Strider Returns
Encyclopedia
Strider II is a side-scrolling platform game
published by U.S. Gold
(under license from Capcom USA) and originally released for various computer platforms in . It is a Europe
an-developed sequel
to Capcom
s arcade game
Strider
, which U.S. Gold previously ported to home computers in Europe. The game was developed by Tiertex, as with Human Killing Machine
, the U.S. Gold sequel to Street Fighter
.
Capcom later developed their own sequel in , titled Strider 2
for the arcades and PlayStation
, which ignores U.S. Gold's version of Strider II.
, Commodore 64
, Amstrad CPC
and ZX Spectrum
. Strider II was later remade for the Mega Drive and Master System in .
In the computer versions of Strider II the objective of the game is to rescue Princess of Planet Magenta from a terrorist group that are keeping her captive. The controls in the computer version are similar to U.S. Gold's home computer ports of the original Strider, although the character cannot slide nor climb ceilings like in the original game. However, he can still climb walls, as well as ropes. In addition to his sword, he can also use a rifle whenever he is still standing still. If the player has collected enough energy icons throughout each stage, they transform into a wheeled robot when confronting the boss at the end of each stage. As a robot, the Strider can shoot lasers, but cannot jump nor crouch. His robot form has a separate energy gauge from his regular energy gauge as a human. When his robot gauge runs out, he will transform back to a human. The game consists of five stages.
", the actual code name of the original protagonist).
The player controls Hinjo similarly to Hiryu in the first Mega Drive game (with the ability to slide and move under ceilings retained). Instead of a gun like in the home computer versions, Hinjo throws shuriken
s but only if he collects them first. Instead of transforming into a robot when he confronts a boss, Hinjo collects orbs throughout each stage instead. These orbs will surround Hinjo and protect him when he faces the stage's boss. The player can choose between Hiryu's original sword from the first game or a new "sweeping" sword.
Strider II was also released for the 8-bit Master System in Europe. This version features gameplay similar to its Mega Drive counterpart. Unlike the Mega Drive, the Strider's supply of shurikens are unlimited, but he can only throw two on-screen at the same time. Due to the few buttons on the Master System's controller, shurikens are thrown while the player is standing still. This version was converted to the Game Gear and released in North America
as Strider Returns.
The vast majority of reviewers agree with Parish's sentiment. Ken Horowitz of Sega-16.com compared Strider Returns to "seeing a loved one revived as a mindless zombie". Travis Fahs, writing a Retro feature for IGN, noted that U.S. Gold had attempted to improve the sequel for its Genesis port but was ultimately unsuccessful, saying "you can't polish a turd".
Curiously though, the computer versions of Strider II had some positive reviews, among them Matt Bielby of Your Sinclair
magazine, who went so far as to claim that Capcom wanted to use the Sinclair port of this game as the basis for a coin-op sequel. Capcom later produced their own sequel, Strider 2
, which followed up on the original Strider and ignored Strider Returns.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
published by U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold was a British video game publisher and developer from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, producing numerous titles on a variety of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit platforms.-History:...
(under license from Capcom USA) and originally released for various computer platforms in . It is a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an-developed sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
s arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Strider
Strider (arcade game)
Strider, released in Japan as 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 .-Plot: Strider is set in a...
, which U.S. Gold previously ported to home computers in Europe. The game was developed by Tiertex, as with Human Killing Machine
Human Killing Machine
Human Killing Machine, commonly abbreviated as HKM, is a 2D fighting game developed by Tiertex and published by U.S. Gold, released in March 1989. It was touted as a sequel to Tiertex's home computer conversion of Street Fighter...
, the U.S. Gold sequel to Street Fighter
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
.
Capcom later developed their own sequel in , titled Strider 2
Strider 2
Strider 2, released in Japan as , is Capcom's 1999 sequel to the original Strider. The game is actually the second sequel to Strider produced, following the U.S. Gold-produced Strider Returns released in , a game with which Capcom was not directly involved...
for the arcades and 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...
