Strider II

n/a

PAL NTSC-U Master System Game Gear
Strider II
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: U.S. Gold
Developer: Tiertex
Licensor: Capcom
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1993-08 T-79036 EU 1993-03 79036-50 UK 1993-06 £39.9939.99 79036-50 SE (Rental) 199x AU 199x FSTR11SMC EU 1993-07 29005-50 DE 1993 DM 89.9589.95 29005-50 UK 1993-07 £29.9929.99 29005-50 AU 199x FSTR11SEC BR 199x 026250 US 1993-09 $39.9539.95 T-79048 EU 1993-08 79048-50 EU (Kixx) 199x 79048-50 PT 199x GG79048 UK 1993-11 £24.9924.99 79048-50
Non-Sega versions Amiga Amstrad CPC Atari ST Commodore 64 ZX Spectrum

Strider II is a sequel to Strider, released for the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, and the Sega Game Gear in 1993. It is known as Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns in North America (although initially it too was known as Strider II), which is also the title of the Game Gear version in all regions. Strider II was developed by Tiertex, who ported the original game to the Master System and various home computers, and published by U.S. Gold, who had the rights to the Strider license outside of Japan at the time.

It should not be confused with the later release of Strider 2, which was developed in-house by Capcom.

Story

“	This guy is like a bad habit, he just won't go away. Now this Evil Master Dude and his legions of nimrods are poised above the planet in a space station, ready to make the planet one big black hole. Not only that, those blasted automadions (space slang for funky robot type guys) have captured Lexia (Not the car, the babe!) and holding her prisoner aboard their space station. Don't it just make your blood boil? Doesn't it make your skin crawl? Does it make your face turn red with anger? Hold on, get a grip! We've been in this kind of fix before. Okay, okay, you're right, probably not this bad. But hey, this is a video game there's always a good guy somewhere. Get with the program! It just so happens, that on the island Moralos (you remember the secret base of famous Striders) there is just the guy you are looking for. The most pumped up Strider of them all Hinjo, is just waiting to punch these guys' light out. Go ahead, grab that control pad and give it a shot, sounds like a piece of cake... Wrong! This baby's not your every day space walk in the park! Strider's back and the fun is about to begin. Rumble on Strider Dude!	„
— US manual

Grandmaster Meio, the antagonist of the first game, has captured the princess, Lexia (who is not a car). The Strider known as Hinjo must rescue her.

Gameplay

Mega Drive version

The game is an action platformer and plays similarly to its forebear. The Strider Hinjo starts each stage in a capsule and must make his way through the stage to the capsule at the end. Hinjo collects orbs throughout each stage, and these orbs surround Hinjo and protect him when he faces the stage's boss.

Hinjo moves with and and crouches with . He does a vertical jump with and a cartwheel jump with + or +. He slides along the ground with +. Hinjo has a hook that he uses to latch onto platforms, ceilings, and walls, which he can then climb across. While hanging, he can jump off a ceiling with or climb onto a platform with . He can climb ropes and chains with and .

Hinjo swings his cypher with . Hinjo can swing his cypher while crouching, jumping, or sliding. The player can choose between the original cypher from the first game, which has a tall area of effect, or a new "sweeping" cypher, which is flatter but longer. He can throw shurikens with , but they are limited in supply. Shurikens can only be thrown while standing still or crouching.

Hinjo has a health gauge with five segments. He loses a life if he loses all of his health, if he falls into a bottomless pit, or if the stage timer runs out. More time is added to the timer at certain checkpoints during the stages. He also has a separate "orb" gauge with five segments, which absorbs damage during boss fights if the player has collected orbs during the stage. The game ends when all of Hinjo's lives are lost, but it can be continued as long as the player has continues remaining. Extra lives are awarded every 20,000 points. There are two difficulty levels, Normal and Expert.

Items

	Capsule
	Attack to release an item or bonus points.
	Power Up
	The first Power Up item extends the reach of Hinjo's cypher. The second arms Hinjo with 7 shurikens, the third arms him with double shurikens (thrown two at a time in a spread), and the fourth arms him with triple shurikens (thrown three at a time in a spread).
	Small Energy
	Restores one health point.
	Large Energy
	Restores all health points.
	Orb Energy
	Collect to add additional protective orbs during the boss fight at the end of the stage, up to a maximum of 5.
	Protective Orb
	A protective orb that orbits Hinjo and destroys enemies that cross its path. Similar to options in the first game, collecting an orb changes the color of Hinjo's rightmost health point. Hinjo loses the orb if he loses this health point.
	Extra Life
	Gives the player an extra life.

