Software:Strider II (1990 video game)

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Strider II
1990 advert
Developer(s)Tiertex
Publisher(s)U.S. Gold
Platform(s)Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Gear, Master System, Genesis, ZX Spectrum
Release
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Strider II (released in North America under the title of Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns), is a side-scrolling platform game published by U.S. Gold (under license from Capcom USA) and originally released for various computer platforms in 1990. It is a European-developed sequel to Capcom's arcade video game Strider, which U.S. Gold previously ported to home computers in Europe.

Capcom later developed their own sequel in 1999, titled Strider 2 for the arcades and PlayStation, which ignores U.S. Gold's version of Strider II.

Gameplay

The objective of the game is to rescue the Princess of Planet Magenta from a terrorist group that is 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 cypher, he can also use a rifle whenever he is standing still. If the player character has collected enough energy icons throughout each stage, he will transform into a wheeled robot when confronting the boss at the end of each stage. As a robot, Strider can shoot lasers, but cannot jump nor crouch. His robot form has a separate health gauge from his regular health gauge as a human. When his robot gauge runs out, he will transform back to a human. The game consists of five stages.[2]

Release

Strider II was released for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. Strider II was later remade for the Sega Genesis and Master System in 1992.

Ports

Two years after the release of the computer versions, U.S. Gold and Tiertex ported Strider II to the Sega Genesis/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 Genesis 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 Genesis version of the original Strider, this Strider is addressed in the manual as "Hinjo" (instead of "Hiryu", the actual code name of the original protagonist).[3]

The player controls Hinjo similarly to Hiryu in the first Genesis game (with the ability to slide and move under ceilings retained). Instead of a gun like in the home computer versions, Hinjo throws shurikens but only if he collects them first.[4] 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.[5] The player can choose between Hiryu's original cypher from the first game or a new "sweeping" cypher.[6]

Strider II was also released for the 8-bit Master System in Europe. This version features gameplay similar to its Genesis counterpart. Unlike the Genesis version, the Strider's supply of shurikens are unlimited, but he can only throw two on-screen at the same time. Due to the fewer buttons of 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. An Atari Lynx version was being developed and listed as 50% complete, but it was never released.[7][8]

Reception

Matt Bielby of Your Sinclair magazine gave the game a positive review, and 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.[9]

The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Genesis version a 6.75 out of 10, describing it as a decent but disappointing sequel. They praised the massive size of the game and the high amount of digitized voices, but criticized that the animation is much too choppy. Three of the four also felt that the gameplay lacked the excitement of the original Strider.[10] They gave the Game Gear version a unanimous score of 7 out of 10, but were sharply divided in their opinions. Two of them felt it to be "surprisingly better on the Game Gear than on the Genesis", citing better playability with far less choppiness in the animation, while the other two felt it to be far worse than the Genesis version, complaining of both inferior graphics and the annoyingly long distance the player character is knocked back when hit.[11] GamePro took the middle ground, saying the "Graphics and game play parallel the Genesis version." They praised the controls, large sprites, and detailed backgrounds, but criticized the slower pace and droning soundtrack, and concluded "Strider fans will welcome his return, but others will shrug."[12]

In a Strider series retrospective, Ken Horowitz of Sega-16.com compared Strider Returns to "seeing a loved one revived as a mindless zombie".[13] Travis Fahs, writing a Retro feature for IGN, commented that U.S. Gold had made multiple improvements to Strider II for its console ports, but that the core problem of dull level design remained.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Strider". Zero (14 (December 1990)): 84. November 1990. https://archive.org/details/zero-magazine-14/page/n83/mode/1up. 
  2. ↑ "Transcription of Strider II's Amiga Manual". http://www.lemonamiga.com/?mainurl=http%3A//www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php%3Fid%3D1564. Retrieved 5 Jan 2010. 
  3. ↑ Tiertex. Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns. U.S. Gold. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 1. 
  4. ↑ Tiertex. Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns. U.S. Gold. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 3. 
  5. ↑ Tiertex. Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns. U.S. Gold. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 5. 
  6. ↑ Tiertex. Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns. U.S. Gold. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 4. 
  7. ↑ "Lynx Column - Atari Attack - Strider II". Raze (Newsfield) (9): 20. July 1991. https://archive.org/details/RAZE_Issue_09_1991-07_Newsfield_Publishing_GB/page/n19. 
  8. ↑ "ProNews Report: Atari Expands Lynx Line-up". GamePro (IDG) (30): 160. January 1992. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_030_January_1992/page/n163. 
  9. ↑ Bielby, Matt (January 1991). "Strider II". Your Sinclair (61): 51. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/striderii.htm. Retrieved 20 Dec 2009. 
  10. ↑ "Review Crew: Strider Returns". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (51): 40. October 1993. 
  11. ↑ "Review Crew: Strider Returns". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (51): 44. October 1993. 
  12. ↑ "ProReviews". GamePro (IDG) (61): 139. October 1993. 
  13. ↑ Horowitz, Ken (31 May 2005). "History of: The Strider Series". http://www.sega-16.com/feature_page.php?id=112&title=History%20of:%20The%20Strider%20Series. Retrieved 21 Dec 2009. 
  14. ↑ Fahs, Travis (20 Aug 2008). "The Shrouded Past of Strider Hiryu". IGN. http://retro.ign.com/articles/900/900723p1.html. Retrieved 21 Dec 2009. 
  • Strider II at SpectrumComputing.co.uk
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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