<s>
is	O
a	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
shooter	O
arcade	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Taito	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
1987	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
critically	O
and	O
commercially	O
successful	O
,	O
becoming	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
highest-grossing	O
arcade	B-Application
games	I-Application
of	I-Application
1988	I-Application
and	O
winning	O
the	O
Golden	O
Joystick	O
Award	O
for	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
popularized	O
military-themed	O
first-person	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
rail	O
shooters	O
and	O
inspired	O
numerous	O
clones	O
,	O
imitators	O
,	O
and	O
others	O
in	O
the	O
genre	O
over	O
the	O
next	O
decade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
spawned	O
four	O
sequels	O
:	O
Operation	B-Application
Thunderbolt	I-Application
(	O
1988	B-Application
)	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
3	I-Application
(	O
1994	B-Application
)	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Tiger	I-Application
(	O
1998	B-Application
)	O
,	O
and	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
Returns	O
:	O
First	O
Mission	O
(	O
2023	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
an	O
optical	B-Device
controller	I-Device
housed	O
inside	O
a	O
gun	O
assembly	O
which	O
bears	O
a	O
strong	O
resemblance	O
to	O
an	O
Uzi	O
submachine	O
gun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
geared	O
motor	O
inside	O
the	O
casing	O
simulates	B-Device
the	I-Device
recoil	I-Device
when	O
the	O
player	O
fires	O
the	O
weapon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
ends	O
if	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
following	O
events	O
occur	O
,	O
with	O
each	O
outcome	O
showing	O
a	O
different	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
screen	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
converted	O
to	O
the	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
,	O
DOS	B-Device
,	O
NES	B-Language
,	O
Amiga	B-Device
500	I-Device
,	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
,	O
Master	O
System	O
,	O
FM	B-Device
Towns	I-Device
,	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
lack	O
any	O
kind	O
of	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
support	O
(	O
with	O
the	O
exceptions	O
of	O
the	O
NES	B-Language
and	O
Master	O
System	O
)	O
and	O
must	O
be	O
played	O
with	O
a	O
keyboard	O
or	O
a	O
controller	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1989	O
,	O
a	O
special	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
version	O
with	O
Magnum	B-Device
Light	I-Device
Phaser	I-Device
support	O
was	O
produced	O
for	O
inclusion	O
in	O
Amstrad	O
's	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
+2	O
and	O
+3	O
'	O
Action	O
Pack	O
 '	O
hardware	O
bundles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
box	O
for	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
version	O
features	O
promotional	O
art	O
from	O
Operation	B-Application
Thunderbolt	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
as	O
part	O
of	O
Taito	O
Legends	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
support	O
is	O
unavailable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NES	B-Language
version	O
of	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
Wii	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
in	O
February	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Whereas	O
the	O
NES	B-Language
version	O
allows	O
NES	B-Device
Zapper	I-Device
support	O
,	O
the	O
VC	O
re-release	O
does	O
not	O
feature	O
any	O
kind	O
of	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
support	O
(	O
including	O
the	O
Wii	B-Device
Remote	I-Device
's	O
pointer	O
functions	O
)	O
,	O
making	O
the	O
game	O
only	O
playable	O
with	O
the	O
standard	O
controller	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
Game	O
Machine	O
listed	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
in	O
its	O
December	O
1	O
,	O
1987	B-Application
issue	O
as	O
the	O
second	O
most-successful	O
upright/cockpit	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
become	O
the	O
second	O
highest-grossing	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1988	I-Application
(	O
below	O
Sega	O
's	O
After	B-Application
Burner	I-Application
and	O
After	B-Device
Burner	I-Device
II	I-Device
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Europe	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
debuted	O
as	O
the	O
top-grossing	O
arcade	O
game	O
of	O
October	O
1987	B-Application
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
and	O
again	O
topped	O
the	O
charts	O
in	O
December	O
1987	B-Application
;	O
it	O
held	O
the	O
top	O
spot	O
through	O
March	O
1988	B-Application
,	O
and	O
remained	O
in	O
the	O
top	O
five	O
through	O
July	O
,	O
when	O
it	O
was	O
number	O
four	O
on	O
the	O
Coinslot	O
dedicated	O
arcade	O
game	O
chart	O
(	O
below	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
,	O
Continental	B-Application
Circus	I-Application
,	O
and	O
WEC	B-Application
Le	I-Application
Mans	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
went	O
on	O
to	O
become	O
the	O
top-earning	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1988	I-Application
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
top	O
five	O
highest-grossing	O
dedicated	O
arcade	B-Application
games	I-Application
of	I-Application
1988	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
home	O
computer	O
conversions	O
topped	O
the	O
UK	O
sales	O
charts	O
in	O
late	O
1988	B-Application
until	O
it	O
was	O
replaced	O
by	O
RoboCop	B-Application
which	O
held	O
the	O
number	O
