Welcome back to Sega Saturday, our weekly blast from the Sega past! This week, we're going full '80s action hero with Rambo: First Blood Part II, the 1986 North American Master System reskin of a Japanese ninja monk shooter. That mega cartridge grid-box art of Stallone dual-wielding an M60? Peak Cold War hype. Lock and load—we're storming the jungle!
The Game: Commando in the 'Nam
Released in North America in late 1986 (Japan earlier as Ashura, Europe as Secret Command), this overhead run-and-gun shooter drops you into enemy territory to rescue POWs from camps. Player 1 is Rambo (red bandana, green tank top), armed with an unlimited M60 machine gun (max two bullets on-screen) and limited explosive arrows for tanks, gates, and choppers. Player 2? Zane, a yellow-banded buddy invented for co-op mode.
Blast through six stages of jungles, rivers, and bases:
- Dodge infantry, flamethrowers, grenades, and bullet-sponge bosses
- Rescue hostages for power-ups (faster shots, extra arrows)
- Reach the flashing gate to clear—then survive the endless enemy wave
- No continues by default. One hit = death. Pure quarter-munching arcade vibes like Commando or Ikari Warriors.
Why the Master System Version Slaps
Sega's early launch title (one of the first in NA) proves the SMS could hang with NES shooters. Smooth scrolling, vibrant jungles, and somber chiptunes by Katsuhiro "Wooper Katsu" Hayashi (minor keys for that gritty feel—no FM sound here). Co-op shines, but solo is a bullet-hell endurance test. Modern takes call it "playable and fun," outpacing sluggish NES rivals.
Explosive Trivia: From Monks to Murica
- License Hack Job: Japan got Ashura—armed Buddhist monks Ashura and Bishamon rescuing friends. Sega slapped the Rambo license on for NA (title screen recreates Stallone's poster pose), but it expired for PAL (Secret Command keeps Rambo sprites with monk names).
- Difficulty Tweaks: Flamethrower goons need arrows in Ashura (tougher); machine gun works in Rambo. Movie theme remixed for title screen.
- Secret Continues: No manual codes—stage-specific inputs like Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right (varies). Game Over in Round 1? Common rage-quit fuel.
- Ikari Irony: Ikari Warriors (SNK's arcade hit) was almost a Rambo game—SNK lost the license. Sega's "me-too" shooter ironically wins the 8-bit war.
- High-Score Glory: Recent runs hit 1.3M+ points (Twin Galaxies verified). Speedrunners hate the slow jog.
- Wii Legacy: Ashura and Secret Command hit Virtual Console—Rambo skipped (license drama).
Legacy: Stallone's 8-Bit Stomper
This "mega cartridge" helped launch the SMS against NES dominance, blending movie muscle with arcade grit. Not faithful to the film (no bow, no Murdock punch-out), but who cares? It's the definitive 8-bit Rambo—brutal, co-op chaos that still frustrates and thrills.
Emulate it and crack those continue codes. Beat the final base without dying? You're a one-man army.
Favorite version—Rambo, Ashura, or Secret Command? High score flex below! Next Sega Saturday: more firepower. Stay frosty! 🪖💥
0 comments:
Post a Comment