Rush'n Attack

I confess that I'd have been happier with a beginners level owing to the speed of the game. But it's one of those arcade treats that makes you want to go back for more and practice your skills until you too are worthy of a Green Beret. And for those who're of a less heroic bent there's sure to be a good market for POKES for infinite lives! Go on, get out there and blow up a battalion or two - you know you'll feel better for it.

The background graphics are interesting, featuring massive missile launchers, cargo planes, and enemy watchtowers. The game can be extremely difficult game without one vital piece of information: To defeat the jump-kickers, jump straight up and stab. Once you get that move down, progress comes a bit easier. Whenever possible, try to save your shooting ammo for the bosses. Each of the six stages requires some strategic thinking, and experience is the best teacher. The background music is quite memorable and the controls are responsive. Rush 'N Attack provides no continues, so you'll need to be a pretty skilled player to reach the later stages. The two-player mode is fair, but this game is better suited for solo action.

If you played Rush 'n Attack on the Nintendo Entertainment System, you'll find a much different experience in the Xbox Live Arcade version. The arcade version lacked a couple of levels and had a different setup than the NES version, so bear that in mind if you're considering purchasing this game. If you're feeling nostalgic for this simple side-scrolling action game, you'll likely get bored after about five minutes. None of the additions or enhancements bring anything new or exciting to the game, and although it's relatively inexpensive, you're better off spending your points on other, better Xbox Live Arcade games.

The game's technical merits can't and won't be denied, and playability is alright, but in the end, it's nothing special. Worth your time if you're a fan of the genre. Not the sensation anymore it probably was in its day.

I can't recommend that anyone pick up this game, not even fans of the game in arcades. If you want the thrill of playing Rush 'N Attack, go to your local arcade and see if they have a machine. The dismay of not finding a Rush 'N Attack machine will be less than the dismay you'd feel if you had purchased this game for $5. I'm going to lay it out for you here, Konami. While Time Pilot was nice, the constant supply of boring, buggy, rushed ports is wearing very, very thin. No more cheap emulation, no more parading out your old, tired games to try and turn a quick buck. Let the fans vote on what they want you to release, and release the top 3 and sit on the rest of your back catalog. I'm betting over half the people who bought this game feel cheated, and I count myself among that crowd.