STE Ruddy who was behind the Pal C64 version, said the basic look, map layout and most importantly, playability, were the goals for the conversion, a very specific software sprite solution was needed to implement the bionic arm.Tim Follin's funky title tune wasn't originally intended to be used, but once STE heard it, he thought it amazing and so it became the title tune.
It was common in those days for a developer or publisher to be restricted to one country or region. This was most common for the C64, with a game having different versions between the US and Europe, though it was also common between the Famicom and US NES.
Gotta love Tim Follin's music. I was just listening to the Solstice OST last night. Honestly like a lot of people I am more familiar with the FC/NES version, but a few places here in town did have the arcade version which I enjoyed. Great work as always!
Agreed... both Tim and his brother Geoff made some fantastic soundtracks, particularly on the C64 IMO. Geoff Follin's music for Sly Spy on the C64 is to this day probably my favourite game soundtrack ever.
Like Tora e no michi, top secret is my childhood, thx for sweet memories Retro !!! Another Tim Follin's great job ... The CPC version look like a SPECCY 48k version ...
Another win for the C64 (UK version), and yet another weak ST to Amiga port. I really regretted 'upgrading' from the C64 to Amiga, as barely anyone knew how to program the damn thing! Was much happier when the Mega Drive was released and the Amiga was sold.
It’s funny you should say that. Back in the day I was more than happy with my 64 for the most part but always pined for an Amiga, imagining its games would be so much better. Many years later and thanks to the magic of RUclips, I can see I didn’t miss out at all and do not regret transitioning to consoles from the 16-bit era onwards.
This game, along with Strider, were confusing to me, back in the day, because they were so different than the arcade game. Now I can totally appreciate why they did that- the games released were a much better value than trying to create a more arcade acurate rep. Same for Double Dragon, imo.
In some cases it is better but I can also imagine many people wishing for the Arcade port. Rastan is another. The Master System version is a great arcade port while the NES game was made in to an action RPG of sorts. Its not a bad game but it sure isn't the Arcade.
That's due to the hardware limitations. that machine wasn't really made for quality graphics. It was also pretty cheap compared to other systems of the time.
I'm no expert on European computers as I'm a Yank, but I've seen plenty of impressive Speccy games over the years whereas I've seen not a single CPC game that didn't at least marginally suck if not completely. I wonder what games there were on the CPC that made it even worth having back then.
The problem is with the arcade ports maninly. It's the same thing with the Amiga. Developers had to code the games in pretty tight deadline and for many different systems at the same time. The CPC was probably the least popular from those systems, so there was less effort to code for it. Most of the time they would just dump Spectrum code on the CPC and make it work even if this made the framerate of the games goes really bad (Exactly same thing happened with european MSX arcade ports) The C64 always got a proper port because A) You couldn't just throw ZX spectrum code at it, mess with it a little and call it a day B) The C64 had the biggest number of users, so they tried to polish its games a little bit more. Also I believe many of those coders were more used to code for the C64 or the SPeccy than the CPC This also happened with Atari ST -> Amiga games... the Amiga is a MUCH MORE powerful system than the ST, but most of the arcade ports were just Atari ST code twitched to work on Amiga... this usually meant we Amiga users had arcade ports that not only didn't use Amiga power properly (those games usually didn't use the Amiga sound system properly, used no hardware sprites, no parallax scroll, did not use the copper, etc etc), but also ran SLOWE/CHOPPIER than the Atari ST version.. even though the Amiga could handle those games without any hassle.
Capcom's first arcade game using the YM2151, followed up by Street Fighter And man, some FM patches sound super rough in this game. It's a new soundchip for them and all, but it's clear they haven't mastered it yet. Street Fighter was the first for them to test DT2 stuff and when the CPS1 came out, which had the YM2151 as well, they had already mastered it. The taps and clicks are super convincing in games like Forgotten Worlds, Strider, etc
Interesting. Another instance, when port / remake becomes de-facto "the game" instead of original. I didn't even know that there was arcade Bionic Commando. And it was quite surprising that NES version carried some tunes from the arcade version. MS-DOS version looks like it was done by the same guys who "worked" on MegaMan and MegaMan III on PC. Amiga version looks nice, but it seems, developers understood term "Arcade difficulty" a bit too literally. Spectrum version sounds nice, which probably should distract players from the fact that game slowly burns their eyes out. It's quite interesting, how back in the day there could have been several ports of the same game for one console / computer from different developers. US port looks like rubbish, UK sounds and seemingly plays nice.
I still have my original C64 from 1986 and the PAL version of Bionic Commando. I loved that game. Personally I like the PAL graphics better than the US version.
St and Amiga versions could have been great games, if they would not have spoiled the playability with constant enemies... I mean, scrolling could have been better and all, but I liked the graphics and the basic playability... DOS=terrible, Spectrum OK, Amstrad is below average, C64 US-version is horrible (and I hate the graphics too...) and finally: C64 PAL-version is maybe the best of the bunch (and to my eyes, the graphics are better on this compared to US-version).
