Space Harrier

[Cafeman]

I've been playing Space Harrier on my Saturn's Sega Ages disc.

I'm getting better at at my attempts to defeat Dragon Land, a wee bit, but I still can't get past stage 10. It lets me continue at stage 6 once I beat that level, but it doesn't allow me to get much farther than starting off from level 1. I believe that the next continue point is at Stage 13, which I haven't reached for years. I think that Stage 12 is the 2nd bonus round, where you ride Uriah the white dragon for points. Gotta get there!

I've always like the game, but I've never really sat down and tried to beat every level. I'm not sure how many levels there are. I think there are 18. I play on Normal, with Normal up/down movement (for some reason I can't get the hang of Reverse up/down movement in this game).

I think the best strategy for Space Harrier is to move in either a circle or figure-eight pattern so that shots don't lock on to you. Meanwhile you've got to watch you don't hit trees or other barriers. I noticed in the 'tunnel' stages (#4 Ceiciel and #9 Revi for example) that the polygonal orb obstacles always appear first high in the sky (so you go low) and then followed by low ones (so you go high to avoid these).

The music is arranged on this Working Designs / Spaz Sega Ages disc, so I'm not sure if it is different from the original arcade tunes for Space harrier. I know Outrun's tunes have been rearranged (hmmm, I never checked the Shenmue 2 Outrun to compare tunes but I bet it has the original tunes!). But as I settled into the rhythm of shooting ships, armored giants and one-eyed mammoths, I eventually came to realize that the music is actually a bit relaxing and pleasing, a counter-point to the crazy action.

Maybe tomorrow night I'll get past stage 10 or 11.

[Arcade Antics]

I've always like the game, but I've never really sat down and tried to beat every level. I'm not sure how many levels there are. I think there are 18. I play on Normal, with Normal up/down movement (for some reason I can't get the hang of Reverse up/down movement in this game).

I think you're right on the money - 18 stages total. In the last stage (Absymbel? - I remember that it always reminded me of "abysmal" :) ), you encounter all of the previous stage bosses. Awesome!


I think the best strategy for Space Harrier is to move in either a circle or figure-eight pattern so that shots don't lock on to you. Meanwhile you've got to watch you don't hit trees or other barriers. I noticed in the 'tunnel' stages (#4 Ceiciel and #9 Revi for example) that the polygonal orb obstacles always appear first high in the sky (so you go low) and then followed by low ones (so you go high to avoid these).

Yes indeed - as long as you're constantly moving without backtracking, they'll never be able to hit you. :) Course, those indestructable obstacles are such a pain to get around sometimes. ;) *insert Space Harrier scream here*

"Get ready!"

[Arcade Antics]

And speaking of the mighty Space Harrier...

Where is the home console version of PLANET HARRIERS??

And for that matter, howsabout home versions of WILD RIDERS and VIRTUA COP 3, Sega? Thanks! :)

[Cafeman]

By most accounts, Planet Harrier sucked. :(

However, you *do* know about the new Sega Ages 2500 Space Harrier update for PS2, don't you?

[Arcade Antics]

You betcha! :) It looks pretty cool, I just wish they'd release all of 'em stateside as budget titles or something, maybe like they recently did with VF4 Evolution.

[GaijinPunch]

By most accounts, Planet Harrier sucked. :(


Most accounts must be dispshits. The whole guitar-thing was kinda cheesy, but the game was fucking beautiful. The Hikaru board was apparantly expensive to make and less powerful than Naomi2... I think that's why it wasn't so widespread. All in all.... I liked it. There was so much "depth" on the screen... it blew me away.

As for the Sega Ages version of Space Harrier, the last stage is different from the SMS version. I think you do fight a lot of the bosses, but not all. And there's definitely no new boss at the end. I love that game though.

[Cafeman]

(I never got to see or play Planet Harriers but I recall reading a couple different reports that it was too slow and not fun.)

Anyway, Space Harrier: I got up to the Level 17 boss today! He hit me so I never did see level 18, but I'm still elated I got this far for the first time. He looked like a floating guy with two bulldogs on either side. ;)

Stuff gets a lot harder after stage 13. The floating boulders move into you, there are more soldiers (the toughest of the enemies IMO) and you have to constantly move & not hit pillars & such. I found I'd either get into the groove, or I wouldn't & thus I'd die a lot.

The last 'tunnel' scene was really trippy, with the indestructable poly-sphere things glowing and in hard-to-miss patterns.

I *really* liked when the spaceship flew down and all the enemies & soldiers came swarming out of it! I never knew that was in Space Harrier. Alas, after about 10 or 20 games my reflexes felt slow and I had to put it aside for a night.

[Cafeman]

My interest got piqued by the Planet Harriers comments here and I dug up some older impressions which were quite positive. Sorry again for appearing to flame the game, it was just a little side comment based on probably the last thing I read somewhere about Planet harriers.

Anyway, here is one comment by IGN's Anthony Chau. Note that he is very excited because it was his first time seeing the game. But I believe that first impressions are important so here goes a few quotes:


When I finally saw the game with my own eyes, not since the first time I gazed at the glorious Virtual On Oratorio Tangram in the arcades have I seen such stunning visuals, blistering frame rate, and intense action....

What makes Planet Harriers so special? Well, since most gamers are shallow (including myself), the visuals have to be brilliant. Planet Harriers' graphics destroys, decimates, disintegrates -- just plain beats the snot out of anything I've seen up to this point. Beyond the excellent character models and amazing explosions, are the monstrously large levels. From what I have seen so far, there is no pop-up and you can literally see for miles beyond the horizon. For an on-rails shooter, you have a huge amount of space to roam, and believe me, you'll need it when you encounter the onslaught of enemies that just keep coming mercilessly.


http://www.segaarcade.com/games/planet/images/screenshots/SCREEN5.jpg