''Rush'n Attack'', also known as in Japan and Europe, is a run-and-gun and

hack-and-slash Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat with melee-based weapons (such as swords or blades). They may also feature projectile-based weapons as well (such as ...

video game developed and released by

Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...

for arcades in 1985, and later converted to the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...

and

home computer Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a s ...

s. Its North American title is a play on the phrase "Russian attack" due to its

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

setting. It was ported to home systems and became a critical and commercial success for arcades and home computers.

Gameplay

The players assume the roles of the United States special operations Green Berets (named Steve and Ben on the Japanese

Famicom The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...

ad poster) who are infiltrating an enemy military base to save POWs from execution by firing squad. There are four stages, each ending with a special group of ambushers: #Marshalling Area, ends with a truckload of jump-kicking enemies #Harbor, ends with a pack of German Shepherds #Air Base, ends with three

autogyro An autogyro (from Greek and , "self-turning"), gyroscope, gyrocopter or gyroplane, is a class of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift. A gyroplane "means a rotorcraft whose rotors are not engine-d ...

s #Siberian Camp, ends with three flame thrower operators The

Soviet Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, the Red Army (1918–1946) and the Soviet Army (1946–1991), were the armed forces of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republi ...

that attack throughout every stage are Soldiers, Gunners, Supply Runners, Combat Specialists, Jetpack Soldiers,

German Shepherd The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...

s, Parachute Gunners, Gyrocopters, and Flame Throwers. The omnipresent

combat knife A combat knife is a fighting knife designed for military use and primarily intended for hand-to-hand combat, hand-to-hand or close combat fighting.Peterson, Harold L., ''Daggers and Fighting Knives of the Western World'', Courier Dover Publicatio ...

can be supplemented with captured arms. By eliminating certain Russian militants, the players can obtain a three-shot

flamethrower A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World W ...

, a four-shot

RPG RPG may refer to: Military * Rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon **''Ruchnoi Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'' (Russian: ''Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт''), hand-held anti-tank grenade laun ...

, or a three-pack of

hand grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...

s. When the mission is accomplished, the four rescued POWs salute and the player repeats the game from the first stage on the next difficulty level. An invisible time limit kills the player. Extra lives are given at 30,000 and 70,000, and per 70,000 up to 980,000, and

survival of the fittest "Survival of the fittest" is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. The biological concept of fitness is defined as reproductive success. In Darwinian terms, th ...

mode thereafter.

Ports

In 1986,

Ocean Software Ocean Software Limited was a British software development company that became one of the biggest European video game developers and publishers of the 1980s and 1990s. The company was founded by David Ward and Jon Woods and was based in Manchest ...

released home versions as ''Green Beret'' on their Imagine label for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

Commodore Plus/4 The Commodore Plus/4 is a home computer released by Commodore International in 1984. It was part of the Commodore 264 series, which also included the Commodore 16 and Commodore 116 models. The Plus/4 was marketed as "the productivity computer wit ...

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for "Colour Personal Computer") is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spec ...

Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...

MSX MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Corpo ...

, and

BBC Micro The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a family of microcomputers developed and manufactured by Acorn Computers in the early 1980s as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project. Launched in December 1981, it was showcased across severa ...

. The Commodore 64 port was programmed by David Collier, with graphics by Steve Wahid and music by

Martin Galway Martin Galway (born 3 January 1966, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is one of the best known composers of chiptune video game music for the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum. His works include '' Rambo: First Blood Part II'', '' Comic Bakery'' and ...

. The Spectrum version was programmed by Jonathan Smith. It was released in North America in December 1986 and an unrelated

IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...

version was released by Konami for the North American market with the ''Rush'n Attack'' name in 1989.

Famicom Disk System and NES

Family Computer Disk System The commonly shortened to the Famicom Disk System, is a peripheral for Nintendo's Nintendo Entertainment System, Family Computer (Famicom) home video game console, released in Japan on February 21, 1986. The system uses proprietary floppy disk ...

version of ''Green Beret'' was released in Japan on April 10, 1987, along with a corresponding version for the

(as ''Rush'n Attack'') released that month in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, and 1989 in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. The objective in the NES version was changed from rescuing prisoners to destroying a secret weapon being developed in the enemy's headquarters. A two-player simultaneous cooperative mode was introduced. The gameplay mechanics are essentially identical to the arcade version, but the Flamethrower is removed (only the Rocket Launcher and Grenades remain) and two new power-up items are introduced: a Star mark which grants invincibility and a pistol with unlimited ammo, both which are only usable for a limited period. The NES version features two additional stages that are not in the arcade game: an airport set between the Missile Base and the Harbor, where the player faces a group of rocket soldiers at the end; and a new final stage set inside the enemy's base that ends with the player using rocket launchers dropped by enemy soldiers to disarm a nuclear missile. The flamethrower corps at the end of the Warehouse stage was replaced by a paratrooper unit. The Famicom version has a few cosmetic differences with higher difficulty compared to its NES counterpart, along with underground areas in three of the levels, which are accessed via destroying specific mines that reveal ladders to the floors below.

