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"This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Jimfish."

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to solely, covertly infiltrate the secret lair of a Computer Robotics genius and prevent his plans of world domination from happening. As of now, you have 6 hours in which to resolve this situation, or else mass casualties will resort from the nuclear launch intended by the terrorist. Good luck. This background information section will self-destruct in 5 seconds...

Yes, the legendary cult TV series made it onto home computers long before the release of the much loved Konami version for the NES. Yes, the plot is rather typical and cliche, but would you want it any other way? No! Of course not! - You want to be the super-spy who kicks butt, ends dastardly plots and still makes it home for tea and a bit of romping with the girl. Besides, if it worked for the TV series, why change it for the game? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The game reminds me of another TV series called 24. If you haven't seen or heard about it, you either live under a rock, or...well, under a rock. 24's a big hit, and the basic premise is that Jack Bauer, federal agent, must race against time (in each season he has 24 hours, split into 24 episodes, each being an hour long, thus you watch an entire day in real time) He's got bombs to find and defuse, assassination attempts to foil, and more terrorist plots then you can count on all your fingers and thumbs. Anyway, the whole time gimmick is something which is also found here, in Impossible Mission. Here, the game gives you 6 hours to complete your mission. You have 6 hours, right? Well, the game doesn't last for 6 hours thankfully, otherwise I'd be bored stiff, but it does have a unique way of letting time slip by. Whenever the plucky main hero (who looks much like a two-dimensional Han Solo, by the way) falls to his death, is shot to pieces or just dies, 10 minutes are zapped away from the total. Be careful, or be dead. The world hangs in the balance, and the timer is not going to patiently wait whilst you revive from the dead.

The controls are excellent and responsive allowing for some excellent gaming, since they play very much like the style of Prince of Persia - the *original* that is, not the Current-Gen trilogy. The levels are platform-based and filled with varying hostile robots to keep players on their toes, as well as many small details and objects. These objects hold "puzzle pieces" which you must collect and assemble to form a "super-item" in which to stop the launch with. Some of these objects have these pieces, some don't. Platformers are strictly thought of as nothing but action-packed jumping to escape danger, collect floating coins, or bounce on a bunch of mushrooms' heads, but that's not the case here. Well, it is, save the mushrooms or coins, but there's more to it than that. As I've said, some of those objects have hidden puzzle pieces in them, but which ones?! Are you going to risk that jump to that heavily guarded cupboard? What if there isn't a puzzle piece in there? You'll find it hard to think when you've got robots chasing you, so there's no time to stand and stare, so it's all about quick thinking and no regrets.

As for the graphics, you aren't looking at much. A single screen with, maybe four-to-five thick lines drawn across certain areas to make up platforms for you to walk on. The cupboards and objects you must rummage through to find bits and pieces to assemble aren't that super, either, and are just a couple of rectangles drawn with a few details dotted on them. I can't say much more than this, I'm afraid. Not great at all. I'd give it a five out of ten at most, if that's anything to go by.

Impossible Mission, even though released in 1984, had advanced sound for the day. Crystal-clear voice was used for the first time, relieving players from reading chunky text which litter the screen. Menacing commands from the evil genius commanding his robots to attack could be heard, or the gut wrenching screams of agony from our hero as he falls to his death...they're all here and can be heard perfectly. Having this feature alone made it a classic and a much sought after title.

Overall, this is certainly one Commodore game that should be sitting in your console, ready to take on Elvin Atombender, mad scientist, once more to save the world from certain doom and robotic mayhem.


Reviewer's Score: 7/10 | Originally Posted: 10/31/05, Updated 06/29/06

"This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck"

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to solely, covertly infiltrate the secret lair of a Computer Robotics genius and prevent his plans of world domination from happening. As of now, you have 6 hours in which to resolve this situation, or else mass casualties will resort from the nuclear launch intended by the terrorist. Good luck. This background information section will self-destruct in 5 seconds...

