Alien Syndrome

For the 2007 video game of the same name, see Alien Syndrome (2007 video game).

Alien Syndrome (エイリアンシンドローム, Eirian Shindorōmu) is a 1987 run and gun video game developed and published by Sega for arcades. The game utilizes a side-scrolling feature that allows the player to take control of either a male (Ricky) or female (Mary) soldier whilst hunting aliens and saving hostages before they run out of time.

Alien Syndrome
European arcade flyer
Developer	Sega R&D1[a]
Publishers	Sega Amiga, Atari ST, C64 EU: ACE Software NA: Sega NES JP: Sunsoft NA: Tengen CPC, ZX Spectrum ACE Software MSX DROsoft Game Gear JP: SIMS EU: Sega X68000 Dempa Micomsoft
Composers	Tohru Nakabayashi Home computers David Whittaker NES Noboru Machida
Platform	Arcade Master System, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, NES, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, MSX, MS-DOS, Game Gear, X68000
Release	April 1987 Arcade JP: April 1987[1] NA: June 1987[1] Master System JP: 18 October 1987[2] NA/PAL: March 1988[3][4] C64 UK: January 1988[5] NA: December 1988 ZX Spectrum UK: May 1988[6] NES JP: 2 December 1988[7] NA: December 1989[8] Amiga, Atari ST EU: 1988 NA: January 1989[9] CPC, MSX EU: 1988 MS-DOS December 1989[8] Game Gear JP: 19 March 1992[10] EU: 3 December 1992[11] X68000 JP: 25 March 1992[12]
Genre	Run and gun
Modes	Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade system	Sega Pre System 16, Sega System 16B

Alien Syndrome was released to commercial success and positive reviews, with praise towards its gameplay, character designs, sound design and horror themes. It was ported to various home computers and consoles, including Sega's own Master System, becoming one of the best-selling titles for that console. It was included as a bonus title in the 2009 compilation Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. A sequel of the same name was released in 2007 to a mostly negative response from critics.

Gameplay

An example of gameplay during the first level, "Round 1". The player is taking control of Ricky whilst fighting alien worms.

Two players control two soldiers, named Ricky and Mary, who fight through large eight-way scrolling levels while rescuing their comrades that are being held by aliens. At the start of each level, a time bomb is set onboard the infested ship and the players must complete their task before it runs out which will result in the ship being destroyed. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages, the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the end-of-level guardian. If the guardian is defeated before the time runs out, the players are then able to move onto the next stage. Once all seven levels are completed, the game starts over with more aggressive aliens, and less time on the clock.

Ports

In 1988, the game was ported to the Master System, MSX, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System (published in North America by Tengen without a Nintendo license). Later, the game was ported to the ZX Spectrum (1989), Game Gear (1992), and X68000 (1992).

Reception

Reception

Review scores

Publication	Score
Dragon	(Master System)[13]
Computer Entertainer	(C64)[14]
Console XS	85% (Master System)[15]
Sega Pro	85% (Master System)[16]

Award

Publication	Award
Crash	Crash Smash[17]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Alien Syndrome as the third most successful table arcade unit of April 1987.^[18] The original arcade version of the game was reviewed in the July 1987 issue of Computer and Video Games, where Clare Edgeley described it as "one of the most gripping games" she "played in months", praising the Aliens-like horror atmosphere, chilling sounds, special effects, graphics and gameplay. She stated it was "the first time the atmosphere and sheer addictiveness of a shoot 'em up has transported me to another planet," and concluded that it "is fantastic".^[19]

The Master System version of the game was reviewed in Console XS magazine, which gave it an 85% score.^[15] It was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon, which rated it two out of five stars.^[13]

Legacy

The game was also converted to polygonal graphics for the PlayStation 2 as part of the Sega Ages re-release program and included in the US version of the Sega Classics Collection (it was removed from the European version to receive a lower age certificate). This version has updated controls, adding the use of both analog sticks, similar to that seen in Sheriff, Robotron: 2084, and Smash TV. The original arcade game was also included as an unlockable in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.

A sequel of the same name was released for Wii and PlayStation Portable in July 2007.

Notes

1. Master System and NES versions developed by Sanritsu; Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions developed by Softek International; Amstrad CPC version developed by Animagic; MSX version developed by Xortrapa Soft; Game Gear version developed by SIMS; X68000 version developed by Dempa Micomsoft.