Your assignment is very simple - annihilate the enemy and destroy all their vehicles. When you get to the mega fortress you must battle your way inside and blow it up.

The main screen display is split into a number of sections. At the top is your score and at the bottom, running from left to right, a tally of grenades and lives remaining plus the level you are playing.

You are equipped with two types of weapon - a rapid-fire machine gun and three hand grenades. You have unlimited firing capacity with the gun and can fire in eight different directions - just aim the joystick and press the fire button.

Although you start the game with only three grenades you can easily pick up more - just walk over them as they lie scattered around the screen. To throw one, you pull the joystick back and press the Fire button.

As you move towards the fortress guards you'll be allowed to enter the building. Go through the doors as quickly as you can. When you have done this, the megafortress will be destroyed and you'll go on to the next level.

Having completed all eight levels you start back at level one, but things will be a lot harder. At the beginning of a game you have three lives and an extra one is awarded for every 10,000 points.

Although the graphics aren't very good, the gameplay is outstanding. I fully enjoyed playing Commando and recommend it to lovers of a good shoot-'em-up.