Yes, the legendary cult TV series made it onto home computers long before the release of the much loved Konami version for the NES. Yes, the plot is rather typical and cliche, but would you want it any other way? No! Of course not! - You want to be the super-spy who kicks butt, ends dastardly plots and still makes it home for tea and a bit of romping with the girl. Besides, if it worked for the TV series, why change it for the game? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The game reminds me of another TV series called 24. If you haven't seen or heard about it, you either live under a rock, or...well, under a rock. 24's a big hit, and the basic premise is that Jack Bauer, federal agent, must race against time (in each season he has 24 hours, split into 24 episodes, each being an hour long, thus you watch an entire day in real time) He's got bombs to find and defuse, assassination attempts to foil, and more terrorist plots then you can count on all your fingers and thumbs. Anyway, the whole time gimmick is something which is also found here, in Impossible Mission. Here, the game gives you 6 hours to complete your mission. You have 6 hours, right? Well, the game doesn't last for 6 hours thankfully, otherwise I'd be bored stiff, but it does have a unique way of letting time slip by. Whenever the plucky main hero (who looks much like a two-dimensional Han Solo, by the way) falls to his death, is shot to pieces or just dies, 10 minutes are zapped away from the total. Be careful, or be dead. The world hangs in the balance, and the timer is not going to patiently wait whilst you revive from the dead.

The controls are excellent and responsive allowing for some excellent gaming, since they play very much like the style of Prince of Persia - the *original* that is, not the Current-Gen trilogy. The levels are platform-based and filled with varying hostile robots to keep players on their toes, as well as many small details and objects. These objects hold "puzzle pieces" which you must collect and assemble to form a "super-item" in which to stop the launch with. Some of these objects have these pieces, some don't. Platformers are strictly thought of as nothing but action-packed jumping to escape danger, collect floating coins, or bounce on a bunch of mushrooms' heads, but that's not the case here. Well, it is, save the mushrooms or coins, but there's more to it than that. As I've said, some of those objects have hidden puzzle pieces in them, but which ones?! Are you going to risk that jump to that heavily guarded cupboard? What if there isn't a puzzle piece in there? You'll find it hard to think when you've got robots chasing you, so there's no time to stand and stare, so it's all about quick thinking and no regrets.

As for the graphics, you aren't looking at much. A single screen with, maybe four-to-five thick lines drawn across certain areas to make up platforms for you to walk on. The cupboards and objects you must rummage through to find bits and pieces to assemble aren't that super, either, and are just a couple of rectangles drawn with a few details dotted on them. I can't say much more than this, I'm afraid. Not great at all. I'd give it a five out of ten at most, if that's anything to go by.

Impossible Mission, even though released in 1984, had advanced sound for the day. Crystal-clear voice was used for the first time, relieving players from reading chunky text which litter the screen. Menacing commands from the evil genius commanding his robots to attack could be heard, or the gut wrenching screams of agony from our hero as he falls to his death...they're all here and can be heard perfectly. Having this feature alone made it a classic and a much sought after title.

Overall, this is certainly one Commodore game that should be sitting in your console, ready to take on Elvin Atombender, mad scientist, once more to save the world from certain doom and robotic mayhem.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/31/05, Updated 06/29/06

Even today, Elvin Atombender’s infamous taunt “Another visitor. Stay a while... Staaaay forever!” sends a tingle of excitement down our spines.

Created by Dennis Caswell in 1984, Impossible Mission was an atmospheric romp that saw Agent 4125 leaping and somersaulting his way through Elvin’s labyrinth-like complex in search of missing password pieces that, when assembled, would allow the agent access to the main control room.

It’s not an easy task, though, as the diabolical genius has scattered the pieces all over his lair. Worse still, vicious robots guard many of the lifts and platforms, and Agent 4125 must either athletically leap over them or deactivate them via the many computers found on each screen.

Add in a strict six-hour time limit (with every death knocking ten minutes off the clock) and Impossible Mission became a frantic race against time. Numerous ports and sequels followed, but Agent 4125’s original adventure remains his best.