Major Stryker
Major Stryker | |
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Screenshot of game | |
Developer(s) | Apogee Software |
Publisher(s) | Apogee Software |
Platform(s) | MS-DOS |
Release date(s) | January 1993 |
Genre(s) | Scrolling shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Major Stryker is a 2D vertical scrolling shooter game written for MS-DOS by Apogee Software.
The game was originally distributed as shareware. It consists of three episodes, with only the first episode distributed as shareware, and the rest available commercially. The episodes are:
- Lava Planet
- Arctic Planet
- Desert Planet
The game features PC Speaker and Sound Blaster sounds, and the AdLib music is similar in style to Bobby Prince's other songs. The game uses EGA graphics and draws three backgrounds ("triple-parallax scrolling").
Major Stryker was re-released as freeware on March 14, 2006.
The only named characters are the titular hero and Fleet Admiral Yoshira, a very attractive, often flirtatious woman who briefs the character between levels, and seems to be in love with him as well.
Gameplay
There are three difficulty levels, each of which has drastically different levels of powerups, enemies, and enemy fire.
Powerups available include laser powerups (boxes marked "00," "01," etc.,) which affect the pattern and number of shots fired, speedups, holding patterns which stop the screen and release a fleet of enemies, Zap Bombs which cause screenwide explosions and extra lives. Hostages can also be rescued by ramming into the capsules they are contained in.
A player with upgraded firepower is lowered to single shots upon being hit. A player with basic firepower instantly loses a life. Being crushed by a wall also loses a life regardless of firepower. Three different types of shields exist: Two side shields that protect the jet left and right until it is damaged, two temporary small wave shields that rotate around the jet and a temporary invincibility orb shield.
At the end of each level, the player is awarded additional points on the percentage of enemies destroyed and the percentage of hostages rescued.
External links
- Official Webpage and download
- Major Stryker at MobyGames
- music from Major Stryker Album -- live re-recording