Alien Syndrome

For the 2007 video game of the same name, see Alien Syndrome (2007 video game).
Alien Syndrome
European arcade flyer
DeveloperSega R&D1[a]
Publishers
Sega
  • Amiga, Atari ST, C64
    • EU: ACE Software
    • NA: Sega
    NES
    CPC, ZX Spectrum
    ACE Software
    MSX
    DROsoft
    Game Gear
    X68000
    Dempa Micomsoft
Composers
Tohru Nakabayashi
Platform
Release
April 1987
GenreRun and gun
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemSega Pre System 16, Sega System 16B

Alien Syndrome (エイリアンシンドローム, Eirian Shindorōmu) is a 1987 run and gun video game developed and published by Sega for arcades. The game utilizes a side-scrolling feature that allows the player to take control of either a male (Ricky) or female (Mary) soldier whilst hunting aliens and saving hostages before they run out of time.

Alien Syndrome was released to commercial success and positive reviews, with praise towards its gameplay, character designs, sound design and horror themes. It was ported to various home computers and consoles, including Sega's own Master System, becoming one of the best-selling titles for that console. It was included as a bonus title in the 2009 compilation Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. A sequel of the same name was released in 2007 to a mostly negative response from critics.

Gameplay

Two players control two soldiers, named Ricky and Mary, who fight through large eight-way scrolling levels while rescuing their comrades that are being held by aliens. At the start of each level, a time bomb is set onboard the infested ship and the players must complete their task before it runs out which will result in the ship being destroyed. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages, the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the end-of-level guardian. If the guardian is defeated before the time runs out, the players are then able to move onto the next stage. Once all seven levels are completed, the game starts over with more aggressive aliens, and less time on the clock.

Ports

In 1988, the game was ported to the Master System, MSX, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System (published in North America by Tengen without a Nintendo license). Later, the game was ported to the ZX Spectrum (1989), Game Gear (1992), and X68000 (1992).

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Alien Syndrome as the third most successful table arcade unit of April 1987.[18] The original arcade version of the game was reviewed in the July 1987 issue of Computer and Video Games, where Clare Edgeley described it as "one of the most gripping games" she "played in months", praising the Aliens-like horror atmosphere, chilling sounds, special effects, graphics and gameplay. She stated it was "the first time the atmosphere and sheer addictiveness of a shoot 'em up has transported me to another planet," and concluded that it "is fantastic".[19]

The Master System version of the game was reviewed in Console XS magazine, which gave it an 85% score.[15] It was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon, which rated it two out of five stars.[13]

Legacy

The game was also converted to polygonal graphics for the PlayStation 2 as part of the Sega Ages re-release program and included in the US version of the Sega Classics Collection (it was removed from the European version to receive a lower age certificate). This version has updated controls, adding the use of both analog sticks, similar to that seen in Sheriff, Robotron: 2084, and Smash TV. The original arcade game was also included as an unlockable in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.

A sequel of the same name was released for Wii and PlayStation Portable in July 2007.

Notes

  1. ^ Master System and NES versions developed by Sanritsu; Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions developed by Softek International; Amstrad CPC version developed by Animagic; MSX version developed by Xortrapa Soft; Game Gear version developed by SIMS; X68000 version developed by Dempa Micomsoft.

References

  1. ^ a b Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 36, 131. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  2. ^ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7, no. 1. April 1988. p. 14.
  3. ^ "2 Mega Cartridges" (PDF). The Sega Master System Game Catalog (1988). Mastertronic.
  4. ^ "Software List". Sega Hard Encyclopedia (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Previews: Alien Syndrome". The Games Machine. No. 3. Newsfield. February 1988. p. 15.
  6. ^ "Preview: Alien Syndrome". Sinclair User. No. 73. EMAP. April 1988. p. 102.
  7. ^ a b "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 8, no. 10. January 1990. p. 22.
  8. ^ "All Famicom games sorted from the latest release to the earliest". Famitsu. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7, no. 11. February 1989. p. 14.
  10. ^ "The Release Schedule". Computer Trade Weekly. No. 414. 23 November 1992. p. 18.
  11. ^ "Software List (Released by Soft Licensees)". セガ 製品情報サイト (in Japanese). Sega.
  12. ^ "X68000のソフトとか". tkhr000.s601.xrea.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 12 May 2019.
  13. ^ a b Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (January 1989). "The Role of Computers" (PDF). Dragon (141): 72–78 (75).
  14. ^ "COMMODORE 64/128 Software". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7, no. 10. January 1989. p. 4.
  15. ^ a b "Software A-Z: Master System". Console XS. No. 1 (June/July 1992). United Kingdom: Paragon Publishing. 23 April 1992. pp. 137–47.
  16. ^ "Pro Scores" (PDF). Sega Pro (published 11 March 1993). April 1993. p. 70.
  17. ^ Game review, Crash magazine, Newsfield Publications, issue 57, October 1988
  18. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 308. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 May 1987. p. 21.
  19. ^ "Alien Syndrome arcade game review".
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