Commando
1985 · Run and Gun · Arcade
Overview
Commando, released as SenjÅ no ÅŒkami in Japan, is a 1985 run and gun video game developed and published by Capcom for arcades. 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.
Deep Dive
Commando, released as SenjÅ no ÅŒkami in Japan, is a 1985 run and gun video game developed and published by Capcom for arcades. 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.
Developer Story
Commando was designed by Tokuro Fujiwara at Capcom in 1985. Players controlled Super Joe, a soldier clearing enemy territory with a machine gun and grenades. The vertical scrolling shoot-em-up format was refined with a restricted grenade mechanic that required resource management. Commando was one of the first major hits for Capcom in North America and directly inspired Ikari Warriors and Mercs.
Did You Know?
- Commando's Super Joe reappeared as a playable character in Mercs (1990), providing rare narrative continuity across Capcom arcade games.
- The grenade mechanic was deliberately limited — players had to save grenades for fortified bunkers and enemy leaders rather than using them freely.
- The game introduced "enemy strongholds" — fortified positions at level end that required grenades to destroy and contained hidden soldiers.
- Commando was one of the first Capcom arcade games to find significant success in Western markets, establishing their international credibility.
