Play P.o.w Online

P.O.W. came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, published by SNK. It was part of that wave of side-scrolling action games that filled rental store shelves, offering a straightforward military escape fantasy without much pretense.

You control one of two captured soldiers who must break out of their cell and fight through a hostile camp. Your main goal is to survive four linear levels, infiltrating deeper into enemy territory to ultimately confront the leaders. You punch and kick your way through guards, but you can also pick up weapons like knives, machine guns, and grenades dropped by defeated enemies. The screen advances automatically as you clear each section, forcing you to keep moving forward. The pacing is relentless, and the difficulty comes from the sheer number of enemies swarming you from both sides. It feels like a constant, frantic scramble for a better weapon just to stay alive.