Game Boy Advance

A conversion of the arcade version of ''Rush'n Attack'' is included in the 2002 compilation '' Konami Collector's Series: Arcade Advanced'' for the

Game Boy Advance The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, and to international markets that June. It was later released in mainland China in 2004, under the name iQue Game Boy Advanc ...

. The game features the same four stages as in the arcade version, and two extra stages unlocked via the

Konami Code The Konami Code (, ''Konami Komando'', "Konami command"), also commonly referred to as the Contra Code and sometimes the 30 Lives Code, is a cheat code that appears in many Konami video games, as well as some non-Konami games. The code has al ...

. A two-player versus mode has been added, which utilizes the

Game Link Cable The also known as ''Video Link'' in early versions, is an accessory for the Game Boy line of handheld consoles. Introduced in 1989 alongside the original Game Boy, it was revised over four generations with varying degrees of backward compatibil ...

. The A button jumps instead of the D-pad.

Nintendo DS

A second portable version is included in the 2007 compilation '' Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits'' for the

Nintendo DS The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...

. Unlike the GBA version, the DS version is a direct port of the original arcade game, but includes various bonus features such as scans of the instruction cards and leaflet, as well as tips.

Xbox 360

''Rush'n Attack'' was released on

Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (or XBLA) was a video game Digital distribution in video games, digital distribution service that was available for the Xbox (console), Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. It focused on smaller downloadable games from both major publisher ...

for the

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...

in May 2007. This version is another direct port of the arcade game, but features an optional game mode with improved graphics and a remixed soundtrack. It was developed by

Digital Eclipse Digital Eclipse Entertainment Partners Co. is an American video game developer based in Emeryville, California. Founded by Andrew Ayre in 1992, the company found success developing commercial Video game emulation, emulations of arcade games for ...

Konami Net DX

''Green Beret'' was released for smartphones in Japan in 2006. The mobile version is a direct port of the Famicom version with a new health bar. The mobile port was re-released in China for Java phones in December 2008.

Reception

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Green Beret'' in its November 15, 1985, issue as the third-most successful table arcade unit of the month. In Europe, ''Green Beret'' was considered one "of the first military shoot 'em ups" on the market and became a major hit in arcades. The home computer conversions topped the UK

Gallup Gallup may refer to: * Gallup, Inc., a firm founded by George Gallup, well known for its opinion poll * Gallup (surname), a surname *Gallup, New Mexico, a city in New Mexico, United States ** Gallup station, an Amtrak train in downtown Gallup, New ...

sales charts in June 1986, becoming one of the top four best-selling games of 1986 in the UK, and one of the year's top three best-selling

games. Its budget re-release later topped the UK budget sales chart in July 1989. ''Green Beret'' was well-received by critics. Mike Roberts and Eric Doyle of ''

Computer Gamer Argus Press was a British publishing company. It was acquired by British Electric Traction (BET) in 1966, and became the publishing arm of that company. It was the subject of one of the most hotly contested management buyouts of the 1980s when ...

'' magazine gave the arcade game a positive review, comparing it favorably with the

action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

'' Rambo: First Blood Part II'' (1985) while calling it an "incredibly violent game" that is "brilliant to play". ''

Commodore User ''Commodore User'', (also referred to as ''CU'') later renamed to ''CU Amiga'', is a British magazine initially published by Paradox Group before being acquired by EMAP. Timeline ''Commodore User'' was launched in October 1983 with an initial pr ...

'' said the arcade version is "a kind of rightwards scrolling ''

Commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...

'' utmuch better" while praising "brilliant" graphics and sound. ''

Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a British-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot web ...

'' reviewed the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions, calling the game "Konami's answer" to

Capcom is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...

's ''Commando'' (1985) and comparing it favorably with the ''Rambo'' film series. The review said it is fast, "furious" and "terribly addictive". The MS-DOS version of ''Rush'n Attack'' was reviewed in 1989 in ''

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

'' magazine by Patricia Hartley and Kirk Lesser, giving 3 out of 5 stars. ''

ACE An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or a club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ...

'' reviewed the budget re-release of ''Green Beret'' for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC in 1989, calling it an "intelligently thought out shoot 'em up with excellent graphics". The NES version ranked 99 on

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

's top 100 NES games list.

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{WoS game, id=0002134, name=Green Beret
''Green Beret'' at Konami Net DX (Japanese)

1985 video games Amstrad CPC games Arcade video games Atari 8-bit computer games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games Cold War video games Commodore 16 and Plus/4 games Commodore 64 games DOS games Famicom Disk System games Cancelled Game Boy Color games Konami arcade games Konami games Nintendo Entertainment System games Nintendo Switch games PlayChoice-10 games PlayStation 4 games Hack and slash games Run and gun games Video games scored by Iku Mizutani Video games scored by Kiyohiro Sada Video games scored by Martin Galway Xbox 360 Live Arcade games ZX Spectrum games Digital Eclipse games Multiplayer and single-player video games Video games developed in Japan Video games set in Siberia Video games set in the Soviet Union Arcade Archives games Hamster Corporation games