YEAR: 1989

HARDWARE: Modified 6502 8-bit CPU

DEVELOPER: Capcom

PUBLISHER: Nintendo Of America

Due to the fact that the NES ran on completely different architecture than the CPS-1 arcade board, it was prohibitively difficult to make any attempt to directly convert any arcade game onto the NES. So they didn't do it. Instead, Nintendo would re-make the arcade titles into a completely different game, with different objectives...and in Strider's case, vastly different gameplay.

While Nintendo's logic was somewhat dubious (as always), the game that they produced is one that cannot be immediately tossed out on its ear. They based their plot off of a Japanese manga that Motomiya Kikaku had drawn for a monthly magazine, giving their game instant credibility.

Now, the fact that their game had credibility didn't help the fact that it was poorly programmed. The 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. Hiryu's cartwheel jump is gone, and he doesn't tumble when hit. You can't cling to walls (although you can obtain a pair of magnet boots that allow you to walk up them), and you can't kill enemies by sliding into them until you're 80% done with the game. In fact, you can't even slide at the beginning of the game...it's a skill you learn.

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" are nondescript and poorly translated, leaving you scratching your head at times.

You really don't appreciate this game until you've read the manga...it explains some important plot holes, as well as showing you which parts of the game are filler and which are actual storyboard points. Still, if you're in the mood for an action/adventure version of Strider, you'll find it here.