Commando (Sega)

Commando, known in Japan as Senjō no Ōkami, is a classic run and gun arcade game that originally hit cabinets in 1985. It was designed by Tokuro Fujiwara and developed/published by Capcom, with North American distribution handled by Data East and European markets seeing versions from multiple companies including Sega. The version you're playing here is the Sega-distributed European release, which keeps the same frenetic action as the original but with a different publisher logo on the title screen.

You control a lone soldier, Super Joe, as he fights through vertically scrolling levels filled with enemy soldiers, tanks, and gun emplacements. The main stick moves your character, one button fires your standard rifle, and a second button lobs grenades to clear clustered enemies or destroy obstacles. The levels are straightforward: keep moving upward, shoot everything that moves, and avoid enemy bullets. Along the way, you can pick up power-ups like a machine gun or extra grenades, but the core loop is pure arcade intensity - stay alive, reach the end of each stage, and survive the enemy onslaught.

What makes Commando worth playing today is its place in run and gun history - it helped define the top-down shooter template that games like Ikari Warriors and Heavy Barrel later expanded on. The controls are tight, the action is relentless, and the grenade mechanic adds a satisfying tactical option. It's not a deep game by modern standards, but as a pure arcade time capsule, it delivers exactly what you expect: run, shoot, and don't stop moving. If you enjoy classic quarter-munchers, this is a must-try.