Overview and Gameplay
Crime Ghost has kidnapped the president’s daughter, Elise, and mercenaries Paul and Vince are sent to bring her home. Ikari III: The Rescue adapts SNK’s 1989 arcade game into a six-act NES campaign built around overhead brawling, limited gunplay, and steady upward movement through enemy-held territory.
Most encounters favor punches, roundhouse kicks, and jump kicks. Temporary machine guns, grenades, rocks, and explosive drums add ranged attacks, while hearts restore health and 1-Up icons grant extra lives. Act 4 changes pace with an underwater shooting sequence before the campaign continues toward Faust.
Controls And Mechanics
- The directional pad moves in eight directions.
- B punches, uses held items, and fires the gun.
- A performs a roundhouse kick or throws enemies in water.
- Pressing A and B together performs a jump kick.
- One or two players can fight simultaneously in co-op. The screen waits for both players before scrolling forward.
- Each player starts with three lives, earns another every 30,000 points, and can continue without a fixed limit in the U.S. version.
Version Notes
The Japanese Famicom release is titled Ikari III or 怒III and limits players to three continues. The North American NES version uses the subtitle The Rescue and provides unlimited continues.
Release And Credits
- NES release: February 1991 in North America
- Developer: SNK Corporation
- Publisher: SNK Corporation of America
- Original platform: Arcade, 1989
- Alternate title: Ikari Warriors III: The Rescue
