Sunset Riders

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SunsetRiders MDTitleScreen.png

Sunset Riders
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Konami
Developer:
Sound driver: Konami/Hyperstone Heist
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		T-95026
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		T-95026-50
Sega Mega Drive
PT 		MD85026
Sega Mega Drive
AU

Sunset Riders is a 1991 arcade run-and-gun by Konami, ported to the Sega Mega Drive and SNES in 1992 and released only in the US and Europe in 1993. This port was heavily remixed in terms of stage layout. The small rom size likely made a true to source arcade port impossible.

Gameplay

You play as one of two (reduced from four in the arcade version) American Old West bounty hunters, Billy and Cormano, who seek rewards for catching bandits and saving girls. Billy is armed with a peacemaker and Cormano with a shotgun that fires rather large shots; A is used for stationary fire and B is used to fire and walk at the same time, and both can collect various weapon upgrades along the way.

Aiming is done in the traditional Konami fashion (hold D-pad buttons diagonally to move while firing diagonally, hold Up to shoot straight up, hold Left and Right to shoot straight ahead while moving, or hold Down to shoot straight ahead while crouching). C jumps; you can latch on to ledges and climb up, pressing Down+C to get back down. Down+C and either Left or Right slides. Score is measured as currency; each gold coin is worth $200, while larger red coins with dollar signs on them are worth $2000. You will lose $1000 for dying, and you die with one or two hits.

Similar to often used practise in arcades, the game punishes players who stay in same spot for far too long, as the bird will fly on top of the screen and then swoop down at you. You can jump over it.

Note that the guns are removed from the PAL box. This is also done on the SNES PAL version. A case of the Sega Europe censorship and strict German laws probably.

Multiplayer

The game supports multiplayer for 2 players, which is less than on Arcade version, on same screen both in cooperative mode and competitive one.

To play competitive mode, just select "Versus" mode. The game will be played in few rounds, arenas changing slightly. Each player has a health bar and much lower rate of fire than in normal game, while a bird periodically coming in to drop extra items. Players have to shoot each other down in this mode.

To play cooperative mode you can either select "2 Players" mode or start the "1 Player" game and press  START  on controller of the second player. Though the first method is preferable, as it doesn't take away a continue point. There is no friendly fire and continue points are shared.

However, due to bug, if both players have Six Button Control Pad (Mega Drive) then "Versus" and "2 Players" modes will not be selectable, despite being higlighted in menu. Another player can still join during "1 Player" mode play. Hold  MODE  button when booting up the system to switch to 3 button mode and fix this issue.

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
Source:
In-game credits


Magazine articles

Main article: Sunset Riders/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

  • 1993 05 - Software Mega Drive.jpg

    ES print advert 2

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #10: "November/December 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:
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Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #139: "June 1993" (1993-05-15)
also published in:
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Print advert in Sega Magazine (UK) #1: "January 1994" (1993-12-10)
also published in:
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Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #18: "Juin 1993" (1993-0x-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
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Print advert in Todo Sega (ES) #2: "Mayo 1993" (1993-04-15)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
68 №19, p112/113
94
80 №43, p50[13]
71
60 №4, p52/53
60
82 №9, p62/63
79 №8, p44/45
82 №1, p38
87 №16, p38/39/40
84 №7, p68-70[14]
65 №30, p98
80
86
68 №42, p42/43
87 №18, p24/25
84 №6, p36/37/38
86 №19, p70-72[15]
Sega Mega Drive
 78
Based on
18 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
68
[16]
Alaab Alcomputtar (SA)
82
[17]
Consoles + (FR)
68
[18]
Cool Gamer (RU)
70
[19]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
82
[20]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[21]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 3 (RU)
60
[22]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
81
[23]
GameFan (US)
94
[24]
Game Power (IT)
71
[25]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
80
[13]
Gamers (DE)
27
[26]
GamesMaster (UK) PAL
60
[2]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
78
[27]
Joypad (FR) PAL
66
[28]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
82
[29]
Mega (UK) PAL
79
[30]
Mega Action (UK) PAL
82
[31]
Mega Force (FR)
90
[32]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
76
[33]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
87
[34]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
84
[14]
Player One (FR)
65
[35]
Play Time (DE)
74
[36]
Power Up! (UK)
82
[37]
Power Play (DE)
48
[38]
Power Unlimited (NL) NTSC
80
[39]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
68
[40]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
87
[41]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
84
[42]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
86
[15]
Sega Mega Drive Review (RU)
66
[43]
Todo Sega (ES)
87
[44]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
83
[45]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
70
[46]
Sega Mega Drive
 74
Based on
35 reviews

Sunset Riders

Mega Drive, US
SunsetRiders MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Sunsetriders md us cart.jpg
Cart
Sunset Riders MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
SunsetRiders MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
SunsetRiders MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, FR

Sunset Riders MD FR Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, SE (rental)

Technical Information

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
512kB 1992-12 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
512kB Cartridge (EU)

References

  1. ↑ File:GamePro US 040.pdf, page 199
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:GamesMaster UK 004.pdf, page 52 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamesMaster UK 004.pdf_p52" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ File:SegaForce UK 19.pdf, page 72
  4. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 8
  5. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-06-15), page 2
  6. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-15), page 102
  7. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-15), page 20
  8. ↑ Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 2
  9. ↑ Sega Magazine, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-10), page 2
  10. ↑ Sega Pro, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-01-27), page 2
  11. ↑ Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 2
  12. ↑ Mega Force, "Ete 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 2
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 File:GamePro US 043.pdf, page 52 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 043.pdf_p52" defined multiple times with different content
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 File:MeanMachinesSega07UK.pdf, page 68 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega07UK.pdf_p68" defined multiple times with different content
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 File:SegaForce UK 19.pdf, page 70 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 19.pdf_p70" defined multiple times with different content
  16. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 229
  17. ↑ Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-06-xx), page 80
  18. ↑ Consoles +, "Avril 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 112
  19. ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 209
  20. ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "February 1993" (US; 1993-01-12), page 96
  21. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 362
  22. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 3, "" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 263
  23. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 99
  24. ↑ GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 2: December 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 8
  25. ↑ Game Power, "Maggio 1993" (IT; 1993-0x-xx), page 58
  26. ↑ Gamers, "August/September 1993" (DE; 1993-07-23), page 40
  27. ↑ Game Informer, "January/February 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 6
  28. ↑ Joypad, "Avril 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 64
  29. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 62
  30. ↑ Mega, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-15), page 44
  31. ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 38
  32. ↑ Mega Force, "Avril 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 98
  33. ↑ Mega Fun, "02/93" (DE; 1993-0x-xx), page 39
  34. ↑ MegaTech, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-20), page 38
  35. ↑ Player One, "Avril/Mai 1993" (FR; 1993-04-10), page 98
  36. ↑ Play Time, "5/93" (DE; 1993-04-07), page 103
  37. ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, May 29, 1993" (UK; 1993-05-29), page 1
  38. ↑ Power Play, "3/93" (DE; 1993-02-10), page 103
  39. ↑ Power Unlimited, "Nummer 2, September 1993" (NL; 1993-08-19), page 38
  40. ↑ Sega Power, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-01), page 42
  41. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 24
  42. ↑ Sega Zone, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 36
  43. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 155
  44. ↑ Todo Sega, "Abril 1993" (ES; 1993-03-15), page 50
  45. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 190
  46. ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 67
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