SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

n/a

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

System(s): Sega System 16, Sega Master System, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum

Publisher: Sega

Activision

Developer: Sega

Pixies

Source

Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

Number of players: 2

Release	Date	RRP	Code

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative is a 1987 shoot-'em-up arcade game developed by Sega 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.

Ports

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 controller aims and the second controller moves the satellite. When the game is started in this configuration, the satellite fires automatically. To start the game with two controllers, on the second controller either press Left and or Right and .

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.

Production Credits

Arcade Version

Planed by: Black Holl Tomo
Project Leader: Joe Kacchan
Programer: Sweet Tohchan, Anatano Pideshi, Ippo Ogapi
Character Design: Saitama Kenji, 8940 Kon
Scene Design: Henchan
Music by: Funky Gerogero
Sound Effects: Nao Chan
Mechanical Engineer: MI.U.I.Hachi
Enemy Creation: Demon Taka
Data Adjust: Nanno Icchan
Special Thanks: Mina Inochi, Hakusyon Daimaohe, Mamiko Chan, Uso Happyaku
Special No Thanks: Ashidematoi People
Presented by: Sega, Chin_Chin Brothers

(According to Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 21, Masaki Kondo (近藤正樹) was a "Designer", Katsumi Tojo (藤乗　勝巳) was the "main programmer" and Eishi Kawatake (川竹　英士) was also a programmer. All three worked on Galaxy Force too).

Commodore 64 Version

(C)1988 Activision
Software Studios
Produced by Neil Jackson
Coding Graphics and Music was Produced by Source the Software House Ltd
Artwork by Bryn Redman, Ross Harris
Music Composed by Paul Summers
Programming by Mike Chilton

Promotional Material

SDIArcadeUSFlyer.jpg

System 16 flyer
SDI Computers UK PrintAdvert.jpg

Home computers UK print advert

Physical Scans

Arcade Version

System 16, JP

Master System version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

ACE (UK)

62

^[1]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

79

^[2]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

80

^[3]

The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)

PAL

80

^[4]

Console XS (UK)

PAL

75

^[5]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

80

^[6]

The Games Machine (UK)

81

^[7]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

80

^[8]

Power Play (DE)

65

^[9]

S: The Sega Magazine (UK)

PAL

78

^[10]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

75

^[11]

Sega Pro (UK)

78

^[12]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

75

^[13]

User (GR)

PAL

43

^[14]

	74
Based on 14 reviews

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Master System, US
Cover
Cart Manual Poster (front) Poster (back)

Master System, EU
Cover

Master System, EU "no limits" variant
Cover

Master System, EU ® variant
Cover

Master System, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, AU

Cart

Master System, KR

Cart

Amiga Version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

The Games Machine (UK)

57

^[15]

New Computer Express (UK)

50

^[16]

	54
Based on 2 reviews

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Amiga, UK

Amstrad CPC Version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

ACE (UK)

79

^[17]

Amstrad Computer User (UK)

49

^[18]

The Games Machine (UK)

29

^[19]

	52
Based on 3 reviews

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Amstrad CPC, UK

Amstrad CPC, UK (The Hit Squad)
Cover

Amstrad CPC, ES
Cover

Atari ST Version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

ACE (UK)

84

^[20]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

81

^[21]

The Games Machine (IT)

59

^[22]

The Games Machine (UK)

56

^[23]

Génération 4 (FR)

77

^[24]

	71
Based on 5 reviews

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Atari ST, UK

Commodore 64 Version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Commodore Force (UK)

46

^[25]

Commodore User (UK)

67

^[26]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

54

^[27]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

72

^[28]

The Games Machine (UK)

56

^[19]

Zzap!64 (UK)

64

^[29]

Zzap!64 (UK)

60

^[30]

Zzap! (IT)

84

^[31]

	63
Based on 8 reviews

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Amiga, UK (cassette)

Amiga, UK (disk)

Commodore 64, UK (The Hit Squad)
Cover

ZX Spectrum Version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Computer & Video Games (UK)

59

^[32]

The Games Machine (UK)

37

^[19]

New Computer Express (UK)

25

^[33]

