Strider (1989 arcade game)
| Strider | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Capcom |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Designer(s) | Planner Kouichi "Isuke" Yotsui Planning Adviser Tokuro "Arthur" Fujiwara Shinichi "Yossan" Yoshimoto |
| Composer(s) | Junko Tamiya |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Release | March 1989 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Arcade system | CPS-1 |
Strider, released in Japan as Strider Hiryu (ストライダー飛竜) is a 1989 side-scrolling platform game released for the CP System arcade hardware by Capcom. It became one of Capcom's early hits before Street Fighter II, revered for its innovative gameplay and multilingual voice clips during cutscenes (presented in Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish and English).
Gameplay
The game takes place in the year 2048. The player controls Strider Hiryu, a young top-ranked member of a ninja-style assassination group known as "Striders", hired to assassinate the "Grandmaster", a legendary being who has observed Earth from his dwelling in a far off galaxy, and has created a space station (known as "The Third Moon"), between Earth and its original moon in order to rule earth and continue observation. The levels take place around the globe (including the Soviet Union and the Amazon Rainforest).
Hiryu uses a "Cipher" (a razor-sharp blade, wielded similarly to a tonfa which generates metal-cutting plasma) called the "Falchion". Throughout the course of the game, the player can obtain power-ups, including an extension power-up for the Cipher (increasing Hiryu's attack range for the next few attack), an invincibility power-up in which Hiryu creates a copy that mimics his attack for a short wild, and robotic animal-like companions known as "options" (such as a mushroom-like droid, a hawk, and a panther) which help him defeat enemies. He also has the ability to latch onto and climb across walls and ceilings using a metallic hook.
Ports
- U.S. Gold released ports of Strider for various computer platforms in Europe in Template:Vgy. Versions were produced for the Commodore Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum, all which were handled by developer Tiertex.
- Sega released a Mega Drive/Genesis version in Template:Vgy, which was one of the earliest 8-Megabit cartridge for the system. It was considered one of the system's "killer apps" and was awarded "Game of the Year" by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[volume & issue needed] Sega also released a Master System version in Europe in Template:Vgy, which was ported by Tiertex as well.
- A port for the X68000 computer platform was also released in Japan by Capcom in 1991.
- NEC Avenue released PC Engine version of Strider Hiryu in Template:Vgy, which released in CD-ROM² format and required the Arcade Card. It featured an additional stage not in the arcade version. NEC originally planned to release a SuperGrafx port in Template:Vgy, but this version was canceled.[1]
- A PlayStation port was released in Template:Vgy and as a two-in-one bundle with its Capcom-produced sequel Strider 2.
- An emulation of the arcade game is featured in Capcom Classics Collection: Remixed for the PlayStation Portable, as well as in Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, both released in Template:Vgy.
Manga
Before the release of the Strider arcade game, a Strider Hiryu manga authored by Tatsumi Wada was serialized in the Monthly Comic Comp, an anthology published by Kadokawa Shoten, from May to October in 1988. A single collected volume was published in November of the same year.[2] The manga was produced as a tie-in to the the Family Computer version of Strider Hiryu, which was canceled in Japan while the manga was finishing its serialization and released only in the West.[3]
Legacy
Sequels
An NES version of Strider was released exclusively in North America a few months after the arcade version's release. This version was produced in tandem with the arcade game and follows the same plot laid out in Moto Kikaku's tie-in manga. A Famicom version of the same game was planned in Japan, but canceled.
A European-produced Strider sequel was released titled Strider II in Europe (released in North America as Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns) was produced by U.S. Gold and Tiertex (under license from Capcom USA) for various computer platforms, as well as the Mega Drive, Game Gear, and Master System. The Tiertex-produced sequel was unreleased in Japan.
Capcom later released another sequel, unrelated to the Tiertex-produced Strider Returns, titled Strider 2, which was released for the arcades and the PlayStation in Template:Vgy.
Other appearances
The character of Strider Hiryu also appears in the Template:Vgy fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, which was followed by Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes in Template:Vgy. Additionally the Hiryu character has made appearances in other Capcom-produced games such as SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash, Namco X Capcom and Adventure Quiz: Capcom World 2.
Related games
The Template:Vgy arcade game Osman, released by Mitchell Corp., was produced by former staff members from Capcom who worked on the original Strider, likening Osman as a spiritual sequel to Strider.
References
- ^ "THE LIGHT SWORD CYPHER MAINFRAME".
{{cite web}}: Text "Dossier" ignored (help); Text "Strider on the NEC SuperGrafx" ignored (help) - ^ Wada, Tatsumi. Strider Hiryu (in Japanese). ISBN 4047130095.
- ^ "ストライダー飛竜/柴哲郎/和田たつみ" (in Japanese).