Play Universal Soldier (Proto) Online

Universal Soldier for the SNES came out in 1992, published by Accolade. It was part of that wave of early 90s action games trying to capture the feel of arcade shooters on home consoles. The game is based on the movie of the same name, though it doesn't lean too heavily on the source material beyond the basic premise.

You control Luc Deveraux, a reanimated soldier, moving through side-scrolling levels filled with enemy soldiers and scientists. The main goal is straightforward: shoot your way forward, defeat bosses, and survive. A key mechanic is the aiming system; you have to stop moving entirely to aim your weapon in one of eight directions, which often leaves you vulnerable. You also collect different weapons, like flamethrowers and grenade launchers, to handle tougher enemies. The pacing is slow and deliberate, partly due to the stop-and-aim design, and the difficulty can feel unforgiving. Playing it feels like a constant battle against the controls as much as the enemies on screen.