Strider

Strider is one of the more unusual action games released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, partly because the NES version is not simply a scaled-down version of the famous arcade game. Released by Capcom in 1989, it stars Strider Hiryu, an elite futuristic operative armed with his distinctive plasma blade, the Cypher. While the arcade version is a fast, linear action game built around spectacular set pieces, the NES version takes a very different approach, combining side-scrolling combat with exploration, item collection, character interactions, abilities, and backtracking.

That difference is important when approaching Strider on NES. Someone familiar with the arcade or Genesis versions might initially wonder why the game feels so different. Rather than attempting to reproduce the arcade experience with less powerful hardware, Capcom effectively created another interpretation of the character. The NES game has much more in common with an action-adventure title, and its structure rewards exploration and gradually learning how its world fits together.

The story begins with Hiryu being called out of retirement. He is one of the most accomplished members of the Striders, a secret organization specializing in infiltration and covert operations. Hiryu has been living peacefully when Vice-Director Matic arrives with disturbing news concerning his former friend Kain. Kain has been captured, and Hiryu receives an order to eliminate him. Hiryu eventually begins questioning the orders he has been given, leading him into a much larger conspiracy involving the Striders and an organization known as Enterprise. The NES manual establishes this darker storyline and gives the game a surprisingly serious tone for an 8-bit action platformer.

Hiryu begins his mission from the Blue Dragon, the Striders' base of operations. Rather than simply being a place for the story to begin, the Blue Dragon functions as an important hub throughout the game. From here, Hiryu can travel to different locations around the world as new destinations become available. The initial area is only the beginning, with later locations including places such as Egypt, China, Africa, and other regions.

This world structure is one of the biggest differences between the NES game and its arcade counterpart.

Instead of completing one straightforward stage after another, players have to investigate their surroundings and discover information that allows the adventure to progress. Keys, data disks, characters, equipment, and other important objects are scattered throughout the different areas. Some locations cannot be completely explored until Hiryu obtains a new ability or piece of equipment.

That gives Strider a distinctly exploratory feeling. You may reach an apparently inaccessible section early in the game and have no idea how to enter it. Later, after gaining a new ability, you can remember that location and return to it. This creates a simple but effective sense of progression. The game is not a full role-playing game, but it uses some ideas that would later become familiar in exploration-heavy action games.

Combat remains at the heart of the experience. Hiryu's primary weapon is the Cypher, a futuristic plasma-generating blade. The sword can be used against enemies directly in front of him, while holding it upward allows Hiryu to attack enemies positioned above him. The weapon is quick and responsive, encouraging the player to move aggressively rather than simply waiting for enemies to approach.

The Cypher can eventually gain an additional ability: the Plasma Arrow. Hiryu raises the sword and charges the attack before releasing a powerful projectile. This gives the player a useful long-range option and becomes particularly valuable against enemies that are difficult to approach safely.

Movement is equally important. Hiryu can jump, crouch, and move while airborne. Later abilities expand his mobility even further. The game includes techniques such as sliding and specialized jumping, while certain boots provide additional movement capabilities. The Magnet Boots, for example, allow Hiryu to travel across specific flashing surfaces, while Aqua Boots allow him to walk over water. Attack Boots provide an offensive advantage during sliding attacks.

These abilities aren't simply optional bonuses. They are tied directly to exploration and progression.

A new movement ability can transform an area that previously seemed useless into an important route. As a result, Strider encourages players to remember locations rather than treating each screen as something that only needs to be passed once.

Another unusual feature is the game's network of transport tubes. These elevator-like passages can be entered from different directions and transport Hiryu to other parts of an area. Some tubes are straightforward, while others can send the player surprisingly far away. Learning which transportation routes connect different parts of the world becomes part of understanding the game's geography.

Strider also incorporates a lightweight progression system. Hiryu has both a health meter and an energy meter. Health determines how much damage he can survive, while energy is used to activate special abilities known as Tricks. Completing certain objectives increases Hiryu's strength and expands these meters. His progression is therefore connected to accomplishing missions rather than simply defeating large numbers of enemies.

The Tricks add another strategic layer. Depending on what Hiryu has learned, he can use abilities for attacking enemies, recovering health, moving through the world, or returning to the Blue Dragon. The manual lists abilities such as Warp, Ground, Medical, Spark Ball, and other special attacks, each consuming a specific amount of attack energy.

This means that energy management can become just as important as health management. A player who spends special abilities constantly may find themselves without enough energy when an important situation arises. On the other hand, using a powerful Trick at the right moment can make a dangerous section considerably easier.

The game's environments help reinforce its globe-trotting science-fiction atmosphere. Rather than remaining in a single futuristic city, Hiryu travels between dramatically different locations. Snow-covered regions, deserts, jungles, industrial areas, and mysterious facilities create a sense that the adventure is much larger than the limitations of the NES hardware might suggest.

There is also a strong connection between the NES game and the original Strider Hiryu manga. The NES version follows the manga-oriented storyline more closely than the arcade game, which helps explain why its plot and structure feel so different. The game was part of a broader multimedia project involving Capcom and Moto Kikaku, with the manga and video game developed around the same period.

This makes the NES Strider particularly interesting from a historical perspective. The arcade version became famous for its fast movement, enormous bosses, wall-running, and impressive animation. The NES game instead emphasized the character's espionage background and the wider story surrounding the Striders.

Technically, the NES version obviously cannot reproduce the scale and animation of the CPS arcade hardware. But Capcom compensated by creating a game that works within the strengths of the console. Instead of concentrating entirely on spectacle, the NES version uses exploration and progression to make its world feel larger.

The game also uses passwords to preserve progress. When requesting a password, players can return to their adventure later with the abilities and progress they had previously obtained. Interestingly, the password system is presented with a small amount of personality, including a brief description of Hiryu's progress and a title for his next adventure.

For retro players, this makes Strider a particularly worthwhile NES game to revisit. It is easy to approach it expecting a simple sword-fighting platformer, but the deeper you go, the more its adventure elements become apparent.

The game does have some quirks. Its sprawling structure can sometimes be confusing, especially when several routes and transport tubes are available. Some objectives are not immediately obvious, and backtracking is an important part of the experience. Players accustomed to modern games with clear objective markers may need to pay closer attention to conversations and environmental clues.

But those same characteristics are part of what gives Strider its personality.

It feels like a game from a period when developers were experimenting with how much adventure and exploration could be incorporated into an action platformer. Rather than simply defeating enemies until the final boss appears, the player is encouraged to investigate, collect information, acquire new abilities, and gradually understand the world.

For fans of Capcom's NES library, Strider sits comfortably alongside other ambitious action titles of the era. Its combination of sword combat, futuristic settings, character progression, exploration, special abilities, and password-based advancement gives it a distinctive identity.

Most importantly, the NES version deserves to be judged on its own terms. It is not the inferior arcade version some players might expect. It is a different Strider altogether—slower, more exploratory, more story-driven, and considerably more focused on discovering how its world works.