Ikari III: The Rescue (1990). Play online

Summary

Ikari III: The Rescue packs the frantic run‑and‑gun DNA of the Ikari Warriors arcade franchise into a surprisingly tight NES experience. Without the vehicle power‑ups of its predecessors, the game leans heavily on melee – punch, kick, jump‑kick and even round‑house moves become the main way to clear waves of enemies, and weapons appear only as rare treats. An exclusive fourth stage swaps the usual scrolling action for a side‑scrolling scuba‑diving segment that still feels at home among the land‑based battles. SNK swapped the classic rotary joystick for an eight‑direction stick, borrowing the more straightforward controls of its earlier P.O.W. port while still keeping the cooperative feel. The title’s rugged tone was deliberately drawn from the popularity of Rambo III, pushing heroes Ralf and Clark toward over‑the‑top toughness. Decades later the duo resurfaced in Metal Slug 6‑7, KOF titles and even a cameo in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and the game has been re‑released through the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection and Arcade Archives for modern consoles.

Storyline

Ikari III: The Rescue follows two elite soldiers as they race against a relentless terrorist force. In the arcade narrative, Ralf Jones and Clark Still are summoned after the presidential candidate’s son is abducted by the Crime Ghost organization. Using a false tip, they lure the main enemy army into a chase, creating a built‑in time limit: if the pursuers catch up, the mission fails and the stage restarts. The duo battles through three stages, finally securing the hostage, only to have the rescue helicopter shot down and the boy recaptured. After a second push through hostile territory, they defeat the remaining Crime Ghost troops and escort the boy to an extraction point, escaping on a plane before the secret mission can ever be publicized.

The NES version swaps the son for the president’s daughter, Elise, and replaces Ralf and Clark with Paul and Vince, the Ikari Warriors. Crime Ghost, born from a post‑recession crisis, kidnaps Elise and blackmails the president. Paul and Vince infiltrate the hideout, rescue Elise, and must confront the supreme leader Faust at the final extraction point before a successful escape.