G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor

G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor is an action-platform game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in March 1992. Developed by KID and published by Capcom, it is the sequel to G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. This time, the battle against Cobra takes a mysterious turn when Cobra Commander raises the legendary island of Atlantis from beneath the ocean and transforms it into a powerful military base.

Players begin the adventure as General Hawk, leading an elite mission to stop Cobra from using ancient Atlantean technology and devastating weapons to conquer the world. The journey takes the G.I. Joe team through dangerous landscapes, underwater passages, enemy installations, and heavily guarded Cobra facilities. Each area presents a different combination of enemies, obstacles, and objectives.

The gameplay combines side-scrolling combat with exploration and strategic route selection. An overhead map connects the different stages, allowing players to choose paths through the campaign. Some missions require reaching the exit, while others involve rescuing captured allies, finding key items, planting explosives, or navigating maze-like enemy bases before confronting a powerful boss.

As the adventure progresses, players can rescue and unlock additional characters, including Duke, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Roadblock, and Wet Suit. Each fighter has unique strengths and abilities. For example, Wet Suit can explore underwater sections, while Roadblock can crawl through narrow spaces. Switching between available team members helps players adapt to different challenges.

Weapons also play an important role. Players can collect machine guns, pulse rifles, laser rifles, and rocket launchers, then improve their firepower by gathering power-ups. A password system allows progress to be continued later.

With branching routes, unlockable heroes, challenging bosses, and a larger emphasis on exploration than its predecessor, G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor delivers a substantial military action adventure for fans of classic NES games.