Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

n/a

Mega Drive
Master System
Game Gear

Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear

Publisher:

Electronic Arts (US/EU)

Electronic Arts Victor (JP)

Domark

Developer: Electronic Arts

The Kremlin

Tiertex

Distributor:

Tengen (US)

Sound driver:

custom (Brian Schmidt)

Genre: Shooting^[1]^[2], Simulation^[1], Action^[3]

Number of players: 1

Official in-game languages:

English

日本語

English

Deutsch

Français

Español

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1993-04-23^[2]	¥8,9008,900	EM20010
US	1992-03^[4]	$49.9549.95^[4]	702201
EU	1992-03^[5]		E224SMXI
EU (EA Classics)	1996-09^[8]		EAX02401038I
DE	1992	DM 110110	E224SMXI
DE (EA Classics)	1996		EAX02401038I
PT	199x
UK	1992-03^[5]	£39.9939.99^[6]^[7]	E224SMXI
SE (Rental)	199x
AU	199x
BR	199x
KR	199x		GM8083JT
EU	1993-11^[9]		MK 29010-50
PT	1993		MS29010
UK	1993-11^[9]	£29.9929.99^[10]^[9]	MK 29010-50
AU	199x		FDES01SEC
US	1994-01^[11]	$39.9539.95^[11]
EU	1994-01^[12]		T-88068-50
PT	1993		GG88068
UK	1994-01^[12]	£29.9929.99^[12]	T-88068-50

Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, called Desert Strike: Wangan Sakusen (デザートストライク湾岸作戦) in Japan and better known simply as Desert Strike, is an isometric-projection shoot-em-up by Electronic Arts released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1992, and subsequently ported to other platforms. It is the first game in EA's so-called Strike series of isometric shoot-em-ups.

Story

A terrorist named General Kilbaba violently takes over a small Arab emirate and plans a major nuclear strike, to which the president of the United States orders a helicopter (A Super Apache as named in game) team in the Special Forces (US Marine Corps in the Master System version) to intervene. You are in control of one such helicopter.

Gameplay

Missions are mostly intertwined with each other. For example blowing up a radar station will in return make you harder for enemies to hit you. Failing one of missions usually results in game over.

You are also given co-pilot that will assist you with your mission. These pilots have varying degrees of skills with marksmanship and winch control. Reading their dossiers will usually give you a rough idea about their skill levels. 5th pilot Valdez is missing and can be found in first mission. He is near the north-western part of the map nearby a crashed F-14.

Your helicopter has limited ammo and fuel. It also has limited armor. Without ammo, you can attack enemies. If fuel depletes, your helicopter will eventually crash and you will lose life. If armor reaches zero you will also lose a life. Ammo and fuel can be recovered by acquiring ammo boxes or fuel drums respectively with your winch. Armor can be recovered two ways : either find an Armor Repair (very, very rare. In later levels map don't even show their locations) or by rescuing people and dropping them off near a friendly landing zone. Each rescued person will increase the armor by 100 points. Be careful though as power ups can be destroyed and prisoners can be killed. Each level also has extra lives but these are, again, very difficult to find.

You are required to return to your home base (usually the frigate you take off from at the beginning of each level) when you complete or fail the level. There are total of 3 lives. Losing all of them will end the game.

Game contains 5 levels with different missions, with some of them having time limits.

Desert Strike also has a password system.

Mega Drive

Each of the game's four levels is a separate mission with different objectives. To complete the objectives, you are given ammunition of varying power levels (shot by pressing (Hellfires and Jink), (Hydras), or (Guns), listed in order of decreasing power). Though the game uses an isometric projection, the control behaves more like a full 3D game, where using and rotates your chopper, moves you forward in t he direction you're facing, and moves you backward. Hitting allows you to access a map, a summary of the mission, and mission status.

Master System

Due to limitation of buttons on Master System's control pad, control scheme is somewhat different than Mega Drive version. Pressing both and fire Hellfire, while holding down is need for strafing. Pause button is the status screen.

History

Development

According to Desert Strike's original design document (dated 1990-06-18), the game was originally titled Beirut Breakout, being based on the then-ongoing Lebanese Civil War^[13] . It was later advertised as Apache AHX: Desert Madman.

Release

Desert Strike's similarities with the Gulf War caused controversy at the time of release, thought to be glorifying Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Reportedly some Gulf War veterans in the US openly burned copies of the Mega Drive game in public in protest^[14].

