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Rip Off
Released in 1979 by Cinematronics, Rip Off is a vector-graphics action game played from a top-down perspective. Players pilot a tank to defend a central stockpile of fuel canisters from waves of enemy vehicles that attempt to tow them away. The goal is simple: destroy enemy ships before they steal the canisters. What distinguishes Rip Off is its cooperative two-player mode, where two players simultaneously control separate tanks on the same screen, coordinating to protect the depot. Controls consist of rotation and thrust inputs along with a fire button. Enemy waves increase in speed and aggression over time, raising difficulty progressively. The game ends when all canisters have been stolen. Its cooperative mechanic was notably uncommon for arcade games of the era.
- Developer
- Cinematronics
- Released
- 1979
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 (4.2K)
- Last updated
Rip Off Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Rip Off on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Rip Off Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Rip Off on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Rip Off" Arcade longplay 1979
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Rip Off released?
Rip Off was released in 1979 for the Arcade.
Who developed Rip Off?
Rip Off was developed by Cinematronics, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does Rip Off support?
Rip Off supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Arcade.
What type of game is Rip Off?
Rip Off is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Rip Off for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Rip Off runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Rip Off in the browser?
No. Rip Off streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Rip Off?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does Rip Off work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Rip Off this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Rip Off. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
