Things were different for video games in the ’90s, especially during the first half of the decade. Gaming wasn’t taken as seriously, and because the internet was less mainstream, even games that were initially hits were often forgotten, which is why the ’90s is filled with games that are hidden gems.
A perfect example of this is Cannon Fodder, a shoot ’em up game developed for the Amiga in 1993, though it was eventually ported to other systems, including the Atari Jaguar and the SNES. It’s still incredible fun, and since Cannon Fodder is simple to pick up and play, modern gamers should give it a try.
Cannon Fodder Had a Controversial History
Cannon Fodder was developed by Sensible Software, a now-defunct company that was best known for sports titles like Sensible Soccer and Sensible Golf. While most of the company’s games were family-friendly, Cannon Fodder was a darkly funny military shooter that was meant to be an anti-war game.
The title sparked controversy early on thanks to its artwork, which included a remembrance poppy, which the United Kingdom sees as a sacred symbol to commemorate the loss of soldiers. This sparked backlash from British publications and politicians, leading Sensible Software to change it to a more generic flower.
Even though Cannon Fodder went through some minor changes, it still retained its sardonic sense of humor. The game’s official tagline, which is repeated in the song that plays during the game’s opening credits, is “War Has Never Been So Much Fun.”
Cannon Fodder uses the same engine as Sensible Soccer, which might be why the game’s controls are simpler and easier to pick up than many other shooters of the era. It’s divided into twenty-four missions, each with one to six levels, with seventy-two unique levels in total.
Every level is littered with hazards like traps, along with plenty of enemy soldiers. Players can pick up enemy weaponry over the course of the game, allowing for more powerful attacks that will make it easier to overcome Cannon Fodder‘s challenges.
Cannon Fodder Is a Forgotten Anti-War Game
Although Cannon Fodder doesn’t have much of a story or plot, its message is front and center. On the back of the box is a poem about the lies of war, and later ports of the game added more satirical elements.
The main antagonist of Cannon Fodder is El Presidente, the dictator of a hostile nation in South America. The player and their army must go on the offense and overthrow El Presidente before he does something more nefarious.
In the original Amiga version of the game, the first four troopers, Jops, Jools, Stoo, and RJ, are named after developers who worked on Cannon Fodder. Later ports include an opening cinematic with five characters named Slice, Ice, Crusher, Bambi, and Daisy.
The cinematic shows these troopers getting killed or captured in humorous ways, like being frozen in Arctic waters or being decapitated by a helicopter. It’s cartoonish rather than violent, but it goes the extra mile in showcasing the game’s irreverent attitudes towards war.
Cannon Fodder Had Limited Success Outside Britain
Cannon Fodder was a big success in Europe, especially in its native United Kingdom, where the game was an Amiga bestseller that topped lists of the best video games of 1993. Thanks to that success, it received several expansion packs and sequels.
The first sequel, Cannon Fodder 2, was released a year after the first game and saw the player’s army battling alien forces. Nearly twenty years later, another sequel, Cannon Fodder 3, tried to take the series back to its roots, but because war games like Call of Duty and Battlefield had become more successful, its anti-war message was diluted.
Sadly, Cannon Fodder failed to make a splash outside Europe, which is why it’s joined the ranks of other forgotten ’90s games. While it might not be remembered, Cannon Fodder feels just as fresh now as it did thirty years ago, and its simple-but-addictive gameplay has made it feel timeless.