Sunset Riders
From Sega Retro
Sunset Riders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Mega Drive | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Konami | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Konami | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT), Hent Gruppen (SE rental) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original system(s): Arcade boards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sound driver: Konami/Hyperstone Heist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Action | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sunset Riders is a 1991 arcade run-and-gun by Konami, ported to the Sega Mega Drive and Super NES in 1992 and released only in the US and Europe in 1993. Because of its small ROM size, the port was heavily remixed in terms of stage layout and is missing characters and stages compared to the arcade and SNES versions.
Contents
Gameplay
The game is a run-and-gun platformer similar to Konami's Contra series but set in the American Old West. Players can choose from the two bounty hunters, Billy Cool and Cormano Wild, who seek rewards for catching bandits and saving girls. Billy is armed with a revolver and Cormano with a shotgun. They are moved with and and also aim in eight directions using the D-Pad. They fire in a stationary position with and can walk and fire at the same time with . Either button can be held for continuous fire. Both characters can acquire upgrades that increase their rate of fire or give them a second weapon to wield. They jump with . They can jump up higher platforms with + and jump back down with +. They can slide on the ground with + or +, during which they are immune to damage.
The score is measured as currency. Small coins are worth $200, while larger coins with dollar signs on them are worth $2,000. Characters die in one hit and lose their weapon upgrades and $1,000 on death, but these coins fall on the ground and can be collected again. The game punishes players for standing in one place for too long by sending a bird to attack the player. If players run out of lives, they can continue the game as long as they have continues remaining. Players have five continues and cannot gain any more.
The game supports multiplayer for two players on the same screen in both cooperative and competitive modes. Cooperative games can be started by selecting "2 Players" from the title menu or by pressing START on the controller of the second player during a single-player game. The first method is preferable as the latter method costs a continue. There is no friendly fire and continues are shared. The competitive mode can be selected with "Versus" on the title screen. The game is played in a few rounds with the arenas changing slightly. Players have to shoot each other down in this mode. Each player has a health bar and much lower rate of fire than in normal game, with a bird periodically dropping bonus items.
Due to a bug, "Versus" and "2 Players" modes are not selectable if both players have Six Button Control Pads, despite being highlighted in menu. The second player can still join during "1 Player" mode play. Holding the MODE button when booting the system to switch to three button mode fixes this issue.
Characters
Billy Cool | |
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Billy is armed with Peacemaker revolvers that shoot large bullets one at a time. When wielding two weapons, he shoots one forwards and one diagonally. | |
Cormano Wild | |
Cormano is armed with riot shotguns that deal damage in an area. The shots spread out as they travel further down the screen. When wielding two weapons, he shoots both forwards, firing a denser spread. |
Items
Stages
Each stage consists of two segments. The first has the characters rescuing a damsel in distress. The second has the characters fighting a boss character to collect a bounty.
Reechforem Gulch | |
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The Chatahoochie Choo-Choo | |
T.P. City | |
Powder Keg Pines & The Rose Mansion | |
Bonus stage
If the players have collected a Star item during the stage, they play a bonus stage afterwards. In the bonus stage, the character rides a horse and chases a wagon. A woman in the wagon throws Big Coins and 1-Ups out of the wagon, and the player can use the D-Pad to move the horse around the plane to catch the items.
Versions
The Mega Drive version contains substantial changes from the arcade version and the Super NES port. It only features two characters (removing Steve and Bob) and four stages compared to the four characters and eight stages of the arcade version. Each stage in the Mega Drive version is divided into two segments. The Mega Drive version adds a button to fire while remaining stationary. The voice samples from the arcade version have been removed and replaced with text bubbles. The bonus stages are also different and involve chasing a wagon rather than the first-person shooting gallery of the arcade and SNES versions. The Mega Drive version also has a two-player versus mode absent from the other versions.
Guns have been removed from the PAL box (on both the Mega Drive and SNES PAL releases), likely to conform to German laws.
Production credits
- Program: K.Toyohara, K.Endoh
- Graphic Design: H.Matsuda, N.Takemoto
- Sound Design: M.Ikariko, H.Inoue
- Package Design: M.Yoshihashi
- Special Thanks: I.Akada, AC Team
Magazine articles
- Main article: Sunset Riders/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
- Main article: Sunset Riders/Promotional material.
Physical scans
74 | |
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Based on 35 reviews |
Mega Drive, SE (rental; Hent; orange) |
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Technical information
- Main article: Sunset Riders/Technical information.
References
- ↑ GamePro, "November 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 199
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 GamesMaster, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-18), page 52
- ↑ MegaTech, "March 1993" (UK; 1993-02-20), page 15
- ↑ Sega Pro, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-13), page 21
- ↑ Sega Force, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-05-27), page 72
- ↑ File:Sunset Riders MD credits.pdf
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 229
- ↑ Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-06-xx), page 80
- ↑ Consoles +, "Avril 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 112
- ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 209
- ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "February 1993" (US; 1993-01-12), page 96
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 362
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 3, "" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 263
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 99
- ↑ GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 2: December 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 8
- ↑ Game Power, "Maggio 1993" (IT; 1993-0x-xx), page 58
- ↑ GamePro, "February 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 52
- ↑ Gamers, "August/September 1993" (DE; 1993-07-23), page 40
- ↑ Game Informer, "January/February 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 6
- ↑ Joypad, "Avril 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 64
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 62
- ↑ Mega, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-15), page 44
- ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 38
- ↑ Mega Force, "Avril 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 98
- ↑ Mega Fun, "02/93" (DE; 1993-0x-xx), page 39
- ↑ MegaTech, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-20), page 38
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-26), page 68
- ↑ Player One, "Avril/Mai 1993" (FR; 1993-04-10), page 98
- ↑ Play Time, "5/93" (DE; 1993-04-07), page 103
- ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, May 29, 1993" (UK; 1993-05-29), page 1
- ↑ Power Play, "3/93" (DE; 1993-02-10), page 103
- ↑ Power Unlimited, "Nummer 2, September 1993" (NL; 1993-08-19), page 38
- ↑ Sega Power, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-01), page 42
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 24
- ↑ Sega Zone, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 36
- ↑ Sega Force, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-05-27), page 70
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 155
- ↑ Todo Sega, "Abril 1993" (ES; 1993-03-15), page 50
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 190
- ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 67
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