Nukes and Knives™: 'Probably' everything that ripped off Rambo

Ted Kotcheff adapted David Morrell's 1972 novel of same name First Blood in 1982.

Although multiple changes were made, it was great man.

Turkey released their own version Vahsi kan (Wild Blood) a year later.

Okay, on with the show.

Cover art and flyers

Yes there's other stuff going on, but lookalikes are there for all to see.

Bloody Wolf aka Battle Rangers - Arcade

Contra - Famicom

Crack Down - home computers

Heavy Barrel - Arcade

Ikari Warriors - Arcade

Double Hawk - Master System

Red Alert aka Last Alert - PC Engine CD

Thunder Zone aka Desert Assault - Arcade

Headband

Our man first dons shit after Co is killed.

Or if you wanna get technical.

Official trailer.

But Rambo III undoubtedly made it famous.

Cue imitations.

Bare Knuckle III - Mega Drive

Red Alert

Mixing things up.

Snake Eater
The man with the bandanna is Jack "Soldier" Kelly (Lorenzo Lamas).

Years later, Metal Gear Solid 3 would use 'film' for its subtitle.

Now things get weird.

Ultra Street Fighter IV - PS3, 360 and PC

Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist

Web series is worth anybody's time.

The above is likely a nod to Ryu's pre-fight animation in Street Fighter Alpha.

Rambo: First Blood Part II

To survive a war, you gotta become war.

Bruno Mattei's Strike Commando (1986) wasted no time to cash in on its success.

Toys

Ja-Ru (a company from Jacksonville, Florida) produced this amusing piss take.

Fighter - Team Xtreme

Adventure Man

Bootleg was made in China, and that's all I know.

Packaging virtually copies and pastes alternative poster.

Artwork gave him a beard, yet figure is clean shaven.

HA HA HA!

Super C - Arcade

Flyer

Taking aim

ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

Moving on.

An extremely iconic shot.

Guerrilla War and Rapid Fire

Commando - Japanese guidebook

Oh yeah.

NMK's obscure arcade Riot was hardly subtle.

Another pose stolen.

Contra III: The Alien Wars (NA) - SNES and Contra Spirits (JP) - Super Famicom

For those who don't know, Appleseed inspired robots Jimbo and Sully replaced Lance and Bill respectively in EU version Super Probotector: Alien Rebels.

Midnight Resistance - Arcade

More. More. More.

Infernax - PC

Total Carnage - Arcade

Ashura (JP) and Secret Command (EU) - Master System
Sega only secured the Rambo licence for North America.

Title screen is lifted from:

NAM-1975 - Neo Geo

Enemy vs Lt. Tay

As a whole.

When Murdock learns that Rambo disobeyed orders, rescue mission is aborted.
Lifer¹ warns Trautman not to be a hero and holds him at gunpoint.

¹Steve Williams' first and only role.

Red Alert

Sharp stuff.

M.I.A.: Missing in Action² - Arcade

Konami's spiritual sequel to Green Beret nicked a few bits and bobs.

POW escape

Soldier and whoever vs Rambo and Colonel Trautman

²unrelated to 1984 film Missing in Action.

Rambo III

May God deliver us from the venom of the Cobra, teeth of the tiger, and the vengeance of the Afghan.

Strike Commando 2 (1988) essentially reworked plot and ripped off multiple scenes from Predator, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and Lethal Weapon.

No fucking joke guys.

Oh, and lots from Rambo: FBP II too.

Devastators vs poster