Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Encyclopedia
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, commonly known as Desert Strike, is a shoot 'em up
video game released by Electronic Arts
(EA) in February 1992 for Sega
's Mega Drive. The game was later released on several other formats, including a much upgraded version for the Amiga
home computer. The game was inspired by the Gulf War
and depicts a conflict between an insane Middle Eastern dictator and the United States. The player controls a lone Apache
helicopter and attempts to destroy enemy weapons and installations, rescue hostages and capture enemy personnel, while managing supplies of fuel and ammunition.
The lead designer, Mike Posehn, had no video game experience prior to developing Desert Strike. Inspired by Choplifter
, he aimed to create a nonlinear game with smoothly animated vehicles. Posehn, a PhD
in Mechanical Engineering
, developed a camera system with momentum to mimic realistic helicopter movements. Three-dimensional (3D) modeling
was used to generate the vehicle sprites
, which were later touched up on the pixel
level with color.
Desert Strike was a strong commercial success: it was a chart-topping best seller and at the time Electronics Arts' highest ever selling game. The game also received a favourable critical response, with several magazines awarding scores of over 90%. Reviewers praised the game's enjoyability, mix of action and strategy, graphics and sound. There was some controversy regarding the game's subject matter, with commentators criticising it as in poor taste due the proximity of its release to the recently ended Gulf War.
state, installing himself as dictator. The United States sends a lone helicopter to destroy Kilbaba's army in a series of swift strikes. The game's plot was felt by commentators to be a thinly disguised reference to the Gulf War and comparisons were drawn between Kilbaba and Saddam Hussein
, and between the game's unnamed desert setting and Iraq.
Desert Strike is a shoot 'em up game in which the player pilots an AH-64 Apache helicopter. The game is less frantic than typical shoot 'em ups, with the addition of greater strategic elements. The action takes place on open, multi-directional scrolling
levels viewed from an isometric perspective
. The player views the action from outside the helicopter, rather than from within the cockpit.
Levels consist of several missions, which are based around the destruction of enemy weapons and installations, as well as rescuing hostages or prisoners of war, or capturing enemy personnel. The Apache is armed with machine guns, more powerful Hydra
rockets and yet more deadly Hellfire
missiles. The more powerful the weapon, the fewer can be carried: the player must choose an appropriate weapon for each situation. Enemy weapons range from soldiers with small arms, to anti-aircraft missiles to tanks and armoured cars.
The player's craft has a limited amount of armour, which is depleted as the helicopter is hit by enemy fire. Should the armour reach zero, the craft will be destroyed, losing the player a life. The player must out-manoeuvre enemies to avoid damage, but can replenish armour by means of power-up
s or by airlifting rescued friendlies or captives to a landing zone. The helicopter has a finite amount of fuel which is steadily depleted as the level progresses. Should the fuel run out the Apache will crash, again costing the player a life. The craft can refuel by collecting fuel barrels: the player must therefore plan mission routes carefully in order to maximise efficiency. The helicopter also carries limited ammunition, which must be replenished by means of ammo crates.
. Soon after leaving EA, he obtained a publishing deal with the company for Video Deluxe. The success of the software spurred Posehn to branch out and experiment with a flight simulator
titled Fly for the IBM Personal Computer; International Business Machines
, however, cancelled the project. Posehn later met with EA president Trip Hawkins who suggested that Posehn develop a game for Sega's Mega Drive, which was soon to be released. He also recommended that Posehn create a game similar to the Apple II
game Choplifter
; Hawkins felt flying a helicopter and rescuing people was "cool".
Desert Strike underwent few changes from the plans outlined in the original design documents. The initial concept involved smoothly animated vehicles on an isometric playing field. The developers also aimed to include cinematic scenes, similar to The Revenge of Shinobi
s introduction sequence. Originally titled Beirut Breakout, the game's scenario was based on the Lebanese Civil War
; this was later changed to the Persian Gulf region. A special point system
intended to punish players was omitted; the system would have deducted points from the player's score if they destroyed objects that resulted in negative economic and political results. The control scheme was not well received at internal reviews of the game's early versions, and Posehn had to alter his original design to obtain approval for further development.