one	O
position	O
for	O
most	O
of	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Commodore	O
User	O
said	O
it	O
beats	O
Sega	O
's	O
After	B-Application
Burner	I-Application
as	O
"	O
the	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
and	O
much	O
of	O
next	O
year	O
too	O
"	O
but	O
that	O
it	O
may	O
draw	O
some	O
controversy	O
from	O
tabloids	O
for	O
its	O
Rambo-like	O
violent	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Your	O
Sinclair	O
gave	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
conversion	O
a	O
highly	O
positive	O
review	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NES	B-Language
version	O
received	O
more	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
review	O
of	O
the	O
NES	B-Language
conversion	O
,	O
three	O
critics	O
scored	O
it	O
6/10	O
,	O
one	O
8/10	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sinclair	O
User	O
gave	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
the	O
"	O
Over	B-Application
The	I-Application
Top	I-Application
Game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1988	I-Application
"	O
award	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
shooting	O
game	O
most	O
likely	O
to	O
push	O
you	O
over	O
the	O
edge	O
"	O
in	O
1988	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
home	O
computer	O
conversions	O
won	O
several	O
awards	O
at	O
the	O
1989	O
Golden	O
Joystick	O
Awards	O
for	O
1988	B-Application
,	O
including	O
overall	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
(	O
8-bit	O
)	O
,	O
Best	O
Coin-Op	O
Conversion	O
(	O
8-bit	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Best	O
Coin-Op	O
Conversion	O
(	O
16-bit	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
influenced	O
the	O
market	O
upon	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
credited	O
with	O
evolving	O
the	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
shooter	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
departed	O
from	O
the	O
shooting	O
gallery	O
,	O
carnival	O
,	O
and	O
cartoon	O
themes	O
that	O
had	O
previously	O
dominated	O
the	O
genre	O
for	O
decades	O
,	O
from	O
electro-mechanical	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
1960s	O
until	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Duck	B-Application
Hunt	I-Application
in	O
1984	O
,	O
and	O
moved	O
the	O
genre	O
toward	O
more	O
realistic	O
,	O
violent	O
,	O
and	O
military	O
shooter	O
themes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
Taito	O
's	O
earlier	O
gun	O
games	O
including	O
Attack	O
(	O
1976	O
)	O
,	O
N.Y.	O
Captor	O
(	O
1985	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Cycle	O
Shooting	O
(	O
1986	O
)	O
which	O
have	O
simple	O
cartoon	O
graphics	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
has	O
more	O
realistic	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
took	O
the	O
military	O
themes	O
of	O
1980s	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
video	O
games	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
Commando	B-Application
,	O
Green	B-Application
Beret	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Ikari	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
)	O
and	O
action	O
films	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
Rambo	O
and	O
Commando	B-Application
)	O
and	O
applied	O
them	O
to	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
shooters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
presents	O
a	O
prisoner	B-Application
of	I-Application
war	I-Application
(	O
POW	O
)	O
rescue	O
mission	O
with	O
massive	O
violence	O
,	O
killing	O
masses	O
of	O
enemy	O
soldiers	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
novel	O
for	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
shooters	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
innovated	O
on	O
the	O
mounted	O
gun	O
mechanismused	O
before	O
in	O
Taito	O
's	O
Attack	O
and	O
even	O
older	O
Midway	O
mechanical	O
games	O
from	O
the	O
1960sby	O
using	O
an	O
optical	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
sensor	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
geared	O
motor	O
that	O
makes	O
the	O
player	O
feel	O
the	O
kick	O
when	O
pulling	O
the	O
trigger	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
popularized	O
first-person	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
rail	O
shooters	O
and	O
inspired	O
numerous	O
clones	O
and	O
imitators	O
during	O
the	O
late	O
1980s	O
to	O
early	O
1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Examples	O
include	O
SNK	O
's	O
Mechanized	B-Application
Attack	I-Application
and	O
Sega	O
's	O
Line	B-Application
of	I-Application
Fire	I-Application
in	O
1989	O
,	O
SNK	O
's	O
Beast	B-Application
Busters	I-Application
in	O
1990	O
,	O
Namco	O
's	O
Steel	B-Application
Gunner	I-Application
and	O
Midway	O
's	O
Terminator	B-Application
2	I-Application
in	O
1991	O
,	O
and	O
Konami	O
's	O
Lethal	B-Application
Enforcers	I-Application
in	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
influenced	O
by	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
,	O
the	O
genre	O
remained	O
popular	O
into	O
the	O
late	O
1990s	O
and	O
declined	O
following	O
the	O
rise	O
of	O
the	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
(	O
FPS	O
)	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
spawned	O
four	O
sequels	O
:	O
Operation	B-Application
Thunderbolt	I-Application
(	O
1988	B-Application
)	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
3	I-Application
(	O
1994	B-Application
)	O
,	O
Operation	B-Application
Tiger	I-Application
(	O
1998	B-Application
)	O
,	O
and	O
Operation	B-Application
Wolf	I-Application
Returns	O
:	O
First	O
Mission	O
(	O
2023	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
