{{Short description|1985 video game}} {{Use British English|date=January 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox video game | title = Bazooka Bill | image = Bazooka Bill cover.jpg | developer = Melbourne House | publisher = Melbourne House | platforms = Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum | released = 1985 | genre = Action | modes = Single-player }} '''''Bazooka Bill''''' is a side-scrolling video game created by Melbourne House in 1985 for the Commodore 64. It was also ported to the ZX Spectrum. It is a clone of the video game ''Green Beret''.<ref name="Zzap_review" /> The game starts off with a soldier known as Bazooka Bill on a mission to rescue General Douglas MacArthur.
== Gameplay ==
Bazooka Bill has to rescue General MacArthur who is being held on an archipelago consisting of the Leyte, Mindano and Corregidor Islands, making up levels 2-4 of the game. The first level tasks Bill with getting to Clark Airbase to fly to each island where he is accosted by enemy soldiers and must fight his way through them.
The player can use punches, a throwing knife, machine gun, flamethrower, and later a bazooka. With the exception of punching, each weapon is picked up as Bill moves through the level, and lasts for a timed duration before reverting Bill back to basic punching. Despite the game name, the bazooka only appears as a timed weapon on stages two and four.
Each level is in the run and gun format, with enemies approaching Bill from both sides of the screen. Levels also include helicopters out of Bill's range, that drop bombs on him as they pass. After completing each main level a sub-level consists of Bill flying to the next island. These stages are similar to the previous run and gun format with enemy planes and helicopters approaching Bill from both directions, but Bill has movement over the entire screen to engage or avoid them.
<ref name="BBill_inlay">{{cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/zxdb/sinclair/entries/0000475/BazookaBill_Back.jpg|title=Bazooka Bill cassette inlay|publisher=Melbourne House|access-date=16 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="Zzap_review">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-1986-christmas/page/190/mode/2up|title=Bazooka Bill review - Zzap!64|date=December 1986|work=Zzap!64|publisher=Newsfield Publications Ltd|page=191|access-date=16 January 2026}}</ref>
== Reception == ''Bazooka Bill'' was polarised by reviewers. For the Commodore 64 version, ''Zzap!64'' gave it 30%, stating "...don't buy ''Bazooka Bill'', just go to the computer shop and laugh at it",<ref name="Zzap_review" /> whereas ''Computer and Video Games'' rated it as a ''C+VG'' HIT! awarding it 9/10 saying "''Bazooka Bill'' is an action packed, addictive, arcade blaster".<ref name="CVG_review">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_063_1987-01_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n65/mode/2up|title=Bazooka Bill review - C&VG|last=Metcalfe|first=Tim|date=January 1987|work=Computer and Video Games|publisher=EMAP|page=66|access-date=16 January 2026}}</ref> The ZX Spectrum version was equally varied - ''Sinclair User'' gave it four stars out of five, but said "there isn't anything new in it [...] themewise and programmingwise, but it ought to do well" and ''Your Sinclair'' gave it four out of ten - "I reckon this one should be renamed 'Bazooka Bilge'! But you might like it!"<ref name="SU_review">{{cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=60&page=62|title=Bazooka Bill review - Sinclair User|last=Taylor|first=Graham|date=March 1987|work=Sinclair User|publisher=EMAP|pages=60, 61|access-date=16 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="YS_review">{{cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=237&page=66|title=Bazooka Bill review - Your Sinclair|last=Robson|first=Rick|date=April 1987|work=Your Sinclair|publisher=Dennis Publishing|access-date=16 January 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{moby game|id=/bazooka-bill}}
Category:1985 video games Category:Action games Category:Beam Software games Category:Commodore 64 games Category:Side-scrolling video games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games developed in Australia Category:ZX Spectrum games