Based on the 1972 film of the same name, which starred Clint Eastwood as a vigilante cop, Dirty Harry for the NES puts you in the role of the title character, also known as Harry Callahan. Going against your boss's orders, you set out to stop drug kingpin Anaconda and his gang of thugs. The enemies you must face include: Gruff, the hand grenade-throwing leader of the Hooligans; Striker, the Longcoat leader who packs a Winchester pump; and the sewer-dwelling Toymaker, who commands an arsenal of explosive remote control cars. You must also beware of mercenaries, high voltage wires, snakes, laser security systems, sharpshooters, poison gas, killer cockroaches, and falling rocks.
During your three-level mission, which takes place in The Streets, on The Waterfront, and in and around Alcatraz, you must climp up buildings and telephone poles, jump across roof tops, shoot down gang members, climb down into dark sewers, search guarded rooms for weapons and cash, navigate the rough terrain of Alcatraz island, scale dangerous cliffs, and avoid mines and helicopter fire. Your primary methods of attack are hitting, kicking, and shooting (you are armed with a .44 magnum). To aid you in your quest to bring down Anaconda, you can pick up items such as plastic explosives, bulletproof vests, gas masks, trashcan lids (which act as shields), flashlights, missile launchers, harpoon guns, grappling hooks, and crowbars, which can be used to open locked doors.