Green Beret (arcade game)

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Green Beret (aka Rush'n Attack)
Image:Gberet.png
Developer(s) Konami
Publisher(s) Konami
Platform(s) Arcade, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DOS, MSX, NES, Xbox 360 (XBLA)
Release date 1985
Genre(s) Run and gun
Mode(s) Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Input methods 8-way Joystick, 2 buttons
Cabinet Standard upright
Arcade system Konami Green Beret Hardware
Display Raster resolution, Horizontal
Rush N Attack Title Screen
Rush N Attack Title Screen

Green Beret (グリーンベレー Gurīn Berē?), retitled Rush'n Attack (a play on "Russian Attack") in North America, is an action/platform arcade game released by Konami in 1985. The game was ported by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System and by Imagine Software for the MSX, DOS, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro and Commodore 64. An enhanced version of the arcade game is included in the compilation Konami Collector's Series: Arcade Advanced for the Game Boy Advance, as well as in Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits for the Nintendo DS. The game was also released on Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360.

The game is remembered for its Cold War setting and its reliance on the player using a knife to dispatch enemies. A sequel was released for the arcades titled M.I.A.: Missing in Action in 1989

Contents

[edit] Plot

The player takes on the role of a United States special operations soldier infiltrating an enemy military base which, as hinted by the name, resembles a Soviet military complex. In the arcade version, the plot is to save several POW's from being executed by firing squad.

However in the NES port, the plot is changed to finding and destroying the "enemy's secret weapon." In the final level of both versions, the player fires a bazooka at a siloed ICBM, eventually causing it to detonate. This is followed by a brief animation of the player character running away from the base, with a mushroom cloud rising in the background.

[edit] Gameplay

[edit] Arcade version

There are four stages: Marshalling Area, Harbour, Air Base and Siberian Camp. The omnipresent knife can be supplemented with captured arms. By killing key persons, the player can obtain three-shot flamethrowers in stage 1, four-shot RPGs in stage 2, threepacks of hand grenades in stage 3 and one of each in stage 4. At the end of each stage, there are extra challenges: Stage 1 ends with a truckload of karate thugs, stage 2 with a pack of fierce dogs, stage 3 with three shooting autogyros and stage 4 with a skilful multi-shot flamethrower operator. When the mission is accomplished the four rescued POWs salute and the player is back at stage 1. The player is supposed to run to the right, revealing new territories, but in case of a standstill in 10 minutes, a stealth-like bomber would wipe out the soldier.

[edit] NES version

Throughout most of the game, the player's main weapon is a knife, although power-ups let the player temporarily use a handgun, a star (invincibility), bazooka, and grenades. The game has a total of five stages: Iron bridge and missile base, Airport, Harbor, Forest and airshed, Warehouse and the Enemy base.

[edit] Differences in NES port

  • In the NES port of the game, the appearance of most enemies was triggered by the advance of the screen to the right. Ironically, this meant the game was much harder if the player actually did as the title suggested, and "rushed" to attack. Conversely, in the arcade version, enemies constantly rush at the player from both sides of the screen.
  • The flamethrower is obsolete in the NES port and all occurrences are replaced with the bazooka.
  • Aside from the bazooka and grenades, there are two additional items that were not present in the arcade version. There is an "Invincibility Star", granting the player invincibility from both enemies and weapons, including land mines, and a "Lucky Pistol", which has unlimited ammunition for a limited time.
  • There are more enemy animations and postures in the arcade version.
  • In the NES version it is possible for the player to jump in a lying down position. This is accomplished by lying prone and then pressing up on the d-pad and attack simultaneously. If the player stabs an enemy and then immediately jumps, the player's character will jump while running in the air.
  • The port allows for two-player simultaneous play, while the arcade does not.
  • The music on the arcade version is more of a simple military-style drum beat, as is the C64 port, while the NES has fully developed melodic songs.
  • The Famicom Disk version of this game has a secret underground level, it is unknown why it was taken out from the NES version.

[edit] Misc

Green Beret for the ZX Spectrum
Green Beret for the ZX Spectrum

Home computer ports for Europe were developed and published by Imagine Software using the Green Beret title.

Boston comedy band Robby Roadsteamer used the song's main theme as their opening song "The Dinosaurs Are Coming Back" featured on the 2007 album "I'll Be At Your Funeral." Also featured on the album is love song "Help Me Beat Rush'n Attack."

The character Mischa in the film Russkies was shown playing this game.

[edit] External links