Rambo (1985 video game)


Rambo is a 1985 video game based on the film '. It was produced by Platinum Productions and published by Ocean Software for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64.
The Commodore 64 version's music is by Martin Galway from Northern Ireland, incorporating melodies from the film's score. The Amstrad CPC version's music was played and recorded live by Choice Software's in-house programmer/designer/musician James Edward Cosby also from Northern Ireland, using a Yamaha DX7 synthesiser via the then new MIDI serial comms protocol.
Several other games based on the film were also released, including Rambo for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and ' for the Sega Master System.

Gameplay

The game is viewed from an isometric perspective, and follows the movie's story. The player, controlling Rambo, has to find his lost equipment, locate the POW camp, rescue the hostages and make it back to the extraction point, while being pursued by constantly respawning enemies. Rambo starts off with just a Bowie knife and grenades, and gains points for killing the enemy, and for collecting the following equipment: Rocket Launcher, M16 Rifle, and Bow & Arrows.
The game was one of the first to feature controllable vehicles, and also one of the first to feature stealth elements.
Most of its gameplay style is strikingly similar to that of Ikari Warriors, but the levels are not as repetitive.

Reception and related releases

Rambo was well received. Your Sinclair described it as "a thinking man's Commando. That game starts fast and gets faster until you end up like a one-man whirlwind. Rambo develops into a solid shoot'em up".
Rambo went to number 2 in the UK sales charts, behind Winter Games.
The Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum versions of the game was included on the 1986 compilation They Sold a Million 3, along with Fighter Pilot, Ghostbusters, and Kung-Fu Master.
As of 2008, there is a remake available for the PC, with enhanced graphics, sound and music taken from the film's theatrical score. Gameplay remains unchanged. Another difference is that the enemies are more plentiful than the original.