Strider is BACK! Strider 2! Just a Near Perfect Arcade 2D Side Scrolling GEM of a Capcom PS1 Game

[@hidsnake]

Worth mentioning because it's often overlooked, Capcom outsourced Double Helix to make a reboot Strider game in 2014 that released as downloadable only. It was inspired by Shadow Complex at the time, so it plays a little more like a Metroidvania.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

The reboot is fun. Not perfect but a good time

[@neogiu000]

I really love this game it's very simple mechanically but it all works so well it's pure arcade finesse and the 2.5d style is amazing, I wish more indie games took inspiration from this game lol

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s just a tight hour and change of gameplay. Nothing more, nothing less

[@plaztik767]

The unlockable version of strider in the white uniform, with suped up attacks available after completing the main game (Ps-1) was a badass little bonus for a second play through 👍🏻

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I do love a completion bonus that makes you want to play all over again

[@8tenxperience479]

That’s strider hein

[@randoarchive]

Strider 1 also had at least one boss where you could stand in an exact place and never get hit. I almost wonder if Strider 2 did it again on purpose, due to that being a memorable part of 1.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

There’s def some spots where you are safe in the game. Not sure if intentional or not

[@PopeTheRevXXVIII]

Thisis a timeless classic thank you Marvel vs Capcom for the Asset flip.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

100% a classic

[@neogiu000]

it's not an asset flip, all the sprites are new lol but mvc did give birth to this new design which I love to death

[@PopeTheRevXXVIII]

@@neogiu000 I'm pretty sure the sprite you spend the whole game with is from Mahvel

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

A good question

[@MagmaMKII]

If you have a completed save of the first game you unlock an extra area in this one.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s been forever since I finished the PS1 version

[@chrismoon2961]

I also want to mention that the exploitable spaces you found might only work based on level order. Each stage scales in difficulty based on the order they are played in (adding extra enemies, etc), so this is an interesting way that capcom was experimenting with allowing the player to experiment with the difficulty, and as I recall, those easy exploits might not be so easy later on. Also, yeah, this one is a really tough 1cc since I'm pretty sure the game has rank system on top of the progressive difficulty. Back in the day when I was I trying to master this one I could make it to the last stage, but never saw the end on a single credit. Good luck!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

That is possible for sure. I wonder if there is a “fast route” through the game

[@chrismoon2961]

@@VideoGameEsoterica There's probably a 'best' route to avoid the worst enemy combinations and running past a lot of enemies is possible. What you got me thinking about was how much your rank at the end of each level PROBABLY increases a hidden 'difficulty' rank, meaning that there might be some gain in playing slow, no extra score pick ups, etc? I haven't played this game since the psx games, but maybe with the mister core having save states its time to revisit it and try for a save-state assisted 1cc?

[@aureateseigneur5317]

​@Chris Moon Platformers with rank systems like Shmups are always interesting. I never thought about Strider 2 having one but could very well be the case. Worth investigating.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It is a fun thought

[@jmssun]

I hope Robert Peip would one day expand his wonderful PS1 core to the series of PSX based of arcade platforms

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I’d certainly love to see it too

[@SP95]

Right on time for the Cannon Dancer Osman console port release 🕹

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Game is so damn difficult but super fun

[@silverfoenix]

This & R-Type Delta were such awesome GEMS! no one talks about... also Xevious 3D / G+ was a great port.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Delta is a blast. Sadly that disc is so expensive now. I bought it for $5 forever ago

[@Fattydeposit]

Delta is a masterpiece

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s certainly no slouch

[@TBtheking405216]

First game I ever purchased with my own money. Good times. Especially when I unlocked Hien and the bonus stage in 2

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Plus the fact you got two games for the price of one

[@thommccarthy1139]

Man this looks so good. Been digging for some great psx gems lately, glad this got a port.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

A great port at that!

[@AndikaThe2000]

This was a first Strider game i play back then. The gameplay is like Strider the first one on arcade, but stage turn as an scene page to page thing instead.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I think I played 2 before 1 as well

[@Charlie-Cat.]

Can never go wrong with some Strider action VGE. I love it. Keep him coming bro. 8^) Anthony...

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I may do more Strider one day

[@mumfnah]

Great looking game, I absolutely love the original Strider on my Megadrive too, and quite enjoyed the newer one on Steam when came out, though haven't gone back to that one in a while

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I haven’t gone back to it either since release. I probably should

[@jonboy8951]

Still own the original psx version of this. Love it and the original strider to this day

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I love how they messed up the discs and swapped game art

[@monstermug]

I prefer strider 2 over the first one. Was blown away how fun it was when my mate gave me this pcb. Perfect review. With the boss exploits many triple a titles have it... r type .. ninja spirit. Its good because the player has to find the exploit first.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I tend to agree. The second part is my preferred as well

[@Riz2336]

Those 2.5d games back in the day had an interesting look to them

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I loved it. Still do

[@miguelcarneiro1192]

I played this game some years ago and yeh, it is really great, really well made

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yeah it is. Just a tight experience from start to finish

[@miguelcarneiro1192]

@@VideoGameEsoterica its very good 👍

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yeah it is!

