Bionic Commando: Elite Forces is the follow-up to Capcom's Bionic Commando, which appeared on the nintendo Entertainment System in 1988. As the first game developed by Nintendo Software Technology, Elite Forces offers a number of new features designed to improve upon the original. Of course, some things remain the same: players still possess a Bionic Claw that can attach itself to ledges, allowing them to swing across treacherous areas and safely escape from harm's way.Recent intelligence reports have revealed disturbing activity from within the Avar Empire, whose scientists have been working on something called the "Albatross Project." It also is apparent the peaceful world of Kartinia is about to be invaded. Commander Joe was the last operative to infiltrate the enemy's stronghold and relay this top-secret transmission, but he was quickly captured. Now the Bionic Corps' team is down to two active members: a male and female agent. Commander Joe must be rescued in order to successfully dismantle the Avar Empire. If the operation fails, the planet of Kartinia will be destroyed.Players have the option of controlling either Bionic Commando. While both the male and female operative have the same abilities, each carries two distinct weapons and explores slightly different paths during the game. Regardless of which character is selected, the object is the same: advance through 22 levels set across deserts, forests, and futuristic cities using an arsenal of weaponry, including assault rifles, rocket launchers, and flamethrowers, to defeat the enemy. To plan an attack strategy, players must first consult an overhead map featuring a series of numbered squares on a grid. After selecting a path, players will automatically be taken to a side-scrolling level in the tradition of the NES game. New features in this 16-Meg cartridge include a first-person mode, allowing players to take out targets from a distance, as well as multiple top-down stages and an assortment of power-ups to help agents in their quest to destroy the Albatross Project. Progress during the adventure can be saved to one of three files.