Cannon Fodder

War has never been so much fun, proclaimed the slogan, and yet Cannon Fodder ranks among the sharpest anti-war games of its time. This action strategy from the British studio Sensible Software managed to combine brisk, addictive gameplay with a surprisingly bitter subtext about the senselessness of war.

In gameplay terms it is a top-down action game where you control a small group of soldiers and send them with the mouse across jungles, snow and desert. By clicking you determine movement and fire, throw grenades and destroy buildings and vehicles. The missions are short, fast and devilishly catchy, but a single bullet means death, so you easily lose your men and every advance costs you something.

And this is precisely where that ingenious tension lies. The game is cheerful, colourful and playful, but at the same time it constantly reminds you of the cost of the fighting. Fallen soldiers get gravestones on the opening hill, and new recruits wait in line to replace them. That cold logic turns arcade fun into an unexpectedly powerful commentary.

Sensible Software, the authors of the famous Sensible Soccer, relied on their typical hallmark: tiny, cute little characters, clean design and instantly understandable controls. Together with the unforgettable opening song War, Cannon Fodder became one of the iconic Amiga brands of the first half of the nineties.

The game also stirred controversy over its use of poppy symbolism and its provocative tone, which only added to its reputation. To this day it stands as a great example of how a title can be entertaining and still have something to say.

Why play: Gripping top-down action with the mouse in hand and a bitter anti-war subtext; a catchy classic that entertains while making you think.