Arcade Archives: Cyber Commando
May. 1st, 2026 09:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tepidsnakeThis week's Arcade Archives release is... Cyber Commando (Namco, 1994)
Arcade Archives (previous-gen consoles)
PSN
Switch
Arcade Archives 2 (current-gen consoles)
PSN
Switch 2
Xbox
Both the English and Japanese ROMs are included. No special Preference Settings this time, but the ACA2 versions include (local only) split-screen multiplayer for two players, and all versions of the game have been slightly edited- the flashing that happens when your vehicle is hit has been toned down, using lighter grey and red colours to make it less intense. Finally, as with other 3D Namco games, this is twice the price of normal Arcade Archives titles.
Accessing UGSF Timeline files... Opening Operation Recording #C3:1533, codename: CYBER COMMANDO... "This is not an exercise, this is not a drill, we have a situation on our hands. A rebel unit has taken over G.A.LO.F. Corporation's space colony, Uranusu, and reprogammed its AI to alter the colony's trajectory, planning to send it crashing to Earth. Your mission is to infiltrate the colony, destroy any rebels that block your path and destroy the RAMA security computer to stop the potential colony drop. For this mission, you'll be supplied with a cyberised tank- official designation, VEHICLE- from a range of six, including the balanced Persuader and Peace Keeper, slow but sturdy Murasame and Wild Bear and the fast but light Voodoo and Andromeda units. Each comes equipped with both a missile launcher and a rapid-fire weapon, but each model uses something different, so be sure to check out the dossier and pick the one you think is most suited to your combat style. You'll have to make your way through three areas- East City, Civic Park and Main Factory- each with at least three confirmed enemy units. I'm sure I don't have to impress upon you the stakes of this mission, so we're all counting on you. Good luck, Cyber Commando, over."
It's 3D Namco game time again, and this one's a great pick! Running on System 22, this is the sequel to 1993's Cyber Sled (similar to Air Combat 22, I imagine we're getting this sequel first as System 21 is still tricky to emulate), this changes the format slightly from a vehicular combat tournament to an infiltration mission, but the basics are pretty much the same. Using a twinstick control setup and the ability to turn and strafe with the correct movements (which works great in this ACA version with analogue sticks, by the way) you need to take out the enemy vehicles on each stage with your guns and missiles before they blow you up. You'll run out of gun ammo as well as missile ammo this time (unless you're using the Muramasa, which has a slowly-charging laser for its machine gun instead) so keeping an eye on where the pick-ups are (and shooting them to double what you get from them) via the radar is essential, especially since the radar frequently jams so you can't always rely on it. This one goes at a pretty rapid pace so you'll be blasting through those opponents pretty quick (especially as they appear one after another in each arena which are much bigger than the ones in Cyber Sled) but the game does get difficult fast as well, so you'll have to master your vehicle, dodging and neutralising missiles and taking cover to wait for your opportunity to strike back. Combine this with the excellent visuals and incredible Shinji Hosoe soundtrack and you have an excellent 3D combat game that feels really satisfying once you get a handle on the controls! This is also the game's first and only home release, so that makes it a pretty easy recommendation from me~
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Date: 2026-05-02 08:01 pm (UTC)So happy we're getting these system 22 games. now I need to find a controller for this.
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Date: 2026-05-02 09:48 pm (UTC)Yeah, this was a real surprise, I've never seen a real cabinet so it's nice to have a home version at last!