The first game in the series was released in Japan as Top Secret (Japanese: トップシークレット,, Hepburn: Toppu Shīkuretto?), a 1987 action platform game released for the arcades. It was later released for several home computers (ported by Software Creations and published by Go!). The music from the arcade game was created by female composer Fujita Harumi.
Capcom later produced a home version for the NES console titled Bionic Commando that was drastically different from the original arcade game. This version included some songs from the arcade as well as original new music created by female composer Tamiya Junko. Her soundtrack has become famous over the years and is still considered one of the best and most recognizable videogame music ever made.
The game was advertised in the United States as a sequel to Commando, going as far to refer to the game's main character as Super Joe (the protagonist of Commando) in the promotional brochure, who was originally an unnamed member of a "special commando unit" in the Japanese and World versions.
The series is notable for being one of few instances of a platform game in which the player cannot jump. To cross gaps or climb ledges, the cyborg hero must use his bionic arm. This was the first game to feature a grappling gun/hook, which later appeared in games such as Earthworm Jim and Tomb Raider.
A version of the NES game was released in 1992 for the Game Boy handheld console. A Game Boy Color game called Bionic Commando: Elite Forces was released in 1999. Another remake of the NES version called Bionic Commando Rearmed was released for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and Windows in 2008.
A direct third person action sequel to the classic Bionic Commando and its enhanced remake was released in 2009 for the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 home consoles. A more immediate sequel to Rearmed was released for the Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network in 2011.
