Rambo III for DOS genuinely surprised me.
I’d previously played the Commodore 64 version—a predictable top-down shooter with decent graphics for the old brown breadbox, but nothing remarkable.
The DOS version, released in 1989, really stands out. It supports VGA graphics and AdLib sound, delivering crisp colors and catchy music that were impressive for the time.
What blew me away, though, was the control options. Not only does it support keyboard and joystick, but you can also move and shoot using the mouse—a rarity for the platform back then. Even better, it actually works pretty well by the standards of the day.
Rambo III came out in many versions: arcade, Master System, Genesis. The computer versions are mostly similar, each carrying quirks unique to their platforms—you could find it on Atari ST, Amiga, MSX, C64, Amstrad CPC, and even ZX Spectrum.
The DOS release covers CGA, EGA, and VGA graphics modes plus a variety of sound options, offering a surprisingly eclectic experience. While critics favored the Genesis version, I think the DOS port holds its own. It’s more than playable and can deliver some solid fun.
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I’m pretty sure that was the year I was mostly playing Populous, on the Amiga IIRC, or maybe spectrum. I think my little brother may have had a copy of this though. There were some good games back then, the late 80s were when they really started to branch out into genres that we still see today.
Platformers of various kinds were dominant for so long (especially on consoles), it was always cool to see something even kind of different.
The adlib music really sound’s good. Especially the intro music
