Assault Rigs Main Page

This webpage is the definitive stop for all the information you will ever need to know about one of the greatest first generation Playstation games; Assault Rigs.

On this webpage I will explain the basic premise of the game, general strategies, level codes, weapons, items, enemies, and how to use the link-up feature.

Background

Assault Rigs was released for the Sony Playstation on February sixth, 1996 and also on the PC on an earlier date. It has a rating of "K/A" which means that it is suitable for kids above the age of six to adults. The original price was $29.99 plus tax. The save game files only use one block on a memory card. It was released by Psygnosis of Destruction Derby and Wipeout fame. It was ahead of it's time in many ways for being one of the early Playstation titles, offering the use of Dolby Surround Sound, and is one of the few games that uses the link cable to hook two Playstation consoles together. Psygnosis also used the link cable for Destruction Derby, Krazy Ivan, and the Wipeout games.

Assault Rigs is both challenging and thrilling at the same time. The use of the Dolby Surround Sound is a treat to hear, especially after you destroy another rig and can heard the pieces landing all around you. It is hard to distinguish between the Dolby Surround Sound option and the regular stereo sound option though.

The genera that Assault Rigs falls into is more first person shooter, rather than simulation. Because the game is set in a virtual environment, the rigs don't behave the same way that a real tank would. Keep this in mind while playing the game for the first time. You can strafe sideways in your rig, rather than turning and going forward or backward in the desired direction. Also, your rig does not take damage as a regular tank would. Namely when you fall from a high platform you will bounce rather than take damage or be destroyed.

With this information you can start to see how the play mechanics of the game are not just simulating standard tanks, but rather try to pull you into the virtual environment where the laws of physics act differently, sometimes to your advantage.

Starting The Game

The premise of Assault Rigs is simple; guide your rig through a series of arenas safely while picking-up gems. Pick up all the gems in an arena to light up the exit block. Touch the exit block when it is lit to continue to the next stage. Use weapons, items, and your driving skill to destroy the various enemies in the game to earn points.

To begin with, you should read and follow the instructions that came with your Playstation and Assault Rigs game to make sure that everything is set-up properly. It is also a good idea to check the set-up section of this webpage to make sure you are using the highest quality video and audio that you can get. All of your video game systems should be taken into account when being connected to your audio video system.

The three main options are one player, two player, and options. Two player is only available when two Playstations are linked together with a link cable. Use the option menu to change things such as music volume, music test, sound effects (FX) style, sound effects volume, load and save your game, see the hall of fame to view your records, and choose the difficulty.

Choosing the one player option will give you two more choices. Either choose to start at Level 1 or input a password to start at a later level. You can also start at a level that you have already beaten by going to the hall of fame in the options menu. If you select password you will be taken to a password entry screen. Press UP on the control pad to input a password. Input the password by pressing the correct buttons on the controller that correspond with the code for the level you wish to go to.

After you have chosen how to start the game, you will be taken to the rig selection screen. There are three types of rigs to choose from; Heavy, Middle, and Light.

Heavy Rig
When you first get the to rig selection screen, this is the rig that is selected. It is the slowest rig, almost half as fast as the light rig, but it's shields are the best in the game. It is a good idea to use this rig your first few times playing the game since it can take a lot of punishment before being destroyed. The heavy rig can use the Auto Turret item.

Middle Rig
The middle rig is to the left of the heavy rig on the rig selection screen. This rig should be your choice one you get used to the controls as it is faster than the heavy rig and has better shields than the light rig. It can also use the Auto Turret item like the heavy rig.

Light Rig
The light rig is to the left of the heavy rig on the rig selection screen. This rig should be avoided unless you really know what you are doing and can pick off enemies from a distance since the shields on this rig are very weak. This rig is the fastest in the game, and is actually a decent choice for playing link-up games against other people. If you can aim well enough you can run circles around people. It is also easier to get up on the outside walls of the arenas with this rig because it is so fast.

After you have chosen a rig you will be ready to start the game. From the menu below choose Levels to get a quick run down on the various levels and to see walkthroughs of each level. Choose Enemies, Weapons, or Items to learn more about the various things you will encounter in the game. Choose Tips, Tricks, and Codes to learn about some of the secrets, cheat codes, Gameshark codes, level codes, and advanced strategies for the game.