Strider

[Melf]

When Sega decided to convert Strider, it was a daunting task. Weighing in at a hefty eight megs, it was the first cart of that size to ever be released on a home console outside of anything Neo Geo. In order to maintain everything that made the coin-op original so popular, Sega had to squeeze every iota of memory they could from the ROM. For all intents and purposes, it was a resounding success, even if the game retailed for about $10 than others at the time (hey, it was 8 megs!).

Read the review.

[vintagegamecrazy]

I just played this for the first time and was pretty disappointed overall, I don't think the game has aged well at all. I could understand the game's popularity back in the day with it being pretty original and all but this feels pretty stale now. Its popularity inspired the Snes game Run Sabre, it plays pretty similar but I didn't care for that one either.

[Kollision]

Well, now I understand why you have the word "crazy" in your nickname!

[bohokii]

i think it was the most i ever paid for a videogame

i paid $80 for it from a store called "the good guys"

i played the hell out of it after a while i was just exploring glitch areas

[Jesse813]

One of The Best Early Genesis Games

[Sega Genesis]

For a fun quick game, this is the number 1 game for me. I don't see the difficulty. I guess after playing over 1,000 times it wouldn't be anymore.

[Nintega Grafx-16]

It is impossible to finish the Genesis version without dying once. There is a glitch at the end of the last stage right after you fight that unicorn from stage 4. Usually the first stage boss appears before you fight the final boss. Not the case if you make it that far without losing a life. You'll have no choice but to fall into the pit and die to get to the final boss.

[JRedmond3]

Good thing I normally die a billion times before getting to that point.

[Aarzak]

It is impossible to finish the Genesis version without dying once. There is a glitch at the end of the last stage right after you fight that unicorn from stage 4. Usually the first stage boss appears before you fight the final boss. Not the case if you make it that far without losing a life. You'll have no choice but to fall into the pit and die to get to the final boss.

LIES!!!

In my first years of playing through the game, I always died during the short trip to the final boss via Ouroboros (Stage 1 boss) due to the twists and turns it made, causing me to fall into the pit. Eventually I learned NOT to hang on to Ouroboros when he does this, but jump at the right time so I'm always er, riding above him with he makes those tricky turns. Both in the arcade and Genesis. I rarely die on that spot nowadays.

If there's one part of the last level that's hard to pass without losing a life, it's at the beginning of the 2nd half, with the gravity reversed and the drills coming from every way. In higher difficulties, it's made even more difficult with those floating mini-cannon things that shoot projectiles at you and follow you to the ends of the earth. To this day I lose most of my lives, and a continue, at that spot.

[Baloo]

I just played this for the first time and was pretty disappointed overall, I don't think the game hasn't aged well at all. I could understand the game's popularity back in the day with it being pretty original and all but this feels pretty stale now. Its popularity inspired the Snes game Run Sabre, it plays pretty similar but I didn't care for that one either.

Same, it's an OK game, but there's so much flicker. And the hit detection is eh.

Maybe it's just not my kind of game. I really wanted to like it, but the difficulty, mediocre graphics, and overall blahness of the game just turned me off to it.

[Aarzak]

The original coin-op version is free of the flicker and slowdown that plagues the Genesis port, and looks better as well (the latter goes for "Ghouls 'N Ghosts" as well), but I can see why the difficulty would turn people off. This is coming from someone who destroyed his first, CIB copy of "Strider" (got it for a sweet $7 in December 1997) out of frustration of getting raped in the last level.

[Curryman123]

Finally got my copy and finished it yesterday.

To be honest, strider is a poorly programmed game. For example:-
-The magnetic boss tossed me through the wall.
-In the jungle level, when I was about to jump on a branch right before the boss, a fireball came out of nowhere and knocked me in a pit.
-horrible jump mechanics (can't control jump and once I beat the flying ball in mid air, my guy just falls straight down in the pit below)
-Sometimes he does not grip the ledges properly and ends up falling (very annoying in the sky level)

and some other things.

But all in all, not a bad game. I liked it.

3.5/5

[Mr Nuts]

I have said it before and i will say it again - the middle of level 2 and the run down the snowy mountain is a gaming memory i will never forget

[oldmanwinters]

Finally got my copy and finished it yesterday.

To be honest, strider is a poorly programmed game. For example:-
-The magnetic boss tossed me through the wall.
-In the jungle level, when I was about to jump on a branch right before the boss, a fireball came out of nowhere and knocked me in a pit.
-horrible jump mechanics (can't control jump and once I beat the flying ball in mid air, my guy just falls straight down in the pit below)
-Sometimes he does not grip the ledges properly and ends up falling (very annoying in the sky level)

and some other things.

But all in all, not a bad game. I liked it.

3.5/5

I agree with pretty much everything you've said here! So glitchy yet still fun!

[Barone]

Poorly programmed? I must be losing my mind...