[@chrismoon2961]

Since you have the actual arcade board its time to talk about performance: The PSX version actually suffers from some crippling slowdown in a couple spots (the stage 2 hydra boss and the giant mammoth)--both accentuated by using the hyper/super. This can be bad enough that the game actually drops inputs. I've never managed to get it playing on mame, but I've been really curious whether or not these existed in the arcade version--something that would be hard to believe since the dropped inputs are almost guaranteed hits. Given that the slow down/lost inputs on the psx are a hardware limitation, I'd hoped maybe the 2x psx engine on MISTER might have fixed this (or any other of PSX settings that MISTER allows), but to no avail. I get the idea that this arcade board was basically a psx, but clearly it must have been more powerful,.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

The thing about 2X core on MiSTer is the use case is limited. So it might not solve anything related to the PS1 slowdown. Some games benefit huge from it, others not at all. Just how the code is written per game

[@gravious]

As opposed to a 33mhz R3051 MIPS, the Strider 2 board uses an upgraded 100mhz Sony CXD8661R, it's also got the QSound hardware instead of the default PSX audio (according to MAME)

[@chrismoon2961]

@@gravious I'd love to see a side by side in a couple of the rough areas on the PSX version compared with the arcade board. Yeah, I think the ZN-2 system had twice the ram as a psx.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes the jammed Q sound in there. Capcom loved that chip

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It would be an interesting comparison

[@ledrevolver]

This game is awesome, I slept on it for years then played it on the mister core. I Ended up playing the whole game!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It really is. Glad you found it! Not a game to be slept on

[@adventuretaco7140]

Love playing this on the psx2x core!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s great in every core. Such a. Fun game

[@adventuretaco7140]

@@VideoGameEsoterica I just gotta go for the frantic pace those extra frames provide

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Sounds like something you’d do 😂 (no it is awesome. I mean I featured it in my 2X vid after all)

[@gravious]

Have you played Osman? It's an unofficial sequel to the original strider, many of the original developers worked on it

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I have. Did a video on it back in like 2021. Super fun but hard as nails

[@ChrisdeCastro]

Gotta get that blue Zenny. Have you tried the 2014 version of Strider?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I did. Fun times but I still prefer 2

[@Jokerwolf666]

I love Strider 2, such a good game.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It really is. Just a straight up classic of the era

[@Jokerwolf666]

@@VideoGameEsoterica I remember the first time I played it and I beat it in one sitting. Honestly if I were to compare it to any other games it is almost like a marriage of Contra and Mega Man X just with less range of attack.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

That’s a good marriage. I’d marry that lol

[@KarlSturmgewher]

On Switch, they should have Strider 1989 as a bonus feature!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Not a bad idea

[@chriswaters834]

I think I'll fire this one up on the 'ol Duckstation tonight

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

You def should!

[@rockhyde7775]

Glad I have it on my PS3.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

its a classic for sure

[@METR0lD]

Still have my copy that I bought on day one! And yeah, they mixed up the discs.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

The disc mix up is hilarious

[@fv_ys_]

Yeah attack penguins are a thing in Japanese games. There is a thread titled - What is up with Japan and Blue Penguins? - famiboards.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha glad it’s not just me then noticing

[@Myako]

So, unlike Rival Schools, in this case the Arcade and Playstation versions are basically identical, then?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Very close yes

[@Fattydeposit]

Man I was so disappointed with this game back in the day. I wasn't impressed at all with any aspect of it, and I remember putting the controller down out of boredom and thinking *this* is what they did with the tight fast smooth cinematic experience that was the OG Strider? Recently I put it on my MiSTer to give it another shot and who knows maybe I won't hate it.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes def give it a play again. It’s such a good game but I get it…sometimes you just don’t click with it

[@Vvewa]

I am the opposite. Although I like the first one I prefer this, I think its the 2d/3d mix, I love that style.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I agree. IMO 2 is my fav

[@Fattydeposit]

So I did actually come back to reassess Strider 2 in light of this video, and thought I might as well give my honest, non-troll thoughts as a fan of the original growing up. Basically, my main issues are: - It runs like a dog in-game (25-30 FPS), and you're reminded of this every time you see that 60fps wireframe map at the start of each stage - The music is pretty generic throughout and lacks the dynamism and cinematic nature of the old CPS-1 chiptunes. Some of it sounds like Goldeneye 64 outtakes. - Levels are packed full of huge flashing arrows - an admittance of unintuitiveness IMO - I lost count of the amount of loading screens even within a single scene. Stop start stop start stop start. And they often end arbitrarily and lack flow and cohesion. - The gameplay isn't interesting enough to withstand the bloated length of the game, and the best parts (Antarctica, Flying battleship Balrog) arrive late. Anyway, just thought I'd go into a bit more detail in case I came across as a lone trolling contrarian (not my intention).

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

That’s fair. Nobody has to like everything :) and you didn’t come across bad at all

[@Dreadnort]

This was a worthy sequel, especially after the embarrassment that was "Strider 2" on the Genesis.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

The Genesis game shouldn’t even really count b

[@fungi6612]

I found this game to be average at best. Osman is a far better game, since many of the original developers worked on that game.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Osman is awesome but brutally hard