Rambo III is a light phaser game where you play as Rambo on a solo rescue mission in Afghanistan. The CIA doesn't want to stir up a war, and Rambo can't be accompanied by anyone else because it's just him. His goal is to rescue Colonel Trautman from the Soviets, who he was taken prisoner by while delivering weapons to the Mujahedin freedom fighters.
The gameplay is simple: use your AK-47 and grenades to eliminate all the enemies on screen to progress to the next stage. You can also pick up additional grenades by blasting open containers such as pots and crates. The game has six stages, each set in a different location, including a Soviet army base, a village, the mountains, a prison camp, a night escape, and finally a final showdown with the Mil Hind helicopter.