Iron Commando is a side-scrolling beat ’em up game made by the French developer Arcade Zone for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was supposed to come out in Europe between 1994 and 1995, published by Sony Electronic Publishing, but the release was canceled when Sony stopped making SNES games to focus on the PlayStation.
The game was later released only in Japan under the name Iron Commando: Koutetsu no Senshi (“Iron Commando: Iron Warriors”) in February 1995, published by Pack-In-Video’s Poppo label.
Years later, Piko Interactive bought the rights to the game and released it digitally on Steam in 2016, followed by a Super NES cartridge version in 2017. That same year, BlazePro released a reproduction of the Japanese Super Famicom version for that market.
No surprise that this game was cancelled. I do not recommend buying it to anyone, even to the game collectors.
The Story
Play as Jake, a tough soldier, or Chang Li, a skilled martial artist, as you fight to stop G.H.O.S.T. from stealing a radioactive meteorite in Iron Commando, now on SNES from Piko Interactive.
Battle through 10 action-packed levels, featuring exciting moments like riding a Jeep, mine cart, and motorcycle. Enjoy the two-player co-op, stereo sound, and new twists never seen before in a classic beat ’em up. Punch, kick, shoot, and smash your way through the enemy to recover the meteorite and save the day!
The Graphics and Sound
By 1994’s beat ’em up standards, the graphics were good, but not amazing. The enemies and backgrounds looked solid, and the animations were smooth. And there were no major graphical glitches, even when the screen filled up with enemies. The only flicker appeared when enemies walked around the “Game Over” screen.
At the time, beat ’em up games were at their peak, so Iron Commando’s music and sound had pretty tough competition. The soundtrack was decent, though the first level’s tune sounded like a cheesy pop-rock song you might hear on the radio. The sound effects were better, featuring different death cries for enemies and unique gun sounds for each weapon, which added some nice variety.
The Gameplay
In this game, you usually face four to five enemies at once, which makes the action intense. Unlike many other beat ’em ups, it is hard to push all enemies to one side and fight safely as they will often surround you. Most enemies are armed with knives or guns, so you won’t be using your fists too often. Combat feels tough and chaotic, even when you manage to grab a weapon. If you get hit, you will drop your weapon, forcing you to risk picking it up again while under attack.
The enemy dogs are especially annoying as they move between layers of the screen and are hard to hit with projectiles, so you have to get close to grab and punch them while dodging other enemies. Despite the challenge, it feels rewarding to survive a level with a bit of health left.
The game also includes driving and riding sections, where you shoot at waves of enemies while dodging obstacles. These parts can get frustrating, especially the bosses, since you have limited space and attack options. Dying mid-level means starting over from the beginning unless you are fighting a boss.
Replay value is poor. While some levels can be frustrating, there is some fun in being able to switch between fists, clubs, and guns on the fly. However, the two playable characters, Jake and Chang Li, play almost the same, so there is not much variety if you replay the game with the other character.
My Verdict
Iron Commando is a medium fun but flawed beat ’em up brawler. The combat can be exciting, yet frustrating due to cheap enemy attacks and unnecessary riding levels that make the game harder without adding much fun. Despite its issues, it has some memorable moments, like the chaotic car boss fight and the mix of melee and gun combat.
Play it on the noble Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a likable emulator.
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