John Manley, an EA employee, assisted writing the game's program. He and Posehn collaborated to create the game's "SNAFU" system (named after the acronym for "Situation Normal; All Fucked Up". Posehn wanted the game to have nonlinear gameplay, and Manley felt having a storyline and puzzles would help the player progress. Posehn disliked common gameplay elements like series of bosses
and power-ups. As a compromise, the developers only included power-ups to replenish ammunition, armour, and other helicopter resources. To provide the player with options, the SNAFU system was designed to allow players to complete side missions in addition to main objectives. If the player alters the game scenario so that the objectives cannot be completed, the game instructs the player to reset the mission by returning to base.
Inspired by Matchbox toys he played with as a child, Posehn decided to make the size of the game sprites
resemble toys. Posehn contacted his friend, Tim Calvin, to assist with designing and creating the vehicle sprites. Though Calvin was a practising dentist at the time, he also had experience with 3D modelling. He rendered 3D models on a computer and reduced them to the desired size. Different views were obtained by rotating the models along a single axis. Calvin added colour to the sprites to meet the production staff's specifications; most required black, white, red, and blue, as well as four shades of colours like green and brown. Calvin eventually felt the rendering process was a waste of resources and attempted to create sprites on the pixel
level himself without 3D models. The developers, however, preferred the sprites created from the models over Calvin's freestyle ones.
Posehn had a difficult time working within the Mega Drive's output resolution of 320×240. He wanted to show as much of the playing field as possible without losing the details of the sprites; he felt a lack of graphical detail would make them less interesting. Posehn developed a dynamic camera system to help maintain what he felt was the right balance between the size of the field in view and the size of the game objects. The camera travels on an elliptic curve
as the helicopter rotates to change the direction it travels; this puts whatever is in front of the helicopter more in view on screen. Posehn also integrated momentum
to the camera movements to smooth transitions. He spent several months working on the physics for the screen and helicopter to ensure realistic movement. Instead of using completely accurate physics, Posehn chose to model movement that he believed players would assume a helicopter would have. He believed players would be put off by physics that didn't match their perceived movement.
Amiga conversion) and David Colclough (responsible for Myth
) in charge of development. The developers retouched and redrew the graphics and added additional sound effects taken from military training videos. Conversions for other systems include the Atari Lynx, Super Nintendo Entertainment System
, Master System, and Game Boy
. The game was also ported to the Game Boy Advance
, ten years later in 2002, as Desert Strike Advance, and was re-released in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable
as part of a budget compilation.
Desert Strike was followed by four sequels—Jungle Strike
, Urban Strike, Soviet Strike, and Nuclear Strike—that expanded on the basic gameplay it established. The design staff made efforts to retain game mechanics they felt embodied the core of the original. They believed removing those elements would result in a loss of focus of what attracted fans. As the series moved to more advanced consoles, Posehn became less involved in the programming side of development. Jungle Strike and Urban Strike, both released for the Mega Drive, featured additional vehicles and locations. Soviet Strike, released for Sony
's PlayStation
and the Sega Saturn
in 1996, featured 3D graphics
, as did Nuclear Strike, released on PC and PlayStation in 1997 and the Nintendo 64
in 1999. A fifth sequel provisionally titled Future Strike was planned, but the game was eventually released as Future Cop: LAPD
, a mech-based shooter game.
Desert Strike was an immediate commercial success, going straight to the top of sales charts. The game remained a top-10 best seller for months after its release, and was at the time Electronic Arts' highest selling game ever. Mean Machines
praised the sophistication and tactical freedom found in the game, as well as its longevity and graphics. The magazine deemed it one of the best shooters on the Mega Drive thus far, as well as the best game released for the console that month, awarding it 94%. Computer and Video Games
felt the game's subject matter was somewhat in bad taste, but praised its depth, soundtrack and sound effects. The magazine felt the game was "essential" for Mega Drive owners, awarding a score of 92%. ACE
praised the balance of action and strategy, as well as the variety of missions. The magazine felt some of the graphics, particularly the explosions, were a little weak and complained that the fact that the helicopter is not fully rearmed and refuelled after the loss of a life was unduly frustrating.
