Strider (NES)

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Strider is a side scrolling action-adventure video game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. While the development of the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Strider was being created in tandem with the arcade version both games were separate unique projects.

The concept for the Strider series was conceived as part of a collaboration project between Capcom and manga studio Moto Kikaku. Capcom and Moto Kikaku had a vision to create a story that could be told through the form of a manga and developed into a video game. The collaboration which was originally conceived by Capcom involved the creation of three individual projects, a manga series, a Nintendo Entertainment System game based on the manga series and an original storyline arcade game.

Strider was first introduced in 1988 with the release of the manga series which was featured in the monthly magazine “Comic Comptiq”. The manga was the debut of the Strider series and introduced the series protagonist, Hiryu, prior to the release of the immensely popular arcade game. The manga was released in chapters and was included in Comic Comptiq monthly in Japan from May 1988 to October 1988. The conclusion of the 6-chapter manga series was initially intended to coincide with the release of the Nintendo Famicom video game but was delayed then eventually cancelled for release in Japan.

Developer(s)	Capcom
Publisher(s)	Capcom

Series	Strider
Predecessor	None
Successor	Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns

Platform(s)	Nintendo Entertainment System
Media Type	Cartridge
Release	NA: July 1989 JP: Cancelled
Genre(s)	Action-Adventure Platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating	Pre-Dates ESRB

Rereleased Platform(s)

None

Unlike the Famicom version of the game the arcade game released on schedule in early 1989 and became immensely popular, resulting in Capcpm porting the game to many home video game consoles and home computers. The cancellation of the Famicom project was reassessed and the decision was made to finish the development of the game for the western market. The game was localized and released throughout North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System in July 1989.

While the Arcade version of Strider had its own original plot, the Nintendo Entertainment version closely follows the plot of the manga series. The game takes place in 2048 in a dystopian society and centers around a secret organization of hi-tech ninja agents known as the “Striders”. Players take control of Hiryu, the youngest member of the organization who is ordered by Vice Director Matic to assassinate his friend Kain, who has been captured by hostile forces and has become a liability to the Striders. Instead of killing Kain, Hiryu decides to rescue him from his captors. While rescuing Kain, Hiryu also recovers a recording from Kain concerning a suspected criminal plot. With the help of his fellow Strider Sheena, Hiryu uncovers a conspiracy between a certain faction of the Strider organization and an unknown organization known simply as the “Enterprise” which involves the development of a mind-control weapon codenamed “Zain”. In the course of finding and destroying these Zain units, Hiryu learns that the faction of conspirators is headed by Vice Director Matic himself.

The Nintendo Entertainment System version of the game received positive reviews from critics when it released in July 1989 and was quite successful for Capcom. Under license from Capcom, U.S. Gold had Tiertex develop a sequel titled Strider II in Europe and Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns in North America. The sequel was created without Capcom’s involvement and released for various computer platforms as well as the Genesis, Game Gear and Master System. Capcom later developed and released their own sequel titled Strider 2 in 2000 for the arcades and PlayStation. The original arcade game received a remake by developer Double Helix Games in 2014 and released on the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and Steam.