Dynamite Duke (US, 25JUL89)

First-time players of Dynamite Duke should start by mastering the core three-button control scheme before attempting full one-credit runs. The 8-way joystick controls Duke’s movement across the screen, the primary fire button shoots your standard assault rifle at distant targets, and the secondary action button triggers either a melee punch when enemies are within close range, or a short invulnerable dodge roll when held while moving in any direction. For the earliest levels, prioritize melee attacks for rushing infantry grunts: your punch is a one-hit KO for all basic foot soldiers, and it saves you from wasting time adjusting your aim on fast-moving targets that have already closed the gap. You can also kick incoming grenades back at enemy groups if you press the action button exactly as the grenade reaches Duke’s chest height, a trick that lets you clear clustered enemies and even damage early bosses for free. Keep an eye out for floating power-up drops scattered across every level: the gold ammo crate gives you 10 rounds of high-powered rocket fire that can take out armored vehicles and small enemy groups in a single shot, the red first-aid kit restores 50% of your total health bar, and the glowing invincibility star lets you charge through enemy fire for 8 full seconds to clear tough, bullet-heavy sections. For the first three levels, stay in the horizontal middle of the screen as much as possible to avoid off-screen enemy fire from the left and right edges that you can’t see coming. When fighting the Level 3 tank boss, stay as far back as possible to avoid its heavy cannon blasts, and only move forward to punch its exposed turret mechanic when it pauses fire to reload. For later levels with mutated bioweapon enemies, never let the fast-moving mutated dog units get within grapple range: they drain health twice as fast as regular infantry, so take them out with rifle fire from at least two body lengths away. For the final Dr. Black mech boss, aim exclusively for