Amiga Action
felt the game was not particularly innovative, but praised its open-ended gameplay, graphics and sound. The reviewer claimed the Amiga version of the game ran more slowly than the Mega Drive version but overall felt the port was "a more than satisfactory translation", awarding the game 90%. Amiga Computing
noted the improved graphics and sound over the Mega Drive version and praised the game as "EA's finest moment since Populous
". The reviewer also acclaimed the game's "brilliant playability", awarding a score of 93%. Amiga Format
commended the "Successful cross between a shoot 'em up and a flight simulator", graphics, sound, varied missions and "tremendous fun" of the game, although the reviewer noted some "occasional glitches" occurring in the sound and graphics. The magazine awarded an overall 87% score. CU Amiga praised the Amiga version's improved graphics and sound, particularly the explosions, though the reviewer derided friendly units' invincibility as unrealistic and complained of poor enemy artificial intelligence. The magazine however said that "All things considered, Desert Strike couldn't be a better game", praising the "fast and frantic" action and "just-one-more-go appeal", awarding a score of 93%. The One
praised the mix of action and strategy as well as opining that the Amiga version was a strong improvement over the Mega Drive game. The magazine said the game "plays like a dream" and was "one of the best shoot 'em ups available for any games machine", awarding a score of 93%.
The game was re-released as budget software in 1994, prior to the release of Jungle Strike: Amiga Power awarded 91%, Amiga Format 90%, The One 90%, and CU Amiga 92%. The game was again re-released in 1997: Amiga Computing awarded a score of 90%, Amiga Format 88%, and CU Amiga 90%.
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
video game released by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
(EA) in February 1992 for Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Mega Drive. The game was later released on several other formats, including a much upgraded version for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
home computer. The game was inspired by the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and depicts a conflict between an insane Middle Eastern dictator and the United States. The player controls a lone Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
helicopter and attempts to destroy enemy weapons and installations, rescue hostages and capture enemy personnel, while managing supplies of fuel and ammunition.
The lead designer, Mike Posehn, had no video game experience prior to developing Desert Strike. Inspired by Choplifter
Choplifter
Choplifter is a 1982 Apple II game developed by Dan Gorlin and published by Brøderbund. It was ported to other home computers and, in 1985, Sega released a coin-operated arcade game remake, which in turn received several home ports of its own...
, he aimed to create a nonlinear game with smoothly animated vehicles. Posehn, a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, developed a camera system with momentum to mimic realistic helicopter movements. Three-dimensional (3D) modeling
3D modeling
In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of object via specialized software. The product is called a 3D model...
was used to generate the vehicle sprites
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
, which were later touched up on the pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
level with color.
Desert Strike was a strong commercial success: it was a chart-topping best seller and at the time Electronics Arts' highest ever selling game. The game also received a favourable critical response, with several magazines awarding scores of over 90%. Reviewers praised the game's enjoyability, mix of action and strategy, graphics and sound. There was some controversy regarding the game's subject matter, with commentators criticising it as in poor taste due the proximity of its release to the recently ended Gulf War.
Overview
Desert Strike depicts an antagonist named Kilbaba who seizes control of an unnamed, fictional GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
state, installing himself as dictator. The United States sends a lone helicopter to destroy Kilbaba's army in a series of swift strikes. The game's plot was felt by commentators to be a thinly disguised reference to the Gulf War and comparisons were drawn between Kilbaba and Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, and between the game's unnamed desert setting and Iraq.
Gameplay
Scrolling
In computer graphics, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display. "Scrolling", as such, does not change the layout of the text or pictures, or but incrementally moves the user's view across what is...
levels viewed from an isometric perspective
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
. The player views the action from outside the helicopter, rather than from within the cockpit.
