I've reviewed several NES games with soldiers in them, and I think its time to put commandoes aside for a green beret who doesn't fight with a rifle, but with a deadly knife. Rush'n Attack is a simple game. You are a soldier, a green beret who is going one-man army. Go infiltrate the enemy bases and stab them to death. You heard me, soldier! You get a knife. And you will use it to exercise extreme prejudice on the bad guys, who might be from Russia. Maybe. Run and stab. Get to the end of a linear path and fight a group of enemies. Then repeat a few more stages. Its not rocket science. But you will be blowing up a rocket. Did I mention that? So maybe it is rocket science!

Graphics: 7
When you first play the game, you will notice the detail in the backgrounds is quite good. This is a running theme throughout this game. The people's sprites are not particularly great, but some wear combinations of colors which shows variety. Then you get to the second stage, and see all the enemies have changed not just color but their whole outfits. It does this for each stage, snow suits, camo, even boss types like the paratroopers! The various, detailed backgrounds and changes to enemy design helps make graphics very impressive, and get over shortcomings like the weak explosion effects from grenades and such.

Sound: 7
The music in this game is great! The opening theme is quite memorable, and good tunes follow, especially the finale. The uncommon weapons you find like bazooka sound fine when you fire them, and the  explosions also sound good, even if they don't look it. The death sound of your green beret is also classic Konami.

Addictiveness: 8
This is a fun game. I'd say its close to a twitch game - with lots of foes coming almost nonstop from multiple directions. I chalk it up to the fact every enemy is a one hit kill (and you for that matter). You're horribly outnumbered, but if you strike first, you live. Its visceral in the close-quarter rush of enemies, and each has tell-tale signs to give you a strategy.  You might die alot, but the game jumps you right back in quickly. Each level offers a few new surprises and usually a new enemy type, as well.

Story: 5
There's a super-weapon and you have to get rid of it. You're reminded to keep plugging ahead at the end of each stage. Sadly, mission briefing doesn't clue you into what the super weapon IS, so how will you know when you find it? One of the weak points of this game is the story, BUT the action is fast-paced so you don't have too much time to think on that anyway.

Depth: 4
Rush'n Attack doesn't do much to expand beyond its arcade roots. The levels like the arcade (which had a flamethrower enemy, and less stages overall). However, there are no secret ladder areas under the minefields, as in the arcade. This is a shame compared to other NES games like the interesting Commando - which added secret bonus rooms. Or even the Gold-star NES game Bionic Commando, which reinvented the wheel and gave the port a complete overhaul that overshadows their original arcade game.  Rush'n Attack does not have any of this. You get 3 weapons, a pistol, a grenade, or bazooka, and your trusty knife. In fact, you'll likely get very good at using the knife by stage 3/4/5 so theres almost no need for a special weapon. The addition of special boss type units (like a dog pack, or helicopter units) are neat, but fairly easy to defeat as well.

Difficulty: Learning curve. Once you get it, this game is not too tough. Again, by the middle of the game you should be well acquainted with most of the tricks this game will throw at you. You get 3 main troop types.
1) A running type, he runs fast or slow, in one direction. If you get behind him, he doesn't turn or chase you. The slow one is usually more trouble than the fast one.
2) A karate type. This guy is beginner poison. He runs at you and does a jump kick right for your head. You can actually run under him, and not get hurt. The problem is he sometimes travels in karate guy gangs. Overcome your hesitation and jump and stab out the whole wave.
3) The gun type. This is the only smart enemy who tracks you. If you go up a ladder, he will follow. He also tries not to get too close, so he can shoot you with his pistol. He's not brilliant, but when mixed in with the other two, he can be a tough target. You can usually run up to him right away and stab him before he starts his keep-away tactics.

There are other types, but often one-offs specific to a stage, like mortar soldiers, or the attack dogs. There is nothing really special about any of them. If you can master beating the 3 main types of foes, these guys shouldn't give you too much trouble.

Overall: 8 
The game is quite fun, despite lacking any secret levels or even a pistol. Its alot like Rolling Thunder, fast-paced multi-level action with numerous enemies on screen at once. This frantic gameplay is what can keep you coming back.  And thats something to sink your knife into.