Stages

	The Forbidden Forest
	The Castle Metropolis
	The Hive
	The Alien Depths
	The Master's Prison Ship

Master System and Game Gear versions

The 8-bit version of the game closely follows the design of the Mega Drive version. Hinjo must make his way through each stage, fighting enemies and using his acrobatic abilities. Hinjo collects orbs throughout each stage, and these orbs surround Hinjo and protect him when he faces the stage's boss.

Hinjo walks with and and crouches with . He does a vertical jump with and a cartwheel jump with + or +. He slides along the ground with +. Hinjo has a hook that he uses to latch onto platforms, ceilings, and walls, which he can then climb across. While hanging, he can jump off a ceiling with or climb onto a platform with . He can climb ropes and chains with and .

Hinjo throws shurikens with while standing. Unlike the Mega Drive version, shurikens are unlimited (but only two can be on-screen at a time). He swings his cypher with instead if there is an enemy within melee range or if he is walking, crouching, jumping, or sliding (as shurikens can only be thrown while standing).

Hinjo has a health gauge with five segments. He loses a life if he loses all of his health or if the stage timer runs out. More time is added to the timer at certain checkpoints during the stages. Some hazards are also instantly fatal, such as bottomless pits or fire. He also has a separate "orb" gauge with five segments, which absorbs damage during boss fights if the player has collected orbs during the stage. The game ends when all of Hinjo's lives are lost. He starts the game with five lives. The player has one continue with three lives. There are two difficulty levels, Easy and Hard.

Items

	Capsule
	Attack to release an item.
	Heart
	Restores part of Hinjo's health gauge.
	Orb Energy
	Collect to add additional protective orbs during the boss fight at the end of the stage, up to a maximum of 5.

Stages

	The Forbidden Forest
	Castle Metropolis
	Alien Labyrinth
	The Rooftops
	Master's Lair

History

Legacy

Even though game received average to positive reviews when it was first released, today Strider II is considered the black sheep of the series. Many fans consider Strider II to be a poorly done imitation of the original due to fundamentally flawed level designs, lackluster story, and bad gameplay plagued with intense slowdowns. Capcom released their own internally developed Strider 2 to arcades in 1999 and has removed the Western-developed Strider II from the Strider canon.

Magazine articles

Main article: Strider II/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #15: "October/November 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

Mega Drive print advert in Consoles + (FR) #23: "Septembre 1993" (1993-0x-xx)

Print advert in Todo Sega (ES) #5: "Agosto 1993" (1993-0x-xx)

Mega Drive print advert in Sega Force (SE) #1993-06: "6/93" (1993-09-30)

Artwork

• 

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 67 Consoles + (FR) 91 Electric Brain (UK) PAL 50 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 68 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 72 Game Power (IT) PAL 39 Joypad (FR) PAL 73 Mega (UK) PAL 44 Mega Force (FR) 86 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 57 Player One (FR) PAL 69 ProGames (BR) 100 Sega Power (UK) PAL 53 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 82 Sega Force (SE) 86 Sega Force (UK) PAL 83 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 74 Video Games (DE) PAL 77 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 70

	70
Based on 20 reviews

Strider II

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, SE rental (HENT orange)
Cover

Mega Drive, AU

Master System version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Consoles + (FR) PAL 84 Digitiser (UK) PAL 70 Hobby Consolas (ES) 70 Mega Force (FR) 75 Player One (FR) PAL 69 Sega Power (UK) PAL 58 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 75 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 75 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 79 Sega Force (UK) PAL 75 User (GR) PAL 70 Video Games (DE) PAL 20

	68
Based on 12 reviews

Strider II

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, AU
Cover
Cart

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Console Mania (IT) PAL 81 Computer & Video Games (UK) PAL 68 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 70 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 70 Mega Force (FR) 83 Player One (FR) PAL 72 Sega Master Force (UK) PAL 76 Video Games (DE) PAL 20 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 70

	68
Based on 9 reviews

Strider II

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU (Kixx)
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, PT

Technical information

Main article: Strider II/Technical information.

References

Strider games for Sega systems
Strider (1990) | Strider II (1993)