Levels consist of several missions, which are based around the destruction of enemy weapons and installations, as well as rescuing hostages or prisoners of war, or capturing enemy personnel. The Apache is armed with machine guns, more powerful Hydra
Hydra 70
The Hydra 70 rocket is a weapon derived from the 70 mm Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket developed by the United States Navy for use as a free-flight aerial rocket in the late 1940s.-Overview:...
rockets and yet more deadly Hellfire
AGM-114 Hellfire
The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile developed primarily for anti-armor use. It has multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike capability, and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100 lb-class air-to-ground precision...
missiles. The more powerful the weapon, the fewer can be carried: the player must choose an appropriate weapon for each situation. Enemy weapons range from soldiers with small arms, to anti-aircraft missiles to tanks and armoured cars.
The player's craft has a limited amount of armour, which is depleted as the helicopter is hit by enemy fire. Should the armour reach zero, the craft will be destroyed, losing the player a life. The player must out-manoeuvre enemies to avoid damage, but can replenish armour by means of power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s or by airlifting rescued friendlies or captives to a landing zone. The helicopter has a finite amount of fuel which is steadily depleted as the level progresses. Should the fuel run out the Apache will crash, again costing the player a life. The craft can refuel by collecting fuel barrels: the player must therefore plan mission routes carefully in order to maximise efficiency. The helicopter also carries limited ammunition, which must be replenished by means of ammo crates.
Development
The game was developed by a team headed by Mike Posehn. In the 1980s, Posehn had previously worked for EA as a software developerSoftware developer
A software developer is a person concerned with facets of the software development process. Their work includes researching, designing, developing, and testing software. A software developer may take part in design, computer programming, or software project management...
. Soon after leaving EA, he obtained a publishing deal with the company for Video Deluxe. The success of the software spurred Posehn to branch out and experiment with a flight simulator
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
titled Fly for the IBM Personal Computer; International Business Machines
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, however, cancelled the project. Posehn later met with EA president Trip Hawkins who suggested that Posehn develop a game for Sega's Mega Drive, which was soon to be released. He also recommended that Posehn create a game similar to the Apple II
Apple II series
The Apple II series is a set of 8-bit home computers, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977 with the original Apple II...
game Choplifter
Choplifter
Choplifter is a 1982 Apple II game developed by Dan Gorlin and published by Brøderbund. It was ported to other home computers and, in 1985, Sega released a coin-operated arcade game remake, which in turn received several home ports of its own...
; Hawkins felt flying a helicopter and rescuing people was "cool".
Desert Strike underwent few changes from the plans outlined in the original design documents. The initial concept involved smoothly animated vehicles on an isometric playing field. The developers also aimed to include cinematic scenes, similar to The Revenge of Shinobi
The Revenge of Shinobi
The Revenge of Shinobi, published in Japan as is a video game developed and published by Sega in 1989. It was the first Shinobi game developed for the Sega Mega Drive, and was later released on the coin-operated version of that console, the Mega-Tech....
s introduction sequence. Originally titled Beirut Breakout, the game's scenario was based on the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
; this was later changed to the Persian Gulf region. A special point system
Score (gaming)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
intended to punish players was omitted; the system would have deducted points from the player's score if they destroyed objects that resulted in negative economic and political results. The control scheme was not well received at internal reviews of the game's early versions, and Posehn had to alter his original design to obtain approval for further development.
John Manley, an EA employee, assisted writing the game's program. He and Posehn collaborated to create the game's "SNAFU" system (named after the acronym for "Situation Normal; All Fucked Up". Posehn wanted the game to have nonlinear gameplay, and Manley felt having a storyline and puzzles would help the player progress. Posehn disliked common gameplay elements like series of bosses
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
and power-ups. As a compromise, the developers only included power-ups to replenish ammunition, armour, and other helicopter resources. To provide the player with options, the SNAFU system was designed to allow players to complete side missions in addition to main objectives. If the player alters the game scenario so that the objectives cannot be completed, the game instructs the player to reset the mission by returning to base.
