Fast Striker

Fast Striker is a 2010 single-player vertically scrolling shooter video game originally developed and published by German indie NG:Dev.Team for the Neo Geo MVS. It is the second shoot 'em up title from NG:Dev.Team and their second game overall. Controlling a space fighter craft, the player must fight endless waves of enemies while avoiding collision with their projectiles and other obstacles.

Fast Striker
Developer(s)NG:Dev.Team
Publisher(s)NG:Dev.Team
Designer(s)René Hellwig
Timm Hellwig
Artist(s)Antone Pires
Steven Wen
Composer(s)Christian Werdehausen
Ronny Leuendorf
Platform(s)Dreamcast, iOS, Neo Geo, PlayStation Network
Release
  • WