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Rush'n Attack, also known as Green Beret in certain versions, is a side-scrolling action game by Konami originally released for the arcades in 1986 in which a U.S. Special Forces soldier must fight his way into a Siberian prison occupied by Soviet soldiers in order to rescue a group of American P.O.Ws that are about to be executed. The player is armed primarily with a combat knife for close range attack, but can acquire a variety of other weapons (a rocket launcher, a flamethrower, or grenades) from defeating certain enemy soldiers. Since the weapons acquired from enemies have limited ammo, one button is used for the standard knife attack, while the second button is used for special weapons. Since both action buttons are used for attacks, jumping is done the Kung Fu Master way, by pressing the joystick up, which is also used for climbing ladders.

An NES version of Rush'n Attack in 1987 and like most NES games that were based on a popular arcade game, it is more of a remixed version than a straight port. In addition to having an entirely different plot (where the objective is now to destroy a top-secret weapon), it also features new stages, enemies, and music, as well as a 2-Players simultaneous mode similar to Contra (which was released for the arcades around the same time).

An arcade sequel was released in 1989 titled M.I.A., which changed the setting from Russia to Vietnam. Aside from the improved graphics and sounds, the play mechanics are pretty much identical to the original, except the player can now crawl on the floor and carry more than one special weapon, switching between them on the fly with a weapon select button. And like the NES version of the original, it can be played simultaneously with a second player as well.

A sequel was developed by Vatra Games, titled Rush'n Attack: Ex-Patriot, and was released in early 2011. General consensus of the game was that it was a poor imitation of Chair Entertainment's Shadow Complex.

Rush'n Attack features examples of:

  • Anti-Grinding: A player attempting to grind for points will encounter more difficult enemies when waiting in a given area. Further grinding in the same place will have a bomber drop a guided bomb.
  • Checkpoint: The arcade version uses check point respawns, while the NES version only uses them in 1-Player mode (the 2-Player mode uses instant respawns). Averted in the Famicom version, as well as in M.I.A. (both used instant respawns, regardless of the number of players).
  • Close-Range Combatant: The player and most enemy mooks use melee attacks. Occasionally, one enemy may fire a bullet, but still prefers going into melee.
  • Difficulty by Region: The Disk System version has limited continues, instant respawns, hidden underground shortcuts, and a maximum ammo capacity of nine rounds instead of just three. To make up for the increased difficulty, the NES version starts the player with more lives and weapon power-ups always give max ammo.
  • Distressed Dude: The prisoners you have to rescue in the arcade version.
  • Elites Are More Glamorous: The player character is a Green Beret (United States Army Special Forces).
  • Excuse Plot:
    • In the arcade: "Rescue the prisoners of war"
    • In the NES version: "Your mission: destroy the enemy's secret weapon. Good luck!"
  • Fire-Breathing Weapon: One of the pickups available in the arcade version is a flamethrower.
  • Market-Based Title: The original game was titled Rush'n Attack in America and Green Beret in Japan. Oddly enough, the European market used Green Beret for the arcade version and Rush'n Attack for the NES version.
  • Nintendo Hard: The NES version is extremely unforgiving. On top of that, the Konami Code didn't work for this title (mainly because it hadn't been introduced yet).
  • Pun-Based Title: Rush'n Attack = Russian Attack
  • Reds with Rockets
  • Reformulated Game: The NES version, which features different stages (the arcade's four stages are stages 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the NES version, while stages 2 and 6 are new) and bosses (the NES stage 5 has a different boss than the arcade stage 4, and the final boss is entirely new), and more importantly a 2-player co-op mode (rather than just alternating play).
  • One-Hit-Point Wonder: Not just the playable characters, but every enemy as well. Even the Autogyros in Stage 4 of the NES version can be made to explode with a single stab (though their arcade counterpart makes it more clear you're killing the pilot and letting the vehicle crash). The secret weapon (a missile) at the end of the NES version is the only exception.
  • Palette Swap:
    • In the NES version, the three main types of enemy troops (one runs right at you, one jumps at you, the third shoots at you) are only differentiated by color. Their specific design changes from stage to stage, but they're always the same sprite in different colors.
    • To a lesser extent in the arcade version, which has a wider variety of enemy designs, but the running soldiers and the jumping soldiers are the same sprite recolored.
  • Tactical Suicide Boss: You wouldn't be able to destroy the missile at the end of the NES version if the enemy didn't keep sending an endless wave of enemies at you, including the ones who drop rocket launchers, the only weapon that can deal any damage to the missile.
  • Video Game Flamethrowers Suck: Averted really hard. The flamethrower is a One-Hit Kill weapon that instantly reduces any mook to ashes. Its larger projectile makes it even better than the rocket launcher.

MIA: Missing in Action features examples of:

  • Difficulty by Region: The export versions of M.I.A. randomizes the order of the first three stages and mirrored the layouts of all the even-numbered stages, meaning that the player starts from the right and proceeds to the left in those stages (as opposed to the other way around).
  • Escort Mission: Once you've rescued the POWs, you must keep at least one alive.
  • Every Helicopter Is a Huey
  • Non-Standard Game Over: If all of the POWs die, the words "Mission Failed" flash on the screen and the game is permanently over.
  • One-Hit-Point Wonder: Carried over from its prequel, there's nothing that can't be killed with a single knife stab.
  • Whole-Plot Reference: The game's premise of a POW rescue in Vietnam is based on Missing in Action and Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Rush'n Attack: Ex-Patriot features examples of:


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