Sunset Riders (USA)
Sunset Riders (サンセットライダーズ Sansetto Raidāzu) is a side-scrolling run-and-gun style shoot-'em-up released by Konami as a coin-operated video game in 1991. The game is set during the American Old West, where the player takes control of a bounty hunter who is seeking the rewards offered for various criminals. The coin-op version was released in two variants: a 2-player version and a 4-player version. Home versions of Sunset Riders were released for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) in 1992 and for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993.
The player can play as one of four bounty hunters, with their own firearm type. In the 2-player version, each player can choose the character they want to control before starting the game, while in the 4-player version each set of controls is assigned to one specific character.
The game's controls consist of an eight-way joystick for moving the character and two buttons for shooting and jumping. The player's gun has unlimited ammunition. The player has the ability to jump, slide and shoot ahead and upwards. In the case of being on upper levels, the player can can shoot downwards (diagonally or vertically) while crouching.
There are three types of hidden items. All of the gun power-ups are lost when the player gets killed.
There are a total of eight levels. If the boss is defeated by two or more players, the reward is awarded to the player who deals most damage on the enemy. In addition, there are two bonus rounds, one after Stage 2 and the other after Stage 5.
The player can play as one of four bounty hunters, with their own firearm type. In the 2-player version, each player can choose the character they want to control before starting the game, while in the 4-player version each set of controls is assigned to one specific character.
The game's controls consist of an eight-way joystick for moving the character and two buttons for shooting and jumping. The player's gun has unlimited ammunition. The player has the ability to jump, slide and shoot ahead and upwards. In the case of being on upper levels, the player can can shoot downwards (diagonally or vertically) while crouching.
There are three types of hidden items. All of the gun power-ups are lost when the player gets killed.
There are a total of eight levels. If the boss is defeated by two or more players, the reward is awarded to the player who deals most damage on the enemy. In addition, there are two bonus rounds, one after Stage 2 and the other after Stage 5.
Sunset Riders (USA)
Technical
CPU
- maincpu 5A22 (@ 21 Mhz)
- soundcpu SPC700 (@ 1 Mhz)
Chipset
- SNES Custom DSP (SPC700)
Display
- Orientation Yoko
- Resolution 255 x 225
- Frequency 60.098476 Hz
Controlers
- Number of players 2
- Number of buttons 6
- Kind of controler
- joy (8 ways)
- joy (8 ways)
- joy (8 ways)
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Sunset Riders (USA) Screenshots
Clones of Sunset Riders (USA)
Plot
The game, which is set in a fanciful version of the American Old West, revolves around four bounty hunters who are out to claim rewards given for eliminating the most wanted outlaws in the West. At the beginning of each stage the player is shown a wanted poster, showing the criminal, the reward for stopping them, and the line "Wanted dead or alive".
Ports and related releases
Two years later, the arcade version was reprogrammed to two home consoles. Despite the arcade version having a release in the region it was created in (Japan), the home versions were only released in North America and Europe.
The Genesis version of Sunset Riders features the most changes made to the game between the two home versions of the game. Out of the four main characters from the arcade game, only Billy and Cormano are featured. The two characters in the Genesis version were given surnames that they originally didn't have in the arcade version (Billy Cool and Cormano Wild). The controls are identical to the arcade version aside for addition of two shooting buttons instead of just one: one button allows the player to walk and shoot at the same time, while the other shoot button keeps the character still when pressed down, allowing the player to change their aim only.
Only four of the eight bosses from the arcade version are featured, and each of the four chapters are divided into two stages. The power-up icons have also been replaced as well. Unlike the other versions, the player can cause a dynamite stick to explode by shooting it. To access the bonus stages, the player must collect a Star-shaped item located in either stage of each chapter. The bonus stages differs from the ones in the arcade version, in which the player chases after a moving wagon on a horseback, while the woman in the wagon tosses bonus coins and extra lives at the player's path.
In addition to the standard game mode, the Genesis version features a two-player versus mode. The players must shoot each other until one of the players runs out of health.
In contrast to the Genesis version, the SNES version of Sunset Riders features relatively fewer changes. The barfly that kisses the player character in Stage 1, as well as the saloon dancers from Stage 4 are dressed more conservatively compared to the arcade version. Hunter dogs, which were present in first segment of final chapter in the Genesis version, were removed. Also, the Native American enemy characters from Stage 6 were removed and replaced with regular outlaws, leaving only Chief Scalpem (who is renamed Chief Wigwam in the SNES game) as the stage boss. The dynamite tossing female bandits were removed from the SNES port as well.
Sega Genesis (Mega Drive)
The Genesis version of Sunset Riders features the most changes made to the game between the two home versions of the game. Out of the four main characters from the arcade game, only Billy and Cormano are featured. The two characters in the Genesis version were given surnames that they originally didn't have in the arcade version (Billy Cool and Cormano Wild). The controls are identical to the arcade version aside for addition of two shooting buttons instead of just one: one button allows the player to walk and shoot at the same time, while the other shoot button keeps the character still when pressed down, allowing the player to change their aim only.
Only four of the eight bosses from the arcade version are featured, and each of the four chapters are divided into two stages. The power-up icons have also been replaced as well. Unlike the other versions, the player can cause a dynamite stick to explode by shooting it. To access the bonus stages, the player must collect a Star-shaped item located in either stage of each chapter. The bonus stages differs from the ones in the arcade version, in which the player chases after a moving wagon on a horseback, while the woman in the wagon tosses bonus coins and extra lives at the player's path.
In addition to the standard game mode, the Genesis version features a two-player versus mode. The players must shoot each other until one of the players runs out of health.
SNES version
In contrast to the Genesis version, the SNES version of Sunset Riders features relatively fewer changes. The barfly that kisses the player character in Stage 1, as well as the saloon dancers from Stage 4 are dressed more conservatively compared to the arcade version. Hunter dogs, which were present in first segment of final chapter in the Genesis version, were removed. Also, the Native American enemy characters from Stage 6 were removed and replaced with regular outlaws, leaving only Chief Scalpem (who is renamed Chief Wigwam in the SNES game) as the stage boss. The dynamite tossing female bandits were removed from the SNES port as well.
Reception
Zero rated the arcade original a 3 out of 5, calling it a "fairly fast shoot'em up with a sense of humour."Sinclair User gave the arcade game an 82 out of 100 writing that it "plays very well and should prove an interesting challenge for your finely honed arcade skills".
See also
- Mystic Warriors
- Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa
- List of Western computer and video games
