Cannon Fodder, developed by Sensible Software and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment in 1993, is a military-themed shoot ’em up game with squad-based tactics.
Available on various platforms, including the Amiga, MS-DOS, Atari ST, Acorn Archimedes, Atari Jaguar, Mega Drive, SNES, and 3DO, the game puts players in command of a team of soldiers tasked with completing missions by battling enemy infantry, vehicles, and installations.
Dark Humor and Anti-War Message
Cannon Fodder features a unique and darkly humorous tone that garnered both praise and criticism. Its creators aimed to convey an anti-war message, which some reviewers recognized and appreciated. However, the game faced derision from certain public figures and the Daily Star newspaper.
Did you know that Cannon Fodder combines action-packed shooting with Lemmings-style strategy elements?
Despite the controversy, many reviewers highly praised the game, earning it scores of over 90% in Amiga magazines, with Amiga Action even hailing it as the best game of the year.
Gameplay: Lemmings Meets Commando
In Cannon Fodder, players guide a team of up to six soldiers through 72 levels of top-down action and strategy.
The game combines elements of Lemmings, Commando, and Dune 2, creating a unique gaming experience. Players indirectly control the characters using a mouse or joypad, directing each soldier or group by highlighting and clicking.
One button moves them to a particular spot, while the other fires their guns at enemies. Additionally, players can pick up grenades or rockets, activated by pressing both buttons simultaneously, to destroy groups of enemies, buildings, and vehicles.
A Challenging Battlefield
The game presents specific objectives for each mission, sometimes including the use of vehicles like tanks to aid the soldiers.
While troops can traverse water, they cannot fire within it, making the control of bridges essential. Strategic use of trees for cover and awareness of enemy soldiers doing the same are crucial to success. As the missions progress, the enemy infantry becomes more powerful, putting the player’s fragile troops at risk.
Destroying buildings that spawn enemy soldiers requires explosive weaponry such as grenades and rockets, which have limited ammunition. Careful use of these resources is necessary to fulfill mission objectives successfully.
Play Cannon Fodder Online for Free
Great news for fans of Cannon Fodder! You can now play this classic military shoot ’em up online for free. Immerse yourself in the action, strategy, and dark humor as you command your soldiers to victory. Head over to our website, and relive the nostalgic gaming experience of Cannon Fodder directly in your web browser.