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Story
I recently came upon some information about this classic while probing some search engines. Evidently, the Japanese version is slightly different in ways I have suspected since its release in 1988. The name of the original version is Hittori no Fukkatsu : Top Secret, or Hitler no Fukkatsu : Top Secret. This pretty much translates to Top Secret : Hitler's Resurrection. Anyway, it was pretty much obvious when playing the US version that "Master D" at the end is indeed Hitler and the "BADDS" are Neo-Nazis. I guess NOA got squeamish about putting out a game about Nazis and Hitler for their family-oriented cash-fountain, and had Capcom make some changes. I am of the opinion that they should've left things the way they were. It makes it more satisfying to think that you're pre-empting the return of one of history's most infamous (IN-famous) monsters. As numerous Castle Wolfenstein games have clinically proven, it's fun to shoot Nazis. Especially with wacky weaponry. However, seeing as it was 14 years ago I think I'll just let it go. I'll be sure to include some side-by-side comparisons to illustrate my point that, when it comes to Bionic Commando Nazis Are Better.On both versions, the story is the same. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent minds of our nation's children from the facts of the past so that we are then doomed to repeat it. What it basically boils down to is that before Hitler died in some underground bunker, he drew up some plans for some ultimate weapon called the "Albatross". While at first this may conjure up images of John Cleese in a pink concession girl outfit with ridiculously enormous breasts trying to sell a large seabird at a theater (it does for me, anyway), Bionic Commando's Albatross is a floating kooky looking mess of metal and alternately firing jets. It seems that on top of being a military genius and an all around nut-job, Adolph was also pretty handy with engineering. Anyway, the current Nazi leader ("Generalissimo Killt" in the US, some actual Nazi general in the J version) has come up with a plan to revive their former lunatic of a leader so that he can finish his final project and bring the Aryan race to their rightful place, or some such nonsense. The Federation (good guys) sends in their best agent, "Super Joe" to stop the nefarious plan. He immediately disappears, so they send in their second best agent, the Bionic Commando (referred to only as "Captain" in the game) to rescue the inept "Super Joe" and stop the Nazi crap machine. As the web-slinging (!!!!) …oops!! I mean…grappling hook-slinging "Bionic Commando", you must battle through strategic military sites and random neutral zones to find Super Joe. Predictably, every time you think you're getting close to finding him, a soldier tells you, "Sorry. Super Joe is in another castle." You finally find him as you near the end of the game and he assists you by disappearing again.
You reach the last level where Generalissimo Killt has decided not to resurrect Hitler.
Hitler don't play that, so he zaps Killt with his Super Hitler Psycho Lightning and unleashes the dreaded Albatross. You then fight the Albatross as it proceeds not to attack you.
After swinging on the oh-so-hot jets and shooting the weak spot that takes up at least 1/10 of the entire machine, you destroy it only to find out that Hitler is about to get away in a big plane (easily 5 times as big as the ultimate weapon).
Some random guy tells you Super Joe gave him a gun to give to you (right…). You then use it to shoot the cockpit of the plane and explode Hitler's head!!!! In great detail!!! See?!?!?
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That was great!!! Then you have to get out, Metroid style.
Once you get out you realize, "Oops!! I forgot Super Joe!!" Evidently the Federation's best of the best can't walk far enough to get himself out of a hangar.
All the good guys get away just in time as the whole island explodes. Not that they ever said it was on an island, but there you are. The end.
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Gameplay
This is another game I still own for my old NES and still play often. It plays just like any old platformer, just with one big difference. No jumping!!!! All bottomless pits, etc. must be crossed my swinging with your grappling hook. Your hook can only attach to certain surfaces. Luckily these surfaces comprise most of the levels in the game. Once you get used to it, you'll find it's pretty easy to get around and you be swinging about like…um…something that swings a lot (not Spiderman…I already did that one).If you don't get what I'm saying, just play the game and you'll see. I assume, though that if you're reading this you've probably played it already.
Other than that, it's just left, right and shoot. Occasionally on the map, you'll meet up with a truck and you'll have to fight through a short Commando-like level, which is where you get your continues. There's not much more I can say about this. Play IT!!!!!
Graphics
Admittedly, the graphics aren't too great. They're kinda bland and full of yucky colors. The main character looks like a badly drawn psychopath, and the rest look like the generic soldiers found in any 8-Bit game. I'm not gonna talk about bosses, 'cause you've seen the terrible Albatross. They get the job done.
The most important thing about the graphics is that this is where the biggest difference between the Japanese and US versions lies. Any use of the good old Nazi swastika was replaced with a still Nazi-esque eagle symbol. Look for yourself:
Sound
The sound effects are just that: effective. Cool noise for the grappling hook. Generic shooting noises. Cool explosion noises.
The music is one of the aesthetic aspects of this game that jumps out at you. The songs are engaging and get you ready to swing into action. Get it? Swing!!! HAHAHahahahha..hah….ha…….heh. Blech. ……………Ok. Now that I'm back from my self-loathing, I'll continue. To me, whenever I end up whistling a video game tune to myself out of nowhere, that says it's good. I have whistled these songs. End of story. (Gee, can you tell I'm getting tired and want to wrap this up so's I can sleep?!?!?)
Closing Comments
Despite the exclusion of Nazis from the US version, much of the game stayed the same. I've read somewhere that the text was translated very literally, which is why it sounds goofy sometimes. Not much gameplay was changed. There seems to be extra 1-UP's and elevators, etc. in the Japanese version, making it slightly easier than the US version. That's a first, huh?
There is one big gameplay difference, though. In both versions, Area 15 has a barrier in the middle of the level. In the US version, you shoot it and it disappears, leaving you to fight off the peacekeepers whilst you explore the rest of the area. In the Japanese version, however, the barrier does not go away when shooting it, causing you to come back once you get the right weapon so you can get the final communicator. This actually gives you a reason to use these new pathways between 17 & 14 and 18 & 15. Sadly, I could not figure out which weapon to use, so I eventually swung under the barrier, bypassing the whole problem. It does tend to eliminate the confusion of which communicator to use when, since you don't get the last communicator until you need it.
Another difference I noted is that in Area 14, there's a big, red commander guy who talks to you. Sadly, it's all in Japanese, so I have no idea what he says. I wish I did, though, 'cause he sure does say a lot!
Yet another difference was in Area 17 where you have to threaten a prisoner to open the afore mentioned secret pathways. In the US version he insults you when you enter, but whimpers and confesses as soon as you swing to him. In the J version, he still insults you when you come in, and also if you hit him with your hook from afar. You can shoot him, but then you are reprimanded by a colleague. What you have to do is swing to him and grab him with your hook. Only then does he talk.
One last difference I noted was that when you go into the communications room in any level in the Japanese version, the enormous radio console glows with a pulsing rhythm, whereas it stays one static color in the US version. I'm not sure why they'd change that.
Also, there's random boulder walls in Area 4 that can only be removed with your claw. Hmmm!!!
Well, there ya go! I love this game, Nazis or no Nazis. It's cool to be exposed to the strange alternatives, though. I suggest you expose yourself NOW!!!