Rush’n Attack

Rush'n Attack

Overview & History

Released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, Rush'n Attack—a clever phonetic pun on "Russian Attack"—places players in the boots of a nameless green-clad Green Beret. Tasked with infiltrating a heavily fortified Soviet military base, your singular objective is to rescue captured prisoners of war before launching a daring escape via the enemy's final defensive perimeter. Originally an arcade hit, the NES conversion famously swapped out the original's rolling backdrop for a static, stage-by-stage progression, retaining the frantic, high-stakes Cold War tension that made it an unforgettable classic of the 8-bit era.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard side-scrolling platformers, Rush'n Attack strips away complex inventory systems in favor of pure, twitch-reflex action. Armed initially with only a combat knife, players must advance through four distinct stages—the Barracks, the Harbor, the Jungle, and the final Enemy Base—while fending off waves of relentless guards, ferocious attack dogs, landmines, and even enemy paratroopers. Survival hinges on mastering your arsenal. While the knife is lethal at close quarters, dead-eye timing allows you to pick up rare, limited-ammo specialty weapons such as a flamethrower, bazooka, and hand grenades to decimate armored vehicles and dense enemy clusters. Speed is your greatest ally and your deadliest trap; rushing blindly leads straight into enemy fire, yet lingering too long invites overwhelming reinforcements. Touching flashing enemy officers yields critical power-ups or screen-clearing invincibility stars, adding a vital layer of risk-reward strategy to every frantic skirmish.

Keyboard Controls

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