Classic Games Database
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P.O.W.: Prisoners of War

Review
Also known as
Arcade Archives: Datsugoku Arcade Archives: P.O.W.: Prisoners of War Battle Arms Datsugoku アーケードアーカイブス 脱獄 脱獄

A captured soldier fights to escape a prison camp using hand-to-hand combat and collected weapons.

P.O.W.: Prisoners of War was released in arcades by SNK in 1988, and the NES version was also released in 1988 (North America). The original arcade release and the NES port both occurred in 1988, so the legacy year is correct.

About P.O.W.: Prisoners of War

P.O.W. - Prisoners of War is a game where the player controls a soldier who must escape from an enemy camp. The central premise involves a deliberate capture, with the soldier then fighting his way out from behind enemy lines.

Opposing forces employ a range of tactics, from close combat to attacks with knives and firearms, and even assaults from helicopters. To survive, the player can engage in hand-to-hand fighting or utilize weapons found in the environment or taken from defeated enemies. These armaments include knives for stabbing or throwing, as well as guns and grenades.

The progression is structured into levels, each concluding with a boss enemy that must be defeated. The overall scenario is challenging, as the soldier faces the entire enemy force alone to achieve his escape.

P.O.W.: Prisoners of War Screenshots

10 images
Title
Japanese title screen.
you set off a bomb to escape your cell and blow up the door
You can now escape
fight your way out
Inside a hut, new weapon powerup on the left.
say hello to my little friend
climbing ladder
end of level helicopter boss
level complete