Inspired by Matchbox toys he played with as a child, Posehn decided to make the size of the game sprites
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
resemble toys. Posehn contacted his friend, Tim Calvin, to assist with designing and creating the vehicle sprites. Though Calvin was a practising dentist at the time, he also had experience with 3D modelling. He rendered 3D models on a computer and reduced them to the desired size. Different views were obtained by rotating the models along a single axis. Calvin added colour to the sprites to meet the production staff's specifications; most required black, white, red, and blue, as well as four shades of colours like green and brown. Calvin eventually felt the rendering process was a waste of resources and attempted to create sprites on the pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
level himself without 3D models. The developers, however, preferred the sprites created from the models over Calvin's freestyle ones.
Posehn had a difficult time working within the Mega Drive's output resolution of 320×240. He wanted to show as much of the playing field as possible without losing the details of the sprites; he felt a lack of graphical detail would make them less interesting. Posehn developed a dynamic camera system to help maintain what he felt was the right balance between the size of the field in view and the size of the game objects. The camera travels on an elliptic curve
Elliptic curve
In mathematics, an elliptic curve is a smooth, projective algebraic curve of genus one, on which there is a specified point O. An elliptic curve is in fact an abelian variety — that is, it has a multiplication defined algebraically with respect to which it is a group — and O serves as the identity...
as the helicopter rotates to change the direction it travels; this puts whatever is in front of the helicopter more in view on screen. Posehn also integrated momentum
Momentum
In classical mechanics, linear momentum or translational momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object...
to the camera movements to smooth transitions. He spent several months working on the physics for the screen and helicopter to ensure realistic movement. Instead of using completely accurate physics, Posehn chose to model movement that he believed players would assume a helicopter would have. He believed players would be put off by physics that didn't match their perceived movement.
Ports and sequels
After the success of the Mega Drive version, work began on a conversion for the Amiga, with Gary Roberts (known for a John MaddenMadden NFL
Madden NFL is an American football video game series developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon for EA Sports. The game series is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden, a well-known former Super Bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders and color commentator...
Amiga conversion) and David Colclough (responsible for Myth
Myth: History in the Making
Myth: History in the Making is a 2D platform game published by British publishing house System 3 for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Amiga CD32, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum. It was also released on the NES as "Conan: The Mysteries of Time"...
) in charge of development. The developers retouched and redrew the graphics and added additional sound effects taken from military training videos. Conversions for other systems include the Atari Lynx, Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Master System, and Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. The game was also ported to the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, ten years later in 2002, as Desert Strike Advance, and was re-released in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
as part of a budget compilation.
Desert Strike was followed by four sequels—Jungle Strike
Jungle Strike
Jungle Strike is a video game developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1993. It was originally released for the Mega Drive, before being ported to several other systems including an upgraded version for the Amiga...
, Urban Strike, Soviet Strike, and Nuclear Strike—that expanded on the basic gameplay it established. The design staff made efforts to retain game mechanics they felt embodied the core of the original. They believed removing those elements would result in a loss of focus of what attracted fans. As the series moved to more advanced consoles, Posehn became less involved in the programming side of development. Jungle Strike and Urban Strike, both released for the Mega Drive, featured additional vehicles and locations. Soviet Strike, released for Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in 1996, featured 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
, as did Nuclear Strike, released on PC and PlayStation in 1997 and the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
in 1999. A fifth sequel provisionally titled Future Strike was planned, but the game was eventually released as Future Cop: LAPD
Future Cop: LAPD
Future Cop: LAPD is a third-person shooter published and developed by Electronic Arts and released first for the PlayStation, then Mac OS and Windows. It was originally supposed to be a sequel to the popular Strike series of games...
, a mech-based shooter game.
