Why Cobra Command Is a Forgotten Laserdisc Classic!
0🕹 Game Name: Cobra Command
📛 Alternate Names: Thunder Storm (Japan)
📅 Release Date: 1984
🔫 Genre: Rail Shooter / Interactive Movie
👨 🏻 💻 Developers: Data East
👨 🏻 💻 Publishers: Data East
🔢 Max Players: 1
⁉ Cooperative: No
🕹 Game Introduction:
Step into the cockpit of a futuristic attack helicopter in Cobra Command, a laserdisc arcade shooter that fused cinematic action with fast-paced reflex gameplay during the golden age of interactive arcade cabinets.
🕹 Game Description:
You pilot a military chopper on a mission to rescue hostages and eliminate terrorist threats across a variety of hostile locations. The game blends traditional rail shooter action with animated FMV sequences, requiring players to react quickly to on-screen cues.
🎴 Game Play:
👉 🏻 Players follow preset flight paths controlled by animated sequences.
👉 🏻 Press joystick directions or fire at specific times to avoid crashes or enemies.
👉 🏻 Lives are lost if input timing is off or the wrong direction is selected.
👉 🏻 Iconic for its quick decision-making and cinematic intensity.
📕 Background & History:
Cobra Command was among the first laserdisc-based interactive games and one of Data East's early forays into FMV gameplay. Its Western name differs from Japan's Thunder Storm, though the game is identical. It inspired future rail shooter designs and cemented Data East’s place in the arcade scene.
🐣 Cheats, Tricks, Bugs, and Easter Eggs:
👉 🏻 Entering specific inputs quickly can avoid otherwise unavoidable damage.
👉 🏻 Game difficulty adjusts depending on how long players survive.
🐱 💻 Hacks:
👉 🏻 Debug DIP switch settings can enable infinite lives.
👉 🏻 Bootleg versions allowed extended play without quarters.
🎉 Trivia:
👉 🏻 The animation was created by Toei Animation, also known for anime like Dragon Ball.
👉 🏻 Featured voiceovers and cinematic pacing ahead of its time.
👓 Lonster's Review:
Cobra Command feels like a playable anime. The timing-based action kept me on my toes, and it’s one of the earliest games that truly felt like controlling a movie. Insanely fun, frustrating, and rewarding.
🌟 Legacy:
It helped define what interactive movie shooters could become, paving the way for Dragon’s Lair and beyond. A cult classic that holds nostalgic value for laserdisc arcade fans.
✨ Cultural Impact:
Often referenced in retrospectives of FMV games. It captured the imagination of early arcade goers with its slick animation and quick-paced storytelling.
💭 Lonster's Final Thoughts:
This one’s a hidden gem. If you ever get a chance to play it in its original cabinet, do it. Just don’t blink—or it’s game over.
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