The Albetross, a weapon of untold power, has fallen into the hands of terrorists. It is up to the Bionic Commando to destroy the weapon and rescue his friend Super Joe. You've got to guide the hero through multiple levels of action, where you will encounter a large number of enemies. Luckily, you can blast through the enemies with a variety of weapons, and mastering the use of the cybernetic grappling hook will help you explore every inch of every environment. Once you clear a level, you will receive upgraded weapons and a password that will let bypass the stages you have beaten. You're the only one who can destroy the Albetross and rescue Super Joe in BIONIC COMMANDO.

You play a soldier with a bionic arm that extends and contracts. Your arm allows you to grab on to fixed objects to swing around and climb up levels -- no jumping allowed! The arm also grabs opponents and pull them towards you.

Your mission is to infiltrate the enemy fortress, find your missing comrade, "Super Joe", and take out the evil leader, "Generalissimo Kilt", of the invading force that has been attacking your people for the last 2 years.

Setting:
According to the original arcade version's installation manual, the story takes place ten years after an unspecified World War between two warring factions. The game follows a commando who must infiltrate an enemy base and foil the enemy's plot to launch missiles.

Gameplay:
The levels themselves are, like any conventional platformer, straightforward and semi-linear, with many situations in which there are enemies and other dangers lurking, while at the same time, cliffs that must be passed through. However, unlike most platformers, the player is unable to jump, instead navigating the level via the use of a mechanical arm that can pull him up ledges. The arm may also be used to collect pickups.

Prizes like points and power-ups can only be obtained from crates that come on the screen in a parachute, which can be revealed by shooting them. Unlike most of the later games, the player cannot use the arm and shoot at the same time, the arm cannot be used in the air and the only power-ups are weapon enhancements.

Bionic Commando: Elite Forces is a video game released in 1999 for the Game Boy Color. Though it borrows some elements from its predecessors, Elite Forces is different from the rest of the series (see Bionic Commando). Among the differences is a different plot. Also, the characters (an unnamed male or female commando) have a few more moves, such as the ability to climb down from platforms, and can also utilize a sniper rifle in some segments to eliminate distant enemies.

Plot:
The peaceful land of Karinia is being terrorized by an evil man named Arturus. He is the leader of an evil army called The Avars. As the Elite Forces fight the Avars, they receive a fragmented communication from Commander Super Joe, who had infiltrated their territory. Joe's message revealed that Arturus was planning to launch the Albatross Project. After that, communication with Joe was lost. The Bionic Corps contacted the Elite Forces to help stop the Avars, prevent the fall of Karinia, and rescue Super Joe.