GI Joe – The Atlantis Factor

GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor is a side-scrolling action game that brings Hasbro’s military heroes to the NES in a distinctly arcade-inspired format. Released in 1992, it was developed by KID and published by Capcom, following the earlier NES G.I. Joe game with a new mission against Cobra beneath the ocean.

The adventure is organized through a map of underwater locations, leading into platforming stages filled with Cobra troops, mechanical hazards, pits, and fortified areas. Shooting is the core of the action, but progress also depends on careful movement, jumping, and choosing the right route through each level. Rather than relying on a single hero throughout the entire campaign, the game lets players use members of the Joe team, each bringing a different style and weapon capability to the fight. Finding and making use of these characters adds some welcome strategy to what could otherwise be a straightforward run-and-gun game.

The Atlantis setting gives the game a colorful comic-book identity, with ocean bases and enemy installations replacing the more familiar military environments of many action titles. Stages can be demanding, particularly when enemies crowd narrow platforms or hazards punish rushed movement, but the challenge suits the game’s old-school design. A password system makes it possible to return to the campaign without starting from the beginning every time.

With its combination of shooting, platforming, character variety, and a connected mission structure, The Atlantis Factor is a solid choice for fans of licensed NES action games. If you want to play online on your browser, RetroCloud offers an easy way to revisit this Capcom release and experience its underwater take on the G.I. Joe formula.