Reception
Although the game began development some time before any discussion of an American invasion of Iraq some commentators have felt the game was an attempt to capitalise on then-recent, extensive news coverage of the Gulf War, which had focussed on the use of advanced, impersonal weapons (such as aircraft and guided missiles) to destroy enemy weapons and installations. Some commentators considered the game's subject matter in bad taste, with one magazine reporting an incident of veterans burning copies of the game.Desert Strike was an immediate commercial success, going straight to the top of sales charts. The game remained a top-10 best seller for months after its release, and was at the time Electronic Arts' highest selling game ever. Mean Machines
Mean Machines
Mean Machines was a market-leading multi-format gaming magazine released between 1990 and 1992 in the United Kingdom. Its style was popular with gamers of the time for its irreverent humor, anarchic editorial tone and style, and its sometimes outrageously outspoken reviews.- Origins :In the late...
praised the sophistication and tactical freedom found in the game, as well as its longevity and graphics. The magazine deemed it one of the best shooters on the Mega Drive thus far, as well as the best game released for the console that month, awarding it 94%. Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
felt the game's subject matter was somewhat in bad taste, but praised its depth, soundtrack and sound effects. The magazine felt the game was "essential" for Mega Drive owners, awarding a score of 92%. ACE
ACE (games magazine)
ACE was a multi-format computer and video game magazine first published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing and later acquired by EMAP.-History:...
praised the balance of action and strategy, as well as the variety of missions. The magazine felt some of the graphics, particularly the explosions, were a little weak and complained that the fact that the helicopter is not fully rearmed and refuelled after the loss of a life was unduly frustrating.
Amiga Action
Amiga Action
Amiga Action was a monthly magazine about Amiga computer games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Europress and ran for 89 full issues, from October 1989 to December 1996, making it the longest running UK Amiga games magazine. After its closure, it was merged into sister publication Amiga...
felt the game was not particularly innovative, but praised its open-ended gameplay, graphics and sound. The reviewer claimed the Amiga version of the game ran more slowly than the Mega Drive version but overall felt the port was "a more than satisfactory translation", awarding the game 90%. Amiga Computing
Amiga Computing
Amiga Computing was a monthly computer magazine of a serious nature, published by Europress and IDG in both the UK and USA. A total of 117 issues came out. The games section was called Gamer, although later Amiga Action was incorporated into the magazine and became the games section.- External...
noted the improved graphics and sound over the Mega Drive version and praised the game as "EA's finest moment since Populous
Populous
-External links:*...
". The reviewer also acclaimed the game's "brilliant playability", awarding a score of 93%. Amiga Format
Amiga Format
Amiga Format was a British computer magazine for Amiga computers, published by Future Publishing. The magazine lasted 136 issues from 1989 to 2000. The magazine was formed when, in the wake of selling ACE to EMAP, Future split the dual-format title ST/Amiga Format into two separate publications...
commended the "Successful cross between a shoot 'em up and a flight simulator", graphics, sound, varied missions and "tremendous fun" of the game, although the reviewer noted some "occasional glitches" occurring in the sound and graphics. The magazine awarded an overall 87% score. CU Amiga praised the Amiga version's improved graphics and sound, particularly the explosions, though the reviewer derided friendly units' invincibility as unrealistic and complained of poor enemy artificial intelligence. The magazine however said that "All things considered, Desert Strike couldn't be a better game", praising the "fast and frantic" action and "just-one-more-go appeal", awarding a score of 93%. The One
The One (magazine)
The One was a video game magazine in the United Kingdom which covered 16-bit home gaming during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was first published by EMAP in October 1988 and initially covered computer games aimed at the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, and IBM PC markets.Like many similar magazines,...
praised the mix of action and strategy as well as opining that the Amiga version was a strong improvement over the Mega Drive game. The magazine said the game "plays like a dream" and was "one of the best shoot 'em ups available for any games machine", awarding a score of 93%.
The game was re-released as budget software in 1994, prior to the release of Jungle Strike: Amiga Power awarded 91%, Amiga Format 90%, The One 90%, and CU Amiga 92%. The game was again re-released in 1997: Amiga Computing awarded a score of 90%, Amiga Format 88%, and CU Amiga 90%.