I agree. There are so many poor Amiga and ST Arcade ports that should be much better than they actually were. If only greedy publishers had better quality control.
Yes, too tight schedules and too little money for developers. Check out Enchanted Land on Atari ST (thalion.exotica.org.uk/games/enchanted_land/el.html) an example what could be done on that limited hardware, with a REALLY good programmer! I mean, until that game came out, everybody would have said that it's impossible to do on ST... It's not maybe the best game on playability, but as an technical achievement, it's kinda amazing...
thalion.exotica.org.uk/games/enchanted_land/el.html There was some %29 garbage after the link. If it still adds that to address, take it manually away ;)
This versions ports are just bad decisions based I dare say on easy coding and porting. Not all machines had hardware scrolling so you write code based on the lowest denominator. So in early development most used the st as development for 16bit and spectrum for 8bit as it has a close relationship with amstrad. This is why c64 generally are different and totally recoded or written from scratch. So this is why the use of Push scrolling, as the st had poor horizontal scrolling where the amiga had hardware to make it easier. I detest push scrolling it's cheap and an easy method to cross platform code. A shame I actually always liked the look of the game. I dont agree that the st version is more fun to play and looks better. They are as bad as each other. The st screen size is a distraction the sound is bad and the spawning points are the same. They cost the same and if I was forced to pick a version between st and amiga it would be amiga everytime but that's not saying much on such a bad port. Pal games dont work well in the USa hence the 2 c64 versions. If you have an expensive licence you have to make the most of it :-(
![Bionic Commando / Top Secret - Versions Comparison [HD 60 FPS]](/img/1.gif)
STE Ruddy who was behind the Pal C64 version, said the basic look, map layout and most importantly, playability, were the goals for the conversion, a very specific software sprite solution was needed to implement the bionic arm.Tim Follin's funky title tune wasn't originally intended to be used, but once STE heard it, he thought it amazing and so it became the title tune.
I hear this music and... my mind does not think "military action." This sounds more like a tropical vacation.
It was common in those days for a developer or publisher to be restricted to one country or region. This was most common for the C64, with a game having different versions between the US and Europe, though it was also common between the Famicom and US NES.
9:47 the US C64 version were also involved the creator of Mega Man on DOS
Oh no!
I used to to play the PAL C64 version just for the music
Gotta love Tim Follin's music. I was just listening to the Solstice OST last night. Honestly like a lot of people I am more familiar with the FC/NES version, but a few places here in town did have the arcade version which I enjoyed. Great work as always!
Agreed... both Tim and his brother Geoff made some fantastic soundtracks, particularly on the C64 IMO. Geoff Follin's music for Sly Spy on the C64 is to this day probably my favourite game soundtrack ever.
You seriously prefer the squished, jaundiced graphics on the U.S. C64 version to the more vibrant colors in the PAL version?
I never knew the c64 could use 2 fire buttons. Shame others didnt us as so much easier
The Commando is such a badass >:D
The Spectrum port is nauseating to all my senses.
Like Tora e no michi, top secret is my childhood, thx for sweet memories Retro !!!
Another Tim Follin's great job ...
The CPC version look like a SPECCY 48k version ...
Glad you enjoyed the show, M solo M.
Another win for the C64 (UK version), and yet another weak ST to Amiga port. I really regretted 'upgrading' from the C64 to Amiga, as barely anyone knew how to program the damn thing! Was much happier when the Mega Drive was released and the Amiga was sold.
bombjack Hey, what's your opinion on Zool? I enjoy it personally.
It’s funny you should say that. Back in the day I was more than happy with my 64 for the most part but always pined for an Amiga, imagining its games would be so much better. Many years later and thanks to the magic of RUclips, I can see I didn’t miss out at all and do not regret transitioning to consoles from the 16-bit era onwards.
The Stage 2 music on the arcade port is something else - it works much better than one would expect!
Bionic Commando (NES) version[100%] better
That's true but maybe because it's a different game.
Neodestro But did you know the Japanese version had references to Nazis?
This game, along with Strider, were confusing to me, back in the day, because they were so different than the arcade game. Now I can totally appreciate why they did that- the games released were a much better value than trying to create a more arcade acurate rep. Same for Double Dragon, imo.
In some cases it is better but I can also imagine many people wishing for the Arcade port. Rastan is another. The Master System version is a great arcade port while the NES game was made in to an action RPG of sorts. Its not a bad game but it sure isn't the Arcade.
How come most of the zx spectrum games look almost like what you see in those LCD handheld games
That's due to the hardware limitations. that machine wasn't really made for quality graphics. It was also pretty cheap compared to other systems of the time.
I used to think that the main character was Captain Commando.
Hehe, I can understand that. It would make sense after all.
I'm no expert on European computers as I'm a Yank, but I've seen plenty of impressive Speccy games over the years whereas I've seen not a single CPC game that didn't at least marginally suck if not completely. I wonder what games there were on the CPC that made it even worth having back then.
