A non-Capcom European Strider II, in the line of the first but less inspired. Technically dated, lovely for nostalgics, no match for the original.
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Category
Action1 player12+
Description
Strider Hiryu II battles new enemies in this U.S. Gold Mega Drive port. Published by U.S. Gold, released in Europe in 1992. Action game with new Strider with enriched powers, varied levels and adversary bosses in this unofficial sequel.
Strider II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
This European sequel keeps the hero's slender silhouette and his scarf but builds its own scenery: industrial bases, frozen caverns, suspended structures. The sprites are larger than in the previous instalment and the backgrounds play on strong contrasts between dark zones and light sources.
The accompaniment is made of electronic pieces with marked loops, saturated bass and dry percussion, in a style closer to the European production of the period than to the original arcade arrangements. Each stage gets its theme, with short and immediately identifiable motifs.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Is Strider II still worth playing in 2026?
A sequel produced by U.S. Gold, Strider II takes the future ninja Hiryu through a run of snappy action levels, glowing blade in hand. The series' spirit of speed and acrobatics is there, but this non-Capcom entry suffers from presentation and level design behind the mythical first Strider. The pace stays pleasant in short bursts. A curiosity for fans of retro 2D action and Strider fans curious about this non-canonical sequel, without expecting the original's brilliance.
