Play RoboCop (Japan) Online

I picked up RoboCop for the NES back in 1988, a Data East release that tried to bring the movie's heavy metal cop to the 8-bit screen. It was one of many licensed games from that era, a time when you never knew if the cartridge would be a decent adaptation or a complete mess. This one fell somewhere in the middle, a side-scrolling shooter that captured the look but had its own very specific feel.

You control RoboCop, moving methodically from left to right through urban and industrial stages. Your main objective is to clean up the city by shooting every criminal that appears, and you're armed with your trusty Auto-9 pistol. The game progresses screen by screen, and you often have to shoot environmental objects like explosive barrels to clear your path or reveal hostages. The pacing is deliberate, almost plodding, because RoboCop cannot jump, forcing you to carefully time your shots and plan your movement around obstacles. It feels like a slow, methodical war of attrition against the city's endless supply of thugs.