Sinclair User (UK)

70

^[34]

Your Sinclair (UK)

64

^[35]

	51
Based on 5 reviews

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

ZX Spectrum, UK
Cover

ZX Spectrum, UK (The Hit Squad)
Cover

ZX Spectrum, ES
Cover

[:File:ACE_UK_14.pdf_p49-1] ACE, "November 1988" (UK; 1988-xx-xx), page 49

[:File:CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf_p57-2] Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 57

[:File:CGtC_UK_04.pdf_p97-3] Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 97

[:File:TheCompleteGuideToSega_UK.pdf_p57-4] The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 57

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p141-5] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 141

[:File:CVG_UK_078.pdf_p122-6] Computer & Video Games, "April 1988" (UK; 1988-03-15), page 122

[:File:TGM_UK_05.pdf_p43-7] The Games Machine, "April 1988" (UK; 1988-03-17), page 43

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p133-8] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 133

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_004.pdf_p93-9] Power Play, "Ausgabe 4" (DE; 1988-03-21), page 93

[:File:StheSegaMagazine_UK_08.pdf_p12-10] S: The Sega Magazine, "July 1990" (UK; 1990-06-07), page 12

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p57-11] Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 57

[:File:SegaPro_UK_03.pdf_p19-12] Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 19

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p71-13] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71

[:File:User_GR_28.pdf_p86-14] User, "Septémvrios 1992" (GR; 1992-0x-xx), page 86

[:File:TGM_UK_22.pdf_p91-15] The Games Machine, "September 1989" (UK; 1989-08-18), page 91

[:File:NewComputerExpress_UK_036.pdf_p50-16] New Computer Express, "July 15, 1989" (UK; 1989-07-13), page 50

[:File:ACE_UK_20.pdf_p78-17] ACE, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-06), page 78

[:File:AmstradComputerUser_UK_54.pdf_p36-18] Amstrad Computer User, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-xx-xx), page 36

[:File:TGM_UK_18.pdf_p43-19] 19.0 ^19.1 ^19.2 The Games Machine, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-20), page 43

[:File:ACE_UK_15.pdf_p75-20] ACE, "December 1988" (UK; 1988-xx-xx), page 75

[:File:CVG_UK_086.pdf_p58-21] Computer & Video Games, "December 1988" (UK; 1988-11-xx), page 58

[22] The Games Machine, "xxxx 198x" (IT; 1988-12-15), page 36

[:File:TGM_UK_14.pdf_p81-23] The Games Machine, "January 1989" (UK; 1988-12-15), page 81

[24] Génération 4, "Décembre 1988" (FR; 1988-1x-xx), page 24

[:File:CommodoreForce_UK_08.pdf_p20-25] Commodore Force, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-06-24), page 20

[:File:CommodoreUser_UK_64.pdf_p64-26] Commodore User, "January 1989" (UK; 1988-12-19), page 64

[:File:CVG_UK_116.pdf_p81-27] Computer & Video Games, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 81

[:File:CVG_UK_118.pdf_p88-28] Computer & Video Games, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-08-15), page 88

[:File:Zzap64_UK_047.pdf_p21-29] Zzap!64, "March 1989" (UK; 1989-02-16), page 21

[:File:Zzap64_UK_075.pdf_p79-30] Zzap!64, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-13), page 79

[:File:Zzap_IT_57.pdf_p51-31] Zzap!, "Giugno 1991" (IT; 1991-xx-xx), page 51

[:File:CVG_UK_116.pdf_p85-32] Computer & Video Games, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 85

[:File:NewComputerExpress_UK_007_8.pdf_p41-33] New Computer Express, "December 24, 1988" (UK; 1988-12-22), page 41

[:File:SinclairUser_UK_113.pdf_p42-34] Sinclair User, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 42

[:File:YourSinclair_UK_67.pdf_p58-35] Your Sinclair, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-xx), page 58

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SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Ports

Production Credits

Arcade Version

Commodore 64 Version

Promotional Material

Physical Scans

Arcade Version

Master System version

Amiga Version

Amstrad CPC Version

Atari ST Version

Commodore 64 Version

ZX Spectrum Version