Though held back with painfully high difficulty, this movie-based title isn't all that bad.
Having nothing really to do with the movie, players find themselves in the middle of the jungle, in an underground cavern, at a bunker and again through the jungle. Throwing in three different kinds of genres in one, that was something that made Platoon stand out a little in a good way.
Offering four levels, it may seem short, but if you have a high blood-pressure, your life will be shorter. The difficulty in this is way too hard. Understandable that Sunsoft wanted to throw in a challenge that made players come back for more, this is way too much for anyone, it's practically torture, because without a doubt, it is one big headache. There are a few other problems which don't help with the difficulty at all.
Good: Throws in 3 genres in 1 * A decent Vietnam game though obviously outdated * Surprisingly good graphics * Good soundtrack.
Bad: Enemies literally spawn on top of you giving you only half a second to react * Extremely brutal difficulty * Jungle maze way too confusing.
Graphics: In all honesty, the graphics in Platoon are actually pretty good for an NES game. The jungle environments and people down to simple items and such are done very nicely. Everything is clear, well-pixelated and done right. Nothing that would become an eye-sore.
Sound/Music: Along with a catchy soundtrack from the title to the ending credits, the music is also composed very well. Although some of the tunes can become repetitive, they're still not too bad to listen to. There isn't many sounds, mostly just gunshots and everything you'd hear in a game like this.
Difficulty: I have only three words: Welcome to Hell.
Gameplay: One of the most unique NES games if not most difficult. The first level starts you off in a traditional side-scroller as you work through the mission and make it to level two. The next two levels are like a first-person shooter, the third level in a fixed view. The final level is similar to the tunnel levels in Contra, where you take out what lies ahead and then move forward. It is, however, a little more free than Contra, however. In general, the gameplay isn't bad at all.
Controls: Each stage all have their own controls, though with limited buttons, not many changes are made. The main confusing part is in the first level: up is jump, A is to throw a grenade, so it's a little different and sometimes annoying.
Overall: If you're a die-hard fan of the movie and expect a great game based on the movie, this would disappoint you, as it really has nothing to do with the movie except the basics: you're an American soldier fighting in Vietnam. The actual game will take probably around 10 minutes from start to finish without many deaths, but it's nearly impossible to get. I got lucky and finished it in 7, however it took me several years to beat it. If you can find it for less than two dollars, it's worth it as long as you don't mind salt-in-wound difficulty.