''Stryker's Run'' is a

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

BBC Micro The British Broadcasting Corporation Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers in the 1980s for the BBC Computer Literacy Project. Designed with an emphas ...

and

BBC Master The BBC Master is a home computer released by Acorn Computers in early 1986. It was designed and built for the BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and was the successor to the BBC Micro, BBC Micro Model B. The Master 128 remained in produ ...

which was published by

Superior Software Superior Software Ltd (also known as Superior Interactive) is a video game publisher. It was one of the main publishers for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in the 1980s and early 1990s. It currently releases games for Microsoft Windows ...

in 1986. It was also later converted to the

Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron (nicknamed the Elk inside Acorn and beyond) was a lower-cost alternative to the BBC Micro educational/ home computer, also developed by Acorn Computers Ltd, to provide many of the features of that more expensive machine at a ...

. It is a 2D side-scrolling

action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...

. It was well received, particularly for its

graphics Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of data, as in design and manufacture ...

Gameplay

''Stryker's Run'' is a 2D side-scrolling action game. The game is set during a futuristic war. The player takes the role of Commander John Stryker of the Allied Nations who has obtained plans of an attack by the enemy Volgans. The objective of the game is to escape with the plans and reach the Allied headquarters. Stryker is armed with a

laser pistol A raygun is a science-fiction directed-energy weapon that releases energy, usually with destructive effect.Jeff Prucher, '' Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction,'' Oxford University Press, 2007, page 162 They have variou ...

and

grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...

s. He can also commandeer aircraft that can be used until the fuel runs out. The Volgans have a wide variety of weapons including

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

s, pistols, grenades,

machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...

mortars Mortar may refer to: * Mortar (weapon), an indirect-fire infantry weapon * Mortar (masonry), a material used to fill the gaps between blocks and bind them together * Mortar and pestle, a tool pair used to crush or grind * Mortar, Bihar, a village i ...

, mines,

helicopter gunships An attack helicopter is an armed helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the offensive capability of engaging ground targets such as enemy infantry, military vehicles and fortifications. Due to their heavy armament they ...

rocket launcher A rocket launcher is a weapon that launches an unguided, rocket-propelled projectile. History The earliest rocket launchers documented in imperial China consisted of arrows modified by the attachment of a rocket motor to the shaft a few in ...

s and SAM missiles.Original inlay, Superior Software As well as enemies, the game features allied soldiers who will fire at the enemies but can get caught in

crossfire A crossfire (also known as interlocking fire) is a military term for the siting of weapons (often automatic weapons such as assault rifles or sub-machine guns) so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I. ...

. The game takes place entirely on one level on a scrolling landscape.

Development and release

The game was originally developed and coded by Chris Roberts and Philip Meller on the BBC Micro with additional graphics by Nick Elms. As the game pushed the limits of the hardware, certain elements had to be left out of the standard version and ''Stryker's Run'' became the first game released to include an enhanced version for the newly released BBC Master. As well as extra in-game graphics, this version adds a title screen with music, a high score table, on-screen instructions and user-defined controls. The music, a version of the

Yellow Magic Orchestra Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO for short) is a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, vocals). The group is conside ...

's " Rydeen", was created by

Martin Galway Martin Galway (born 3 January 1966, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is one of the best known composers of chiptune video game music for the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum. His works include ''Rambo (1985 video game), Rambo: First Blood Part II' ...

.''Stryker's Run''
at ''Who Sampled Who'' The standard version could only fit in a plain screen with minimal text. The BBC Micro version of the game (also containing the Master enhanced version) was released by Superior Software in 1986 on

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...

and

floppy disk A floppy disk or floppy diskette (casually referred to as a floppy, or a diskette) is an obsolescent type of disk storage composed of a thin and flexible disk of a magnetic storage medium in a square or nearly square plastic enclosure lined w ...

. Unlike the majority of Superior Software's BBC Micro games, it was thought that it would not be possible to convert to the Acorn Electron as the game already used up the memory of the BBC Micro and the Electron lacks hardware scrolling capability. After completing the sequel to the game, Martin Edmondson and Nicholas Chamberlain did create an Electron version. The main difference is that instead of one long, scrolling screen, the playing area is broken up into single screen sections. The front end of the game is even more limited than the standard BBC Micro version as the game starts as soon as the game is loaded and there is only a plain screen displaying the score when the player dies. The Electron version was released in 1987 (on cassette only) at the same time as the sequel. The game was included on the first ''Play It Again Sam'' compilation released for Christmas 1987. This included the Electron version on disk for the first time.

Legacy

The game spawned a sequel, titled ''Codename: Droid - Stryker's Run part 2'', which was released in 1987. This took place in a multi-level underground base with many added moves and features. It is an early example of the

Metroidvania Metroidvania is a sub-genre of platform video games focused on guided non-linearity and utility-gated exploration and progression. The term is a portmanteau of the names of the video game series '' Metroid'' and ''Castlevania'', with games in th ...

genre. A third game was in development for the

RiscPC The Risc PC is Acorn Computers's RISC OS/ Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched on 15 April 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes. The Acorn PC card and software allows PC compatible software to be run. Like the Archimedes, the Risc PC co ...

in the mid 1990s but was never completed.''Stryker's Run III''
at ''Acorn Gaming'' A

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

of the original game for

Microsoft Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...

by the original publishers has been in development since 2007 but has no set release date.''Stryker's Run'' and ''Quest''
Superior Interactive blog, 2007-04-05

Critical reception

BBC Micro magazine A&B Computing said "This game will impress you... the graphics are stunning... this should be in every collection".
reproduced at 8bs.com (accessed 2011-12-03)

Electron User ''Electron User'' was a magazine targeted at owners of the Acorn Electron microcomputer. It was published by Database Publications of Stockport, starting in October 1983 and ending after 82 issues in July 1990. Initially it was included as a 16- ...

, in a dual review for ''Stryker's Run'' and its sequel, gave a score of 10/10 but while they praised the "beautifully drawn" backdrops, it was noted that the "animation is a bit flickery at times"."Dynamic Duo"
Roland Waddilove, Electron User #4.12, September 1987 In their review of the ''Play It Again Sam'' compilation, they also stated "The scenery is breathtaking and what it lacks in playability is made up for by sheer fun".

References

{{Ubisoft Reflections 1986 video games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron-only games Europe-exclusive video games Superior Software games Video games scored by Martin Galway Video games developed in the United Kingdom Metroidvania games Single-player video games Acornsoft games