Army Men |ROM-DOWNLOAD

Army Men is a military-themed action game that turns the familiar world of plastic toy soldiers into a full-blown battlefield. The player controls Sarge, a Green Army soldier sent to fight the enemy Tan Army behind enemy lines. The characters are plastic, but the game frames their conflict as a tiny version of a standard military campaign. The main objective is to deny the Tan forces access to critical terrain and military assets. Sarge is deployed into diverse combat environments to accomplish missions such as killing enemy troops, destroying military targets, recovering critical intelligence and assisting the Green Army in pushing back the Tan forces. The campaign is set in a variety of terrain types, giving each mission group a slightly different feel. The Game Boy Colour version takes the original Army Men concept and reworks it for handheld play. The GBC version isn't simply a straight port of the PC version. Instead, it streamlines the campaign, focusing on Sarge's individual missions. The game has 27 missions in 2 campaigns, Desert and Arctic, but the Bayou campaign from the original PC game is not included in the handheld version. Sarge's missions are more than just beating up your average soldiers. Depending on the mission, he might have to destroy vehicles, attack enemy positions, kill specific targets or simply survive against stronger opponents. Sarge also gets access to military vehicles in the game so some objectives can be taken in different ways. The story is narrated in a light-hearted toy-soldier style, not as a realistic war simulation. This gives Army Men its special character. The Green and Tan armies play like rival military forces, but the plastic-soldier environment keeps this closer to arcade-style action than a serious military game.

The Game Boy Colour version of Army Men is a top-down action game. Players control Sarge as he moves through battlefields packed with enemy troops, vehicles, buildings, obstacles and mission objectives. The top-down perspective allows you to see the surrounding battlefield as you decide where to move and when to attack. Sarge starts with a rifle and can find other weapons on missions. The rifle gives a reliable source of fire, but when more firepower is desired, more powerful weapons can be used such as grenades, bazookas, mortars and flamethrowers. Some weapons have limited ammo so players have to decide when it is worth it to use their more powerful attacks. The combat is not limited to the regular Tan troops. You may encounter enemy tanks and other hazardous objects. Sarge can also commandeer vehicles like jeeps and tanks, giving the player an alternative approach to certain situations. Positioning and movement is important, Sarge can go prone and roll to avoid incoming fire. These defensive moves can be particularly helpful when dealing with groups of enemies or attempting to navigate through perilous zones. So the game is about shooting and moving and positioning rather than just attacking. The Gameboy Colour version dumbs down some of the strategy elements of the original PC version. This stripped-down version doesn't have features like leading a larger squad of soldiers or calling in air strikes. Instead, the emphasis is still on directly controlling Sarge and completing each mission’s objectives. The game also has a password system for saving progress. The game lacks a save-file system per se; instead, players can use passwords to resume from previously reached missions. This was a common practice for Game Boy Colour games at the time. It allows you to resume your campaign after stopping a game.

Start Army Men and select the campaign or Boot Camp mode. Boot Camp is meant to get the player used to the controls and basic gameplay before heading into the main missions. After choosing a mission, move Sarge around the battlefield with the Control Pad. Explore the surrounding area keeping an eye on enemies and mission objectives. Sarge’s placement is key, as enemies can approach from multiple angles. Press the A Button to fire the weapon you have chosen. Use the B Button to cycle through the weapons you have at your disposal, so you can pick the best gear for the situation. You can also move defensively, B Button plus directional controls will let you roll or go prone. The rifle is good against regular enemies and has the advantage of the ammo not being as restrictive as the heavier weapons. Save the big guns (grenades, bazookas, mortars, and flamethrowers) for the tougher targets or groups of soldiers. Scan the battlefield thoroughly, and hunt for vehicles and critical targets. Some missions require you to destroy certain objects, rather than simply killing all the enemies you come across. Vehicles (jeeps, tanks, etc.) can also be important tools during some missions. If Sarge is taking too much damage, use defensive movement to dodge attacks. Prone or rolling can help you survive dangerous encounters, and reposition yourself. Play through missions and save your progress to resume later with the password system. Army Men’s Desert and Arctic campaigns have a number of missions, so the handheld version offers a fair amount of single-player content.

D-Pad Up: Move Forward / Move Up D-Pad Down: Move Backward / Move Down D-Pad Left: Turn Left / Move Left D-Pad Right: Turn Right / Move Right A: Fire Current Weapon B: Switch Weapon B + Direction: Dive / Go Prone / Roll SELECT: Open Menu START: Pause / Game Menu