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Strider for the NES
YEAR: 1989
SYSTEM: Nintendo Entertainment System
DEVELOPER: Capcom
PUBLISHER: Nintendo of America
Accurately porting a CPS-1 game to the NES was a nightmare. Sometimes Capcom made the attempt, as with Ghosts 'N' Goblins; but often they didn't, instead fashioning these "ports" into new games with completely different objectives, graphics, and gameplay.
This is what happened to Strider, or so it was believed. Advertisements for the Famicom version of this game which recently came to light indicate that it was in development before the CPS-1 coin-op, suggesting that this is the "real" Strider game and no mere remake. Regardless, the NES Strider is based off of a Japanese manga Tatsumi Wada drew for Moto Kikaku, which had been serialized in Kadokawa Shoten. It's hard to appreciate this game unless you've read the manga, as it explains some important plot holes and shows which parts of the game are filler and which are actual storyboard points.
The game's plotline is fairly involved, taking Hiryu to five different continents as it unfolds. You start out searching for your missing friend Kain, but quickly uncover a sinister plot at the heart of the Strider organization. The "cutscenes" that tell this story are nondescript and poorly translated, leaving you scratching your head at times.
No amount of manga credibility helps the fact that this version of Strider was poorly programmed. Its graphics are mediocre, only slightly above average for the NES... but they're not terrible, and they don't make you want to recoil in horror. The real problem is the collision detection: it's way off. Pulling off a triangle jump is murder (thank god you only have to use it once), and avoiding enemy fire is tricky. A shot can pass three pixels below Hiryu's foot and he'll take damage.
The most difficult part of this game is adjusting to the stiffness of the graphics. The smooth acrobatics of the CPS-1 game are completely absent. Hiryu's cartwheel jump is gone, he doesn't tumble when hit, can't cling to walls (although he can obtain a pair of magnet boots that allow him to walk up them), and can't kill enemies by sliding into them until 80% of the way through the game. In fact, he can't even slide at the beginning of the game... it's a skill he acquires.
Ultimately, the NES Strider is an entirely different experience, marred by the fact that it is, in all likelihood, an unfinished beta. Still, if you're in the mood for an action/adventure version of Strider, you'll find it included in the Capcom Classics Mini Mix collection for Game Boy Advance.
Review | Screenshots | Concept Art | Merchandise | End Credits