History VideoGame / MajorStryker

''Major Stryker'' is a 2D VerticalScrollingShooter game for DOS [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PCs]], released in 1993 by Apogee Software (now 3D Realms). Originally the first episode of the game distributed as shareware, and the rest were issued commercially. The game was re-released as freeware on March 14, 2006, and can be found [[https://www.dosgamesarchive.com/download/major-stryker/ here]].

The game features PC Speaker and Sound Blaster sounds, and AdLib music similar in style to Bobby Prince's other songs; it was the first game published by Apogee to include the famous Apogee Fanfare. The game uses EGA graphics and draws three backgrounds ("[[MotionParallax triple-parallax scrolling]]").

* AliensAreBastards: The Kretons seem to be a collection of different aliens species bent on conquering the Earth.

* InsectoidAliens: One alien Boss look like an insect with three eyes while another has two.

* LizardFolk: One alien Boss look like a lizardman.

* MissionControl: Fleet Admiral Yoshira briefs you before entering each zone. It's mostly just for flavor, as your goal is always the same: get through two stages and then defeat the boss. Occasionally there's some mildly useful advice, though, such a warning that you're entering a zone of reduced visibility.

* SmartBomb: Called "Zap Bombs", they deal 2 HitPoints of damage to all enemies on screen, and eliminate all projectiles.

The game features PC Speaker and Sound Blaster sounds, and AdLib music similar in style to Bobby Prince's other songs; it was the first game published by Apogee to include the famous Apogee Fanfare. The game uses EGA graphics and draws three backgrounds ("triple-parallax scrolling").

* MissionControl: Fleet Admiral Yoshira briefs you before entering each zone. It's mostly just for flavor, as your goal is always the same: get through two stages and then defeat the boss.

* LoadBearingBoss: Despite only likely being the size of an aircraft carrier, destroying the motherships at the end of each episode results in the destruction of the planet, though slightly differently each time.

* SingleBiomePlanet: Strangely subverted. The three planets are named "Lava Planet", "Arctic Planet", and "Desert Planet", but the stages reveal each planet has a mix of biomes. For instance, the lava planet has oceans and temperate grasslands with cities.

* BossOnlyLevel: All the bosses get their own level.

Like most such games the story is basically an ExcusePlot: in the wake of WorldWarIII, Earth is invaded by aliens called the Kretons. The initial Earth counteroffensive is a disaster, and the majority of Earth's soldiers are capture. Earth's last hope is the hero of [=WWIII,=] Major Stryker, who is sent through the wormhole the Kretons came through to strike back.

''Major Stryker'' is a 2D vertical scrolling shooter game for IBM PC, released in 1993 by Apogee Software (now 3D Realms). Originally the first episode of the game distributed as shareware, and the rest were issued commercially. The game was re-released as freeware on March 14, 2006.

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!!This VideoGame contains examples of:

* {{Hypocrite}}: One Boss alien angrily calls you out for destroying his city. Really, who attacked the Earth in the first place?
* InvincibilityPowerUp: The bubble, which makes you invincible and able to defeat enemies by ramming them.

* RecurringBossTemplate: There are three such templates, each used once in each episode, though with differences. For instance, each episode has a boss which [[AsteroidsMonster splits into two smaller copies of itself]] for its second phase.

Like most such games the story is basically an ExcusePlot: in the wake of WorldWarIII, Earth is invaded by aliens called the Kretons. The hero of the war, Major Stryker, is sent through the wormhole they came through to strike back at their homeworlds.

* SingleBiomePlanet: Strangely subverted. The three planets are named "Lava Planet", "Arctic Planet", and "Desert Planet", yet the planets have varied areas.

* SmartBomb: Called "Zap Bombs", they deal 2 HitPoints of damage to all enemies on screen.

* InsectoidAliens: One alien Boss look like an insect with three eyes.

* {{Hypocrite}}: One Boss alien angrily accuses you of destroying his city. Really, who attacked the Earth in the first place?

* GatlingGood: Gatling cannons are usually found in pairs, most of the time on Bosses's ships.

* {{Hypocrite}}: One boss alien angrily accuses you of destroying his city. Really, who attacked the Earth in the first place?

* AlienSAreBastard: The Kretons seem to be a collection of different aliens species bent on conquering the Earth.

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* MissionControl: Fleet Admiral Yoshira briefs you before entering each zone. It's just for flavor, as your goal is always the same: get through two stages and then defeat the boss.

''Major Stryker'' is a 2D vertical scrolling shooter game written for DOS, by Apogee Software (now 3D Realms).

The game was originally distributed as shareware. It consists of three episodes, with only the first episode distributed as shareware, and the rest available commercially. The episodes are:
# Lava Planet
# Arctic Planet
# Desert Planet

The game features PC Speaker and Sound Blaster sounds, and the AdLib music is similar in style to Bobby Prince's other songs. The game uses EGA graphics and draws three backgrounds ("triple-parallax scrolling").

Major Stryker was re-released as freeware on March 14, 2006.

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