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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative (エス・ディー・アイ) is a 1987 shoot-'em-up arcade game developed by Sega R&D 1 for the Sega System 16 arcade platform.
Gameplay
Unusual for its time, SDI has the player assume the role of a satellite, tasked with destroying enemy satellites and missiles. Each level is divided into two "modes" - "offensive" mode, which takes the form of a sidescrolling shoot-'em-up, and "defensive" mode which is built more similarly to Atari's Missile Command. Beating both modes allows the player to progress, however, if the player can destroy all the enemies in offensive mode, defensive mode does not take place.
SDI not only gives the player control over the movement of the satellite, but also its aim. This mechanic was implemented in the original arcade cabinet through the form of a joystick and trackball - the joystick moving the player, the trackball moving the crosshair. On the top of the joystick is a button for firing.
A perfect game of SDI will result in the satellite being replaced with Flicky.
Versions
SDI was ported to the Sega Master System in 1987/1988, where western versions were renamed Global Defense. The Master System version, as well as cutting back on the graphical and audio quality, has to vastly reduce the difficulty of the game to match up with a new control scheme - as the console lacks a trackball, the player needs to switch between moving and aiming during play (holding while moving the D-Pad allows the satellite to move, otherwise the D-Pad only controls the crosshair). This makes moving and aiming at the same time impossible. However, the U.S. manual lists an alternate two-controller configuration in which the first Control Pad aims and the second Control Pad moves the satellite. When the game is started in this configuration, the satellite fires automatically. To start the game with two Control Pads, either press + or + on the second Control Pad[12].
Activision brought the game to home computers in Europe - the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum (not to be confused with S.D.I., an unrelated game also released for the Amiga and Atari ST).
These days, SDI is often grouped with another arcade game from the era, Quartet. Both were released as part of Volume 21 of the Sega Ages 2500 series, Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 21: SDI & Quartet: Sega System 16 Collection for the PlayStation 2. SDI & Quartet: Original Soundtrack contains the official soundtrack of both games.
History
During development, the game was known under the working title of Space Shooting.[13]
Production credits
- Main article: SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative/Production credits.
Digital manuals
Magazine articles
- Main article: SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
PDF
System 16 US flyer
PDF
System 16 JP flyer
Print advert in
(UK) #85: "November 1988" (1988-10-15)
also published in:
- (UK) #14: "November 1988" (1988-xx-xx)[14]
Print advert in (UK) #115: "June 1991" (1991-05-11)
Physical scans
System 16 version
System 16, JP
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Instuction card(s)
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Master System version
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Division by zero.
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Based on 0 review
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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
Master System, JP
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Cart Manual
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Master System, US
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Cover
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Master System, EU
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Cover
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Master System, EU (Sega®)
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Cover
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Master System, EU ("No Limits")
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Cover
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Master System, PT
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Cover
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Master System, AU
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Cover
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Cart
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Master System, AU (Hotline sticker)
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Cover
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Cart
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Master System, AU (NIAL sticker)
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Cover
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Cart
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Master System, AU (Sega Promo)
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Cover
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Master System, BR
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Cover
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Cart Manual
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Master System, KR
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Cart
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Master System, MX
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Cover
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Cart
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Amiga version
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Division by zero.
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Based on 0 review
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Sega Retro Average
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Publication
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Version
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Score
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(UK)
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[28]
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(UK)
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[29]
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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
Amstrad CPC version
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Division by zero.
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Based on 0 review
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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
Amstrad CPC, ES
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Cover
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Atari ST version
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Division by zero.
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Based on 0 review
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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
Commodore 64 version
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Division by zero.
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Based on 0 review
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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
Commodore 64, UK (cassette)
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ZX Spectrum version
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Division by zero.
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Based on 0 review
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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
ZX Spectrum, UK
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Cover
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ZX Spectrum, ES
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Cover
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Technical information
ROM dump status
System |
Hash |
Size |
Build Date |
Source |
Comments |
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?
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CRC32
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b746a6f5
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MD5
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7ab485ee37ea7ce538f7dba08b64d95e
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SHA-1
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189ee1d4250a1f33e97053aa804a97b4e1467728
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128kB
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Cartridge (EU/US)
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?
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CRC32
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1de2c2d0
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MD5
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4fd639981901032cdde4b12ca83d078c
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SHA-1
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2000b3b291dd7b76c3b8801a88fb0e293ca7e278
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128kB
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Cartridge (JP)
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-11-14 21:32)
- ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "May 1992" (JP; 1992-04-xx), page 103
- ↑ Computer Entertainer, "March 1988" (US; 1988-03-19), page 13
- ↑ Computer Gaming World, "August 1988" (US; 1988-xx-xx), page 45
- ↑ File:SMSGamesCatalogueUK.pdf, page 2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Games Machine, "April 1988" (UK; 1988-03-17), page 43
- ↑ The Mastertronic Catalogue (UK; 1988), page 2
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 The Games Machine, "January 1989" (UK; 1988-12-15), page 81
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Computer & Video Games, "November 1988" (UK; 1988-10-15), page 43
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Computer & Video Games, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 81
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Computer & Video Games, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 85
- ↑ File:Globaldefense sms us manual.pdf, page 12
- ↑ http://www.smspower.org/forums/6961-JapaneseMagazineSegaSpecialIssue198711UnreleasedSegaMarkIIIGames (Wayback Machine: 2016-04-06 08:54)
- ↑ ACE, "November 1988" (UK; 1988-xx-xx), page 72
- ↑ ACE, "November 1988" (UK; 1988-xx-xx), page 49
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 57
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 97
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 57
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 141
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "April 1988" (UK; 1988-03-15), page 122
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 133
- ↑ Power Play, "Ausgabe 4" (DE; 1988-03-21), page 93
- ↑ S: The Sega Magazine, "July 1990" (UK; 1990-06-07), page 12
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 57
- ↑ Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 19
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
- ↑ User, "Septémvrios 1992" (GR; 1992-0x-xx), page 86
- ↑ The Games Machine, "September 1989" (UK; 1989-08-18), page 91
- ↑ New Computer Express, "July 15, 1989" (UK; 1989-07-13), page 50
- ↑ ACE, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-06), page 78
- ↑ Amstrad Computer User, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-xx-xx), page 36
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 The Games Machine, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-20), page 43
- ↑ ACE, "December 1988" (UK; 1988-xx-xx), page 75
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "December 1988" (UK; 1988-11-xx), page 58
- ↑ The Games Machine, "xxxx 198x" (IT; 1988-12-15), page 36
- ↑ Génération 4, "Décembre 1988" (FR; 1988-1x-xx), page 24
- ↑ Commodore Force, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-06-24), page 20
- ↑ Commodore User, "January 1989" (UK; 1988-12-19), page 64
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-08-15), page 88
- ↑ Zzap!64, "March 1989" (UK; 1989-02-16), page 21
- ↑ Zzap!64, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-13), page 79
- ↑ Zzap!, "Giugno 1991" (IT; 1991-xx-xx), page 51
- ↑ New Computer Express, "December 24, 1988" (UK; 1988-12-22), page 41
- ↑ Sinclair User, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 42
- ↑ Your Sinclair, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-xx), page 58