Operation Wolf

Operation Wolf

Game No.	415
Voting	7.11 points, 27 votes
Developer	Colin Porch
Company	Ocean, Taito
Musician	Jonathan Dunn
HVSC-File	MUSICIANS/ D/ Dunn_Jonathan/ Operation_Wolf.sid
Release	1988
Platform	C64, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, NES, MSX, PC, Sega Master System, ZX Spectrum and PC Engine
Genre	Shoot'em Up, Crosshair
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language
Information	The game is indexed. The follower is Operation Thunderbold.

Description[edit | edit source]

Operation Wolf is the conversion of the arcade machine game with the same name from 1988. This game was one of the first ego shooter games: The backgrounds scrolls from left to right while helicopters, tanks and soldiers appear from all sides and shoot at you. Brand-new for this time was that you play the game from the first person perspective and the enemies shoot directly out of the screen at you. Ocean has made a great C64 conversion that does not need to hide behind the arcade machine: The game is pure adrenaline!
As ammunition there is a limited number of magazines and grenades available. More supply appears sometimes at the lower border of the screen and can be picked up by shooting it.
The aim of the combat mission is to free the captives and indemnification of their safe evacuation. The game has 6 levels.

Design[edit | edit source]

The game offers horizontal scrolling. In the right area of the screen are displayed: the current score, the number of magazines left, the number of rounds in the current magazine, the number of grenades and the injury bar. At the very bottom, the number of enemies that need to be eliminated to rise to the next level is shown.

Level 1 - the information centre

Level 2 - the jungle

Level 3 - the village

Level 4 - the gunpowder dump

Level 5 - the prison camp

Level 6 - the airport

Hints[edit | edit source]

Overview over all six levels

Bugs and versions[edit | edit source]

There are different versions with bugs known.

Bugs:

Score X 10 bug: score is decupled when losing a life
Granade/knife bug: shooting the thrown objects gets 100.000 points

Versions:

Bros/Conquest: score X 10 bug
Nostalgia: no bugs known, several trainers, intermediate screens, because it is the US version, but nevertheless works on PAL and NTSC.

Controls in the main menu[edit | edit source]

Key	Version	Input device
F1	NTSC Version by Taito	Start game with CBM mouse in port2
	PAL Version by Ocean	Start game with NEOS mouse in port2
	PAL Version by Virgin Mastertronic/Software Creations Part of the "Light Phaser Action Pack"	Start game with Light gun in port1
F3	for all versions	Start game with joystick in port2

Controls in the game[edit | edit source]

move crosslines in one of eight possible directions
shoot
Space throw grenade

Extras[edit | edit source]

	Dynamite: when shooting this all visible enemies and civilists are killed.
	Fire: when shooting this you can fire for 10 seconds without using ammunition.
	Grenade: when shooting this you get an additional grenade (max. 5).
	Magazine: when shooting this you get an additional ammunition magazine.
	Power: when shooting this your own life power is raised.

Solution[edit | edit source]

Do not fire permanently or your ammuntion will be empty very quickly.
Helicopters and tanks can also be removed by a longer hail of bullets (usefull when no grenades are left)
At the end of each level spare a tank and first stock up your ammunition. Then eliminate the tank.

Cheats[edit | edit source]

Pokes:
Unlimited ammunition: POKE 35107,173
Unlimited grenades: POKE 34952,165

The Nostalgia version from 2011 contains several trainers (see below, Links).

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
7.11 points at 27 votes (rank 418). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	7	14th March 2009 - "very good" - 6711 downs
Lemon64	7,3	14th March 2009 - 90 votes
Kultboy.com	7.22	14th March 2009 - 18 votes
ASM	7/12	Issue 1/89
Powerplay	31%	Issue 2/89
ZZap64	91 %	Issue 89/01

Reviews[edit | edit source]

Robotron2084: "Although many features fell by the wayside in this conversion - shootable animals, soldiers with bullet-proof vests or bazookas, Ocean has succeeded in a for 8-Bit means rather competent conversion of the arcade machine. The experienced friend of shooters is covered with a curtain fire of breathless action that leaves you in a daze in over 6 levels.
Contributing to the high difficulty grade to a discernible extent are the horribly unprecise joystick controls and a likewise doubtful collision query that both can make for lots of frustration. The idea to let the crosslines speed up when you move it over a longer distance was really suboptimal. Also the boldy pixelled sprites do not really cause storms of enthusiasm, for this the streched armoured vehicles, helicopters etc. look too cheap. How far you get in the game does not only depend on your own ability to handle the catastrophic controls but also on the mood of the game to give you an energy extra in a critical moment. Yes, you have seen that right: Unfortunately, luck is also required in this game, you can swirl the joystick as artfully as you want, if the game does not coorporate it is over in level 2. Period!
But it nevertheless motivates you again and again to return and finally crack it and somewhen after long suffering the long sought for success arises. Operation Wolf is a good, but sometimes frustratingly difficult piece of action with bad flaws which needs much practice and patience. I give 7 out of 10 points - without the awful controls 9 points would have been easily possible."

TheRyk: "For sure, a really good game of the late 80s, no complaints about great music and graphics. A good sense of humour is also there, the jungle joggers' appaearance is just hilarious in a war scenario. Controls could be a little more 'calm', the goodies less random; three times first aid or grenade in a row doesn't really help if the bullets in your last ammo clip are numbered already for half a minute. Thus, it's getting really difficult. Including 1 point for mouse support, I rate this one 8 points, for there are not many games with meaningful mouse support and in my opinion it really plays slightly better with mouse."