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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).
[edit] Plot In 2048, Strider Hiryu, a young top-ranked member of a ninja-style assassination group known as "Striders", is hired to assassinate the "Grandmaster", a legendary being who has observed Earth from his dwelling in a far-off galaxy and created a space station (known as "The Third Moon"), between Earth and its original moon in order to rule Earth and continue his observation. Hiryu must venture into various parts of the world, including the Soviet Union and the Amazon Rainforest, in order to fulfill his mission and defeat the Grandmaster. [edit] GameplayThe player takes control of Hiryu, who is armed with a "Cipher" (a razor-sharp blade that generates metal-cutting plasma, with a handle similar to a tonfa) called the "Falchion". Hiryu can latch onto and climb across walls and ceilings using a metallic hook. Throughout the course of the game, the player obtains power-ups, including an extension for the Cipher (increasing Hiryu's attack range for the next few attacks), an invincibility power-up (which creates a body double who mimics Hiryu's attacks for a short while), and robotic animal-like companions called "Options" (a mushroom-like droid, a hawk, and a jaguar) which help him defeat enemies. [edit] Home versionsThe arcade version of Strider has been ported to a variety of computer and console platforms following its original release. In 1989, Strider was released for various computer platforms in Europe. Versions for Commodore Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum were published by U.S. Gold developed by Tiertex. Capcom separately produced a version for the X68000 computer in 1991, releasing it exclusively in Japan. In 1990, Sega released a Mega Drive/Genesis version of Strider, which was one of the earliest 4 Megabit cartridges. It was considered one of the system's "killer apps". Sega also released a Master System version in Europe in 1991, which was ported by Tiertex (the developers of the U.S. Gold-published ports). In 1994, NEC Avenue produced a PC Engine version of Strider Hiryu as a CD-ROM² release requiring the Arcade Card. The PC Engine port featured an all-new stage not in the original arcade version. The PC Engine version is notable for its long development process, having been planned in various formats, including the ill-fated SuperGrafx at one point.[1] In 2000, Capcom released a PlayStation port of Strider alongside its sequel Strider 2. In 2006, the original arcade version was rereleased as part of Capcom Classics Collection: Remixed for the PlayStation Portable, as well as in Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. [edit] MangaBefore the release of the Strider arcade game, Monthly Comic Comp (an anthology published by Kadokawa Shoten) serialized a Strider Hiryu manga authored by Tatsumi Wada from May to October in 1988. A single collected volume was published in November of the same year.[2] This manga was produced as a tie-in to the the Famicom version of Strider Hiryu, which was canceled in Japan while the manga was finishing its serialization and released only in the West.[3] [edit] ReceptionStrider is fondly remembered, having spawned numerous fansites and retrospectives[4][5][6]. Upon its release, Electronic Gaming Monthly was impressed with the Genesis port, devoting portions of three separate issues to it and awarding it the Genesis Game of the Year in 1990.[7] Brett Alan Weiss of All Media Guide called it "a nice effort and a lot of fun for someone who likes to travel through a dark future Earth killing everything in his/her path with a giant sword", while also noting that "it does get a little repetitious using the same weapon over and over. And the sound your sword makes is annoying from the start."[8] [edit] Legacy[edit] SequelsAn NES version of Strider was released exclusively in North America a few months after the arcade version's release. This version was produced alongside the arcade game and follows the same plot as Moto Kikaku's tie-in manga. A Famicom version of the same game was planned in Japan, but canceled. Under license from Capcom USA, U.S. Gold and Tiertex produced a Strider sequel in Europe titled Strider II (released in North America as Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns) for various computer platforms, as well as the Mega Drive, Game Gear, and Master System. This European-produced sequel was unreleased in Japan. Capcom later produced another sequel, unrelated to the Tiertex-produced Strider Returns, titled Strider 2, which was released for the arcades and the PlayStation in 2000. [edit] Other appearancesThe character of Strider Hiryu also appears in the 1998 fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, which was followed by Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes in 2000. 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. [edit] Related gamesThe 1997 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. [edit] References
[edit] External links
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