Ever wonder what Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro and other popular magazines thought of your favorite 8-, 16- and 32-bit games? Now you can find out, thanks to Review Crew! This is the only show on the internet that is willing to go back in time to find out what old school critics thought of retro games at the time. Did they pan your favorite game? Did they love something terrible? Find out every week as Defunct Games presents Review Crew!
Today we're looking at Strider, one of my
favorite games of all time. By 1990, Strider was already a big hit in the arcade and had spawned a completely unrelated spin-off for the Nintendo Entertainment System. But this Genesis game was different, as it promised "8-Mega Memory" and all the levels found in the arcade classic. Was that enough to impress the critics back in 1991?
(NOTE: Although we occasionally cut for length, no other edits are made to the review. Defunct Games does not change any of the wording, grammar or punctuation use. Also keep in mind that our score is the average of all critics at the time, not just the sample that is reprinted on this page. If you still have more questions, I recommend you check out the
Review Crew FAQ, where we address the review guidelines, converting scores, magazine covers and more.)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY
(1991 Video Game Buyer's Guide)
"With its explosive graphics and crisp detail, Sega has supported the Genesis translation of this arcade mega-hit beautifully, retaining all the features that made the game such a sensation in the arcades. The level of technique is this game is outstanding, with multiple worlds each filled with their own unique challenges and dangers."
(Best Game of the Year)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #16
"What a game! It's unbelievable what just a little bit more memory can do to a cart. Everything is here from the coin-op and it plays fantastic! Spectacular graphics, decent tunes and great game play! One look and you'll see why it's the game of the year." -Martin
(9 out of 10)
MEGA PLAY (February 1991)
"A truly awesome game! Everything is done perfectly -- challenging game play, excellent graphics and all the arcade levels! Strider's sounds are missing from the U.S. version. Why? -Mike
(9 out of 10)
VIDEO GAMES & COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT (January 1991)
"Strider is a very successful achievement. It provides dazzling graphics, challenging and addictive game play and plenty of strategies and terrain to explore. Strider has just about everything a hard-core video gamer could possibly be looking for." - J.M.
()
MEGA PLAY (February 1991)
"Being a pro at the coin-op, I can say this game is awesome! A little slow down while playing, but even the arcade machine did that. Top notch graphics and play. Close to a ten." -G.O.G.
(9 out of 10)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #16
"Why is this game more popular now than when it was a coin-op game? If you've played that one, then here it is exact as can be and just as much fun if not more. Get your hands on this as soon as you can 'cause it's destined to disappear fast! How about the coin-op 'Willow' next?" -Sushi X
(9 out of 10)
GAMEPRO (December 1990)
"Strider is hot from the arcades and features gorgeous graphics, non-stop arcade-style action, and an especially captivating and unusual soundtrack. At last, an arcade translation that's as hot as the original coin-op! What more is there to say -- you'll take this one in stride." -Andromeda
(4 out of 5)
REVIEW CREW AVERAGE: 91% -
Out of the ten critics that weighed in, only GamePro gave Strider a score lower than 9 out of 10. On the other hand, Electronic Gaming Monthly and Mega Play liked the game enough to award it their Game of the Year. Video Games & Computer Entertainment also loved it, raving about the "8 Mega" monster in a review that spanned more than one page. Despite the strong scores, there were a few complaints of bugs and Mega Play accused Sega of editing out sound effects from the U.S. version. After averaging all the scores, we're left with a score of 89%, one of the highest scores yet in the Review Crew. Do you agree?
UPDATE 1 (JULY 19, 2014):
We added two reviews from Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 16. This raised the average from 89% up to 91%. All four EGM editors gave the game a 9 out of 10.
