game. The first is a full 3D version for the Next Gen (360, PS3) platforms. Watch the videos – it looks really cool. I think it may come close to replicating the experience of the original, but in a whole new dimension. I am really looking forward to this, and it’s another great reason for me to buy a PlayStation 3, which I’m still hoping to do soon.
The other sequel is a “reimagining” of the original game called Bionic Commando: Rearmed. It will be available for download on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. It’s still a 2D side-scroller, but with 3D backgrounds and overall updated graphics and gameplay. It also looks really cool. Check out this trailer (which contains some gameplay from the original game at the beginning, to contrast with the remake). There’s also an interesting interview with the designers, where they explain the differences between the original and the remake.
2008 is going to be the year of the Bionic Commando, and I, for one, can’t wait. Why am I so excited about this? I’m like a little kid. Or a deranged adult, once again trying to relive his youth.
“Get the heck out of here you nerd!”
Latre.
Comments
5 Responses to “Bionic Dudes Can’t Jump”
January 21st, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
Sounds like this one would be perfect for the Wii, but you don’t mention a Wii version. I guess I’ll just have to make do with Link’s dual-fisted grappling ability.
http://www.zeldawiki.org/Clawshot
January 22nd, 2008 @ 9:36 am
Flasshe dude, what happened to the weight scale? Did it develop its own personality and started mocking your efforts? BTW, check out the new Terminator series on Mondays, it looks like it might have be interesting (given the writer’s strike!)…
January 22nd, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Sounds like this one would be perfect for the Wii, but you don’t mention a Wii version.
The Wii just doesn’t have the graphical umph to handle this kind of intense gameplay!
Yeah, Link may have that doohickey, but can he jump?
January 22nd, 2008 @ 5:01 pm
what happened to the weight scale?
As explained in this post, I decided a couple of weeks to discontinue the “Today’s Weight” and “Yesterday’s Lunch” supplemental blog features. However, if you wish to make your own chart, just insert a random value between 162 and 166 for every day.
April 24th, 2008 @ 12:20 pm
audi so”
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