Donkey kong was great, ikari warrious, north and south and turrikan just to name a few.
The problem is with the arcade ports maninly. It's the same thing with the Amiga. Developers had to code the games in pretty tight deadline and for many different systems at the same time. The CPC was probably the least popular from those systems, so there was less effort to code for it. Most of the time they would just dump Spectrum code on the CPC and make it work even if this made the framerate of the games goes really bad (Exactly same thing happened with european MSX arcade ports)
The C64 always got a proper port because
A) You couldn't just throw ZX spectrum code at it, mess with it a little and call it a day
B) The C64 had the biggest number of users, so they tried to polish its games a little bit more.
Also I believe many of those coders were more used to code for the C64 or the SPeccy than the CPC
This also happened with Atari ST -> Amiga games... the Amiga is a MUCH MORE powerful system than the ST, but most of the arcade ports were just Atari ST code twitched to work on Amiga... this usually meant we Amiga users had arcade ports that not only didn't use Amiga power properly (those games usually didn't use the Amiga sound system properly, used no hardware sprites, no parallax scroll, did not use the copper, etc etc), but also ran SLOWE/CHOPPIER than the Atari ST version.. even though the Amiga could handle those games without any hassle.
Rafael Lima I talked to my father who had a CPC and he said it was cheap and had a monitor with it
Well, not cheaper than a C64 or a Speccy.
The one my friend owns doesn't come with a monitor
Rafael Lima The original modell did anyway
and in germany a cpc was cheaper because a german company distribuited the cpc
Capcom's first arcade game using the YM2151, followed up by Street Fighter
And man, some FM patches sound super rough in this game. It's a new soundchip for them and all, but it's clear they haven't mastered it yet.
Street Fighter was the first for them to test DT2 stuff and when the CPS1 came out, which had the YM2151 as well, they had already mastered it. The taps and clicks are super convincing in games like Forgotten Worlds, Strider, etc
Interesting. Another instance, when port / remake becomes de-facto "the game" instead of original. I didn't even know that there was arcade Bionic Commando.
And it was quite surprising that NES version carried some tunes from the arcade version.
MS-DOS version looks like it was done by the same guys who "worked" on MegaMan and MegaMan III on PC.
Amiga version looks nice, but it seems, developers understood term "Arcade difficulty" a bit too literally.
Spectrum version sounds nice, which probably should distract players from the fact that game slowly burns their eyes out.
It's quite interesting, how back in the day there could have been several ports of the same game for one console / computer from different developers. US port looks like rubbish, UK sounds and seemingly plays nice.
I still have my original C64 from 1986 and the PAL version of Bionic Commando. I loved that game. Personally I like the PAL graphics better than the US version.
I really rate this as one of the worst 5 arcade conversions to Amiga. And the Amiga has *lots* of really awful conversions.
The bad ass look was adapted for the JP Nintendo remakes 😎
St and Amiga versions could have been great games, if they would not have spoiled the playability with constant enemies... I mean, scrolling could have been better and all, but I liked the graphics and the basic playability... DOS=terrible, Spectrum OK, Amstrad is below average, C64 US-version is horrible (and I hate the graphics too...) and finally: C64 PAL-version is maybe the best of the bunch (and to my eyes, the graphics are better on this compared to US-version).
I agree. There are so many poor Amiga and ST Arcade ports that should be much better than they actually were. If only greedy publishers had better quality control.
Yes, too tight schedules and too little money for developers. Check out Enchanted Land on Atari ST (thalion.exotica.org.uk/games/enchanted_land/el.html) an example what could be done on that limited hardware, with a REALLY good programmer! I mean, until that game came out, everybody would have said that it's impossible to do on ST... It's not maybe the best game on playability, but as an technical achievement, it's kinda amazing...
I think the link is wrong. I just get a 404 not found error when checking it.
thalion.exotica.org.uk/games/enchanted_land/el.html
There was some %29 garbage after the link. If it still adds that to address, take it manually away ;)
The Atari st version is my favorite version
This versions ports are just bad decisions based I dare say on easy coding and porting. Not all machines had hardware scrolling so you write code based on the lowest denominator. So in early development most used the st as development for 16bit and spectrum for 8bit as it has a close relationship with amstrad. This is why c64 generally are different and totally recoded or written from scratch. So this is why the use of Push scrolling, as the st had poor horizontal scrolling where the amiga had hardware to make it easier. I detest push scrolling it's cheap and an easy method to cross platform code. A shame I actually always liked the look of the game. I dont agree that the st version is more fun to play and looks better. They are as bad as each other. The st screen size is a distraction the sound is bad and the spawning points are the same. They cost the same and if I was forced to pick a version between st and amiga it would be amiga everytime but that's not saying much on such a bad port. Pal games dont work well in the USa hence the 2 c64 versions. If you have an expensive licence you have to make the most of it :-(
There was a NES version. But its absolute garbage and does not follow the arcade at all and has too much reading.