Strider Returns To Action Next Year

Capcom has announced a new entry in the sporadically-running Strider series, slated for release in the early part of 2014.

Strider debuted in 1989 as the titular hero of an arcade game that wowed players with then-revolutionary gameplay concepts. See, Strider is a futuristic ninja, with all the acrobatic skill and fancy gadgets that might suggest. Seeing a character straight up climb walls and even giant boss enemies was mindblowing in the late-80s.

Unfortunately, after that first arcade game (and its adaptations, which appeared on almost every notable platform of the time) Strider seemed to vanish into the ether. While that’s perfectly in character for a ninja, fans were disappointed that we wouldn’t see another official Strider title until the PlayStation release of Strider 2. That game, while gorgeously animated and far from bad, didn’t attract much of audience, as PlayStation-era gamers were all about 3D polygonal graphics, while Strider 2 was a strictly 2D affair.

Beyond those two games, Strider has kept busy as a recurring character in the Marvel Vs Capcom line of fighting games, but as of yesterday Capcom revealed that a proper Strider sequel would hit the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 at some point in the first part of 2014. The game is slated to be a downloadable title, and will maintain the style of prior Strider games (read: it’s a 2D sidescrolling title) while adding modern graphical accoutrements to the franchise’s aesthetics.

There’s currently no word on how much this game might set you back once it’s released, but based on its downloadable nature, we expect a price tag of less than $20. While Capcom is still working out a price point, the firm has been kind enough to offer a substantial look at the game in action via two videos. The first, which you’ll find at top-right is the game’s official announcement trailer, while the clip below is straight gameplay footage. Have a look, then tell us what you think in the comments below.

Source: Capcom Unity