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Rambo III (video game)
Encyclopedia
Rambo III is a series of video games based on the film of the same name
. Like in the film, their main plots center on former Vietnam-era
Green Beret John Rambo
being called back to duty one last time to rescue his former commander
, Colonel Sam Trautman, who was captured during a covert operation
mission in Soviet Union
-controlled
Afghanistan
. The console versions are developed and published by Sega, the PC-DOS version was developed by Ocean and published by Taito and Ocean developed and published the rest (Amiga, Spectrum, C64, Amstrad).
version, released in 1988, is a light gun
rail shooter in the lines of Operation Wolf. The Light Phaser is supported. What makes this game also unique is that unlike the NES (and Sega Master System Port, ironically) port of Operation Wolf, as long as the player has ammunition in the game, the light phaser's trigger can be held down to supply full automatic shooting. When the ammunition runs out though, the player will have to pull the trigger each time when shooting.
version, released in 1989, follows Rambo in six missions, in each one with various objectives. Besides finding the exit of the level, in some missions, prisoners must be freed or enemy ammunition
supplies destroyed. Rambo is controlled from an overhead perspective and has several weapons at his disposal. Besides a machine gun
that never runs out of ammo, he can use a knife for close range kills, set off timed bombs and use his famous longbow with explosive arrows. Ammunition for the bow and the bombs is limited and can be collected from dead enemies. Rambo himself, on the other hand, is vulnerable and can be killed after one hit.
After some of the missions, the perspective switches to a view behind Rambo and additional boss fights take place. Soviet tanks or helicopters must be destroyed using the crossbow. While aiming the bow, Rambo cannot move, but otherwise he can hide behind rocks or other obstacles from enemy fire. This is remeniscent of the Taito
arcade game of the same name, which also had you firing into the screen at helicopters and jeeps, but instead of just a single segment after each stage, the whole game is played out in this perspective.
, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64
, Amstrad CPC
) had three missions, and varied from the console version drastically, in terms of gameplay, graphics and music.
The first one had an overhead view, using single-screen areas, and played much like the original Metal Gear
games, where catching the view of a guard or tripping an infra-red laser would trigger an alarm, where soldiers would rush in while firing. Various items and weapons, including a mine detector, glow tube, Explosive Arrows, and a Machine Gun
are hidden throughout the base complex, which has both guards, and deadly traps
such as land mines and electrified doors. The objective is to rescue Colonel Trautman, and escaping the stronghold.
The second has the same view, but here the soldiers are on perpetual alert, so this stage is more action-oriented. The objective is to plant eight bombs at designated areas in a large vehicle storage area (with plenty of parked tanks, transports, off-road vehicles, and a few helicopters), and then escape to the helicopter
to leave the area.
The third mission is in first-person view, and the player is in a tank
that is automatically moving towards the border out of Afghanistan
Soldiers and tanks are the main threat, but there is also a Soviet helicopter, who serves as the boss of the level (and indeed, the game). The player can and must intercept missiles, grenades, and shells
by shooting them, to minimize damage.
Rambo III
Rambo III is an American Action film released on May 25, 1988. It is the third film in the Rambo series following First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II...
. Like in the film, their main plots center on former Vietnam-era
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
Green Beret John Rambo
John Rambo
John Rambo is an iconic fictional character and the basis of the Rambo saga. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous in the film series, played by Sylvester Stallone...
being called back to duty one last time to rescue his former commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
, Colonel Sam Trautman, who was captured during a covert operation
Covert operation
A covert operation is a military, intelligence or law enforcement operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation...
mission in Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-controlled
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a government of Afghanistan between 1978 and 1992. It was both ideologically close to and economically dependent on the Soviet Union, and was a major belligerent of the Afghan Civil War.- Saur Revolution :...
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The console versions are developed and published by Sega, the PC-DOS version was developed by Ocean and published by Taito and Ocean developed and published the rest (Amiga, Spectrum, C64, Amstrad).
Sega Master System version
The Sega Master SystemSega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
version, released in 1988, is a light gun
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
rail shooter in the lines of Operation Wolf. The Light Phaser is supported. What makes this game also unique is that unlike the NES (and Sega Master System Port, ironically) port of Operation Wolf, as long as the player has ammunition in the game, the light phaser's trigger can be held down to supply full automatic shooting. When the ammunition runs out though, the player will have to pull the trigger each time when shooting.
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis version
The Sega Mega DriveSega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
version, released in 1989, follows Rambo in six missions, in each one with various objectives. Besides finding the exit of the level, in some missions, prisoners must be freed or enemy ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
supplies destroyed. Rambo is controlled from an overhead perspective and has several weapons at his disposal. Besides a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
that never runs out of ammo, he can use a knife for close range kills, set off timed bombs and use his famous longbow with explosive arrows. Ammunition for the bow and the bombs is limited and can be collected from dead enemies. Rambo himself, on the other hand, is vulnerable and can be killed after one hit.
After some of the missions, the perspective switches to a view behind Rambo and additional boss fights take place. Soviet tanks or helicopters must be destroyed using the crossbow. While aiming the bow, Rambo cannot move, but otherwise he can hide behind rocks or other obstacles from enemy fire. This is remeniscent of the Taito
Taito
Taito may mean:*Taito Corporation, a Japanese developer of video game software and arcade hardware*Taito, Tokyo, a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan*Taito, also known as matai, paramount chiefs according to Fa'a Samoa...
arcade game of the same name, which also had you firing into the screen at helicopters and jeeps, but instead of just a single segment after each stage, the whole game is played out in this perspective.
Home Computer versions
All of these versions (ZX SpectrumZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
) had three missions, and varied from the console version drastically, in terms of gameplay, graphics and music.
The first one had an overhead view, using single-screen areas, and played much like the original Metal Gear
Metal Gear
Metal Gear is a series of video games.Metal Gear may also refer to:*Metal Gear , bipedal tanks appearing in the Metal Gear series-Metal Gear video game series:...
games, where catching the view of a guard or tripping an infra-red laser would trigger an alarm, where soldiers would rush in while firing. Various items and weapons, including a mine detector, glow tube, Explosive Arrows, and a Machine Gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
are hidden throughout the base complex, which has both guards, and deadly traps
Trap (tactic)
A trap is a device intended to catch an intruder or prey. "Trap" may also refer to the tactic of catching or harming an adversary. Conversely it may also mean a hindrance for change, being caught in a trap.-Device:*Animal trapping*Bird trapping...
such as land mines and electrified doors. The objective is to rescue Colonel Trautman, and escaping the stronghold.
The second has the same view, but here the soldiers are on perpetual alert, so this stage is more action-oriented. The objective is to plant eight bombs at designated areas in a large vehicle storage area (with plenty of parked tanks, transports, off-road vehicles, and a few helicopters), and then escape to the helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
to leave the area.
The third mission is in first-person view, and the player is in a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
that is automatically moving towards the border out of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
Soldiers and tanks are the main threat, but there is also a Soviet helicopter, who serves as the boss of the level (and indeed, the game). The player can and must intercept missiles, grenades, and shells
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
by shooting them, to minimize damage.
External links
- Genesis version at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Master System version at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Rambo III at the KLOV
- Rambo III on the Amiga at The Hall of Light (HOL)