, which ignores U.S. Gold's version of Strider II.
Computer versions
Strider II was released for the Commodore Amiga, Atari STAtari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
and ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
. Strider II was later remade for the Mega Drive and Master System in .
In the computer versions of Strider II the objective of the game is to rescue Princess of Planet Magenta from a terrorist group that are keeping her captive. The controls in the computer version are similar to U.S. Gold's home computer ports of the original Strider, although the character cannot slide nor climb ceilings like in the original game. However, he can still climb walls, as well as ropes. In addition to his sword, he can also use a rifle whenever he is still standing still. If the player has collected enough energy icons throughout each stage, they transform into a wheeled robot when confronting the boss at the end of each stage. As a robot, the Strider can shoot lasers, but cannot jump nor crouch. His robot form has a separate energy gauge from his regular energy gauge as a human. When his robot gauge runs out, he will transform back to a human. The game consists of five stages.
Console versions
Two years after the release of the computer versions, U.S. Gold and Tiertex ported Strider II to the Mega Drive. In addition to its European release, Strider II was also released for the American Sega Genesis under the title of Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns. The Mega Drive version of Strider Returns differs from the previous computer version in several ways. While the plot is the same, the antagonist is now the Grandmaster (Meio) from the original Strider (who is referred in the game's manual as the "Evil Master"). Although the main character uses the same sprite as in the Mega Drive version of the original Strider, this Strider is addressed in the manual as "Hinjo" (instead of "HiryuStrider Hiryu
is a fictional character jointly owned by Capcom and Moto Kikaku.Although primarily known as a game character, Hiryu debuted in 1988 as the protagonist of a manga published exclusively in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten...
", the actual code name of the original protagonist).
The player controls Hinjo similarly to Hiryu in the first Mega Drive game (with the ability to slide and move under ceilings retained). Instead of a gun like in the home computer versions, Hinjo throws shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
s but only if he collects them first. Instead of transforming into a robot when he confronts a boss, Hinjo collects orbs throughout each stage instead. These orbs will surround Hinjo and protect him when he faces the stage's boss. The player can choose between Hiryu's original sword from the first game or a new "sweeping" sword.
Strider II was also released for the 8-bit Master System in Europe. This version features gameplay similar to its Mega Drive counterpart. Unlike the Mega Drive, the Strider's supply of shurikens are unlimited, but he can only throw two on-screen at the same time. Due to the few buttons on the Master System's controller, shurikens are thrown while the player is standing still. This version was converted to the Game Gear and released in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
as Strider Returns.
Reception
The Mega Drive version of Strider Returns was poorly received among critics and fans of the original game, and is regarded as a vastly inferior game.- "Strider Returns was a pale shadow of the arcade game, with poor control, unimaginative design and none of the brilliance that made its inspiration so compelling. Even the biggest Strider nut won't touch this one." (Jeremy Parish, 1UP.com)
The vast majority of reviewers agree with Parish's sentiment. Ken Horowitz of Sega-16.com compared Strider Returns to "seeing a loved one revived as a mindless zombie". Travis Fahs, writing a Retro feature for IGN, noted that U.S. Gold had attempted to improve the sequel for its Genesis port but was ultimately unsuccessful, saying "you can't polish a turd".
Curiously though, the computer versions of Strider II had some positive reviews, among them Matt Bielby of Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
magazine, who went so far as to claim that Capcom wanted to use the Sinclair port of this game as the basis for a coin-op sequel. Capcom later produced their own sequel, Strider 2
Strider 2
Strider 2, released in Japan as , is Capcom's 1999 sequel to the original Strider. The game is actually the second sequel to Strider produced, following the U.S. Gold-produced Strider Returns released in , a game with which Capcom was not directly involved...
, which followed up on the original Strider and ignored Strider Returns.