Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
From Sega Retro
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up, Simulation (both are listed on the box; Sega of Japan master list only lists Shoot-'em-Up) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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 to intervene. You are in control of one such helicopter.
Contents
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 START 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[7] .
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[8].
Production credits
Mega Drive version
Rather than having a static title screen, the MD version shows a repeating animation of the helicopter flying with the game title on top while the credits appear on the bottom of the screen.
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
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
Copyright 1992 Electronic Arts
All Rights Reserved
Magazine articles
- Main article: Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
also published in:
- Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)[9]
also published in:
- Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #43: "February 1993" (199x-xx-xx)[10]
Physical scans
Mega Drive version
84 | |
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Based on 50 reviews |
Mega Drive, AU |
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Master System version
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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88 | |
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Based on 11 reviews |
Game Gear version
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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81 | |
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Based on 11 reviews |
Technical information
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
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✔ |
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1MB | 1992-03 | Cartridge (US/EU) | ||||||||||
✔ |
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1MB | 1993-04 | Cartridge (JP/KR) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 File:CVG UK 124.pdf, page 22
- ↑ File:CVG UK 128.pdf, page 30
- ↑ File:GamesMaster UK 047.pdf, page 11
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 File:GamePro US 032.pdf, page 46 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:GamePro US 032.pdf_p46" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:SegaForceMega UK 07.pdf, page 71
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 File:GamePro US 054.pdf, page 206 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:GamePro US 054.pdf_p206" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ [Retro Gamer issue #45 Retro Gamer issue #45]
- ↑ [CU Amiga, 1993-04 CU Amiga, 1993-04]
- ↑ Sega Visions, "May/June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 12
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "February 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 141
- ↑ Joypad, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-04-1x), page 4
- ↑ Joypad, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-05-1x), page 2
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 File:ACE UK 55.pdf, page 42 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:ACE UK 55.pdf_p42" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 14.0 14.1 File:ConsolesPlus FR 007.pdf, page 100 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:ConsolesPlus FR 007.pdf_p100" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:CVG IT 15.pdf, page 74
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 File:EGM US 033.pdf, page 26 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:EGM US 033.pdf_p26" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:EGM US BuyersGuide 1993.pdf, page 46
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 File:GamePower IT 07.pdf, page 30 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:GamePower IT 07.pdf_p30" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 19.0 19.1 File:HobbyConsolas ES 010.pdf, page 46 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:HobbyConsolas ES 010.pdf_p46" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 20.0 20.1 File:Joypad FR 006.pdf, page 94 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 006.pdf_p94" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 21.0 21.1 File:Joystick FR 024.pdf, page 120 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 024.pdf_p120" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 22.0 22.1 File:Mega UK 04.pdf, page 81 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Mega UK 04.pdf_p81" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 23.0 23.1 File:MegaTech UK 03.pdf, page 18 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 03.pdf_p18" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 24.0 24.1 File:MeanMachines UK 17.pdf, page 18 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 17.pdf_p18" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 25.0 25.1 File:PlayerOne FR 020.pdf, page 62 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 020.pdf_p62" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 26.0 26.1 File:SegaForce UK 04.pdf, page 62 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 04.pdf_p62" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 27.0 27.1 File:SegaPro UK 06.pdf, page 60 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 06.pdf_p60" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 28.0 28.1 File:Supergame BR 11.pdf, page 34 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Supergame BR 11.pdf_p34" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 29.0 29.1 File:Supersonic FR 01.pdf, page 4 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:Supersonic FR 01.pdf_p4" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:VideoGames DE 1992-06.pdf, page 43
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 57
- ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Juni 1992" (DE; 1992-05-08), page 118
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1993" (JP; 1993-04-08), page 24
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 128
- ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 62
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-15), page 74
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 305
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 2, "" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 56
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 37
- ↑ Famitsu, "1993-04-30" (JP; 1993-04-16), page 1
- ↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
- ↑ Games-X, "27th February-4th March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-27), page 23
- ↑ Génération 4, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 152
- ↑ Game Informer, "Summer 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 6
- ↑ Game Zone, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-21), page 26
- ↑ Hippon Super, "April 1993" (JP; 1993-03-04), page 44
- ↑ Igry Sega Luchshiye iz luchshikh. Vypusk 2, "" (RU; 2001-08-27), page 83
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 91
- ↑ Mega, "August 1994" (UK; 1994-07-21), page 79
- ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
- ↑ Mega Fun, "06/92" (DE; 1992-0x-xx), page 30
- ↑ Mega Play, "June 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 62
- ↑ MegaTech, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 56
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138
- ↑ Play Time, "7/92" (DE; 1992-06-03), page 93
- ↑ Power Play, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-13), page 144
- ↑ Sega Power, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-05), page 16
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 65
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 40
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 12
- ↑ User, "Októvrios 1992" (GR; 1992-xx-xx), page 90
- ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "May 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 50
- ↑ Video Games, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-29), page 45
- ↑ File:ConsolesPlus FR 028.pdf, page 124
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 File:MeanMachinesSega14UK.pdf, page 104 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ File:SegaMasterForce UK 06.pdf, page 26
- ↑ Consoles +, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 144
- ↑ Joypad, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 106
- ↑ Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 106
- ↑ Sega Pro, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 62
- ↑ Sega Zone, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-25), page 29
- ↑ Sega Master Force, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 70
- ↑ Todo Sega, "Diciembre 1993" (ES; 1993-1x-xx), page 80
- ↑ VideoGames Shopper, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 31
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 File:Joypad FR 028.pdf, page 115 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:SonicMag FR 02.pdf_p38" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:VideoGames DE 1994-04.pdf, page 108
- ↑ Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-08-xx), page 74
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 55
- ↑ Gamer, "Noémvrios 1994" (GR; 1994-xx-xx), page 1
- ↑ Mega Force, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 1994-01-08), page 116
- ↑ Sega Pro, "Xmas Special 1993" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 60
- ↑ Todo Sega, "Febrero 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 42
- ↑ Video Games, "4/94" (DE; 1994-03-23), page 112
Strike games for Sega systems |
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Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf (1992) | Jungle Strike (1993) | Urban Strike (1994) | Soviet Strike (1997) |
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