With the 2008 release of the film "Rambo," the ex-Green Beret character portrayed by action hero Sylvester Stallone received a newfound following from young and old fans alike. Several video games for multiple gaming systems were released in the 1980s during the heyday of "Rambo," loosely following the storylines of the early films.
Rambo
This 1988 title for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) follows the events of the film "Rambo: First Blood Part II." In this side-scrolling game you fight Soviet soldiers and vicious wildlife with guns and knives as you explore the environment to find prisoners of war in Vietnam. After a difficult final battle against a helicopter, you must lead these POWs to safety.
Rambo III
The 1988 Sega Master System title "Rambo III" uses the console's light gun accessory. You point the gun at the television to defeat enemies that appeared on the screen. Clear the screen to automatically scroll to new areas inspired by the third "Rambo" film. If you run out of bullets for your automatic rifle, you can shoot bullets only one at a time. You are helped by a limited number of grenades you can toss to clear the screen and iodine bottles that appear on screen you can shoot to refill your health.
Rambo III Arcade
The 1989 arcade version of the third "Rambo" film was also a light gun shooter, but the action moved forward instead of sideways. You defeat waves of Soviet soldiers to run ahead to the next area, also battling enemies in helicopters and jeeps, which explode to create destruction and a frantic pace.
Rambo: First Blood Part II
This 1986 title plays similarly to such military shooters as "Commando" in that you run up a vertically scrolling screen and use weapons and exploration to find hidden objects and allies. Explosive arrows will destroy huts, where you can find extra lives, more weapons and free prisoners of war. The game was released for Commodore 64 and Sega Master System, with the latter featuring two-player cooperative play.
Tags: Blood Part, film Rambo, First Blood, First Blood Part, Master System, Rambo film