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf	Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
English (US)	Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf	Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Japanese	デザートストライク湾岸作戦	Desert Strike: Wangan Sakusen

Production credits

Mega Drive version

By Mike Posehn (implying he is the creator)

Programming: Mike Posehn
Game Design: Mike Posehn, John Manley
Art: Paul Vernon, Gary Martin, Amy Hennig
Sound and Music: Rob Hubbard, Brian Schmidt
Technical Director: Carl Mey
Producer: Richard Robbins

Source:: In-game credits (title screen roll)

Master System version

Published Under License by: Domark Software Limited

Desert Strike is a Trademark of Electronic Arts

Desert Strike Presented by: The Kremlin
Programmed by: Michael A Carr (The Magi)
Graphic Artists: Matthew Hicks, Mike Adams
Music Composed by: Andy Taylor
Sound Effects by: Michael A Carr
Original Game by: Mike Posehn, Paul Vernon and John Manley

Magazine articles

Main article: Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average

Publication	Score	Source
ACE (UK)	89	^[15]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)	83	№6/92
Beep! MegaDrive (JP)	68	^[16]
Beep! MegaDrive (readers) (JP)	80	^[17]
Consoles + (FR)	85	^[18]
Computer & Video Games (UK)	92	^[19]
Computer + Video Giochi (IT)	92	^[20]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)	68	^[21]
Famitsu (JP)	65	№228, p40
Game Mania (UK)	94	^[22]
GamePro (US)	84	^[23]
Games-X (UK)	100	№44
Game Power (IT)	93	^[24]
Game Informer (US)	85	№5, p4/32/33
Game Zone (UK)	91	№5, p26-29
Hippon Super (JP)	40	№1993-04, p44
Hobby Consolas (ES)	86	^[25]
Joypad (FR)	93	^[26]
Joystick (FR)	90	^[27]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)	90	№5, p91
Mega (UK)	84	^[28]
Mega (UK)	86	№23, p79
Mega Action (UK)	94	№1, p65
MegaTech (UK)	93	^[29]
MegaTech (UK)	94	№18, p56
Mean Machines (UK)	94	^[30]
Player One (FR)	89	^[31]
Power Play (DE)	82	№6/92, p144/145
Sega Force (UK)	92	^[32]
Sega Power (UK)	91	^[33]
Sega Pro (UK)	92	^[34]
Sega Pro (UK)	93	№18, p65
Supergame (BR)	91	^[35]
Supersonic (FR)	90	^[36]
Video Games (DE)	82	^[37]

	86
Based on 35 reviews

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, US (cardboard)
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, EU (Classic)
Cover
Cart PCB

Mega Drive, FR

Manual

Mega Drive, PT
Cover

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)
Cover

Mega Drive, AU
Cover

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, KR
Cover
Cart

Master System version

Sega Retro Average

Publication	Score	Source
Consoles + (FR)	89	^[38]
Joypad (FR)	89	№27, p106
Mean Machines Sega (UK)	92	^[39]
Player One (FR)	79	^[40]
Sega Magazine (UK)	92	^[41]
Sega Force Mega (UK)	90	^[42]
Sega Master Force (UK)	90	^[43]
Sega Power (UK)	92	^[44]
Sega Pro (UK)	93	№26, p62/63

	90
Based on 9 reviews

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart

Master System, FR (Blister pack)
Cover

Master System, PT
Cover

Master System, PT (Super Preço)
Cover

Master System, AU

Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

68

^[45]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

70

^[11]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

82

^[46]

Player One (FR)

91

^[47]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

88

^[12]

Sonic Mag: B.D. & Jeux-Video! (FR)

90

^[48]

Video Games (DE)

PAL

62

^[49]

	79
Based on 7 reviews

Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

✔

CRC32	67a9860b
MD5	6f37f036c8de2bf78d11079cd2424370
SHA-1	d7e7d8c358eb845b84fb08f904cc0b95d0a4053d

1MB

1992-03

Cartridge (US/EU)

✔

CRC32	1e740145
MD5	414a548a2ab68a8e4840359c08b24ab9
SHA-1	9e01c6c45670e2950242facfba6c5b79052550ed

1MB

1993-04

Cartridge (JP/KR)

?

CRC32	6c1433f9
MD5	df89aa1ebc5f42db21fb8d12d9e78511
SHA-1	e6181baef80ecc88b3eb82a46cf93793f06e01f1

512kB

Cartridge (EU)

?

CRC32	3e44eca3
MD5	a5d8f63bda80b2d0cf587655a389ae4c
SHA-1	3bb092b14c650c5ffd0370e6870878282b3d04f4

512kB

Cartridge (EU)

?

CRC32	f6c400da
MD5	ecfcb1f193ab20547e3dc1f4304ef21e
SHA-1	80b91bdf20605d940401738202c473df632d0765

512kB

Cartridge (US)

References

Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

Strike games for Sega systems
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf (1992) \| Jungle Strike (1993) \| Urban Strike (1994) \| Soviet Strike (1997)

[:File:Desertstrike_md_jp_cover.jpg_p-1] 1.0 ^1.1 File:Desertstrike md jp cover.jpg

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20200702232146.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Fhistory.2Fhard.2Fmegadrive.2Fsoftware_l.html-2] 2.0 ^2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)

[:File:DesertStrike_GG_EU_Box_Back.jpg_p-3] File:DesertStrike GG EU Box Back.jpg

[:File:GamePro_US_032.pdf_p46-4] 4.0 ^4.1 GamePro, "March 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 46

[:File:SegaPower_UK_28.pdf_p11-5] 5.0 ^5.1 Sega Power, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-06), page 11

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_17.pdf_p21-6] Mean Machines, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-27), page 21

[:File:CVG_UK_128.pdf_p30-7] Computer & Video Games, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-15), page 30

