Guerrilla War

Guerrilla War

Overview & History

Released by SNK in 1987 as an arcade coin-op under the title Guerrilla War (known in Japan as Gegege no Kitaro or simply Guevara), this top-down run-and-gun shooter plunges players into a gritty, politically charged Caribbean revolution. Heavily inspired by the historical figures Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, the storyline casts players as freedom fighters—originally named Guevara and Fidel in the Japanese version—who land on the shores of a fictional island to overthrow a brutal military dictator. SNK crafted a frantic, rebellious atmosphere that stood out in late-80s arcades through its relentless pacing, destructible environments, and unusual cooperative mechanics where players could either fight side-by-side or accidentally blast each other in friendly fire.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard vertical scrollers of its era, Guerrilla War utilizes a unique 360-degree rotational movement and firing scheme paired with an eight-way joystick, famously implemented via a rotary dial in the arcade cabinet. Players navigate through dense jungles, prison camps, and heavily fortified enemy bases while wielding an infinite-ammo submachine gun and a limited supply of devastating grenades. Throughout the chaotic battlefields, players can hijack abandoned enemy tanks for heavy-duty protection and firepower, rescue captive civilian hostages to earn bonus points, and collect weapon-upgrade power-ups like flamethrowers and rocket launchers dropped by specialized enemy officers. The frantic action is punctuated by harrowing boss encounters at the end of each stage, requiring precise dodging and relentless grenade-throwing to shatter enemy strongholds.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move
• Action Keys: Attack / Jump
• Enter: Start / Pause