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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!).
As platformers go, RKA stands tall among the crowd; looking down on most. That’s no mean feat considering the level of quality the Genesis has in this department. Many people made the mistake, however, of casually dismissing the game as another Sonic clone. They could not have been farther from the truth.
Data East offered many games to the Genesis library, and among the best of them was Two Crude Dudes. An arcade port, the Genny version manages to maintain all the fun and humor of the original, without losing much of its game play in the transition to console.
Not known for its huge array of RPGs, the Sega CD was practically an afterthought in the minds of gamers by the time Dungeon Explorer was released. By then, the Saturn and Playstation was dominating the press and many games slipped to the cracks into obscurity (see Ristar & Gunstar Heroes ). The fact that DE was a Gauntlet clone and a port of a Turbo Grafx game did little to help it catch the market’s attention, and the game was promptly forgotten.
One of the best platformers on the Genesis, Ristar is a wonderous journey composed of brilliant presentation and level design all rolled into one. If you own a Genesis and even have a passing liking for the genre, then this one needs to be in your library. It’s just that good.