[:File:GamesMaster_UK_047.pdf_p11-8] GamesMaster, "October 1996" (UK; 1996-08-29), page 11

[:File:MeanMachinesSega14UK.pdf_p104-9] 9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 Mean Machines Sega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-10-xx), page 104

[:File:SegaForceMega_UK_07.pdf_p71-10] Sega Force Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 71

[:File:GamePro_US_054.pdf_p206-11] 11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 GamePro, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 206

[:File:SegaPro_UK_27.pdf_p60-12] 12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 ^12.3 Sega Pro, "Xmas Special 1993" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 60

[.27.27Retro_Gamer.27.27_issue_.2345-13] [Retro Gamer issue #45 Retro Gamer issue #45]

[.27.27CU_Amiga.27.27.2C_1993-04-14] [CU Amiga, 1993-04 CU Amiga, 1993-04]

[:File:ACE_UK_55.pdf_p42_.2842-47.29-15] ACE, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-08), page 42-47 (42)

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1993-05.pdf_p24_.2822.29-16] Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1993" (JP; 1993-04-08), page 22 (24)

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p85_.2883.29-17] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 83 (85)

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_007.pdf_p100_.28100-103.29-18] Consoles +, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 100-103 (100)

[:File:CVG_UK_124.pdf_p22_.2822.2F23.29-19] Computer & Video Games, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-15), page 22/23 (22)

[:File:CVG_IT_15.pdf_p74_.2874.2F75.29-20] Computer + Video Giochi, "Aprile 1992" (IT; 1992-xx-xx), page 74/75 (74)

[:File:EGM_US_033.pdf_p26-21] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "April 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 26

[:File:GameMania_UK_05.pdf_p80-22] Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80

[:File:GamePro_US_032.pdf_p46_.2844.29-23] GamePro, "March 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 44 (46)

[:File:GamePower_IT_07.pdf_p30_.2828-30.29-24] Game Power, "Giugno 1992" (IT; 1992-xx-xx), page 28-30 (30)

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_010.pdf_p46_.2846-49.29-25] Hobby Consolas, "Julio 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 46-49 (46)

[:File:Joypad_FR_006.pdf_p94_.2894-96.29-26] Joypad, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 94-96 (94)

[:File:Joystick_FR_024.pdf_p120_.28120.2F121.29-27] Joystick, "Février 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 120/121 (120)

[:File:Mega_UK_04.pdf_p81-28] Mega, "January 1993" (UK; 1992-12-17), page 81

[:File:MegaTech_UK_03.pdf_p18_.2818-21.29-29] MegaTech, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 18-21 (18)

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_17.pdf_p18_.2818-21.29-30] Mean Machines, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-27), page 18-21 (18)

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_020.pdf_p62_.2862.2F63.29-31] Player One, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-05-10), page 62/63 (62)

[:File:SegaForce_UK_04.pdf_p62_.2862.2F63.29-32] Sega Force, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 62/63 (62)

[:File:SegaPower_UK_29.pdf_p16_.2816-19.29-33] Sega Power, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-05), page 16-19 (16)

[:File:SegaPro_UK_06.pdf_p60_.2860.2F61.29-34] Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 60/61 (60)

[:File:Supergame_BR_11.pdf_p34_.2834.2F35.29-35] Supergame, "Junho 1992" (BR; 1992-06-xx), page 34/35 (34)

[:File:Supersonic_FR_01.pdf_p4-36] Supersonic, "Mai/Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 4

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1992-06.pdf_p43_.2845.29-37] Video Games, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-29), page 45 (43)

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_028.pdf_p124_.28144.29-38] Consoles +, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 144 (124)

[:File:MeanMachinesSega14UK.pdf_p104_.28104.2F105.29-39] Mean Machines Sega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-10-xx), page 104/105 (104)

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_038.pdf_p114-40] Player One, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 114

[:File:SegaMagazine_UK_02.pdf_p110_.28109.29-41] Sega Magazine, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-10), page 109 (110)

[:File:SegaForceMega_UK_07.pdf_p70_.2870.2F71.29-42] Sega Force Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 70/71 (70)

[:File:SegaMasterForce_UK_06.pdf_p26_.2826.2F27.29-43] Sega Master Force, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 26/27 (26)

[:File:SegaPower_UK_49.pdf_p106_.28106-108.29-44] Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 106-108 (106)

[:File:EGM_US_053.pdf_p55-45] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 55

[:File:Joypad_FR_028.pdf_p115-46] Joypad, "Février 1994" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 115

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_039.pdf_p116-47] Player One, "Février 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 116

[:File:SonicMag_FR_02.pdf_p38-48] Sonic Mag: B.D. & Jeux-Video!, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-04-15), page 38

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1994-04.pdf_p112-49] Video Games, "4/94" (DE; 1994-03-23), page 112

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Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

From Sega Retro

Contents

Story

Gameplay

Mega Drive

Master System

History

Development

Release

Versions

Localised names

Production credits

Mega Drive version

Master System version

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Master System version

Game Gear version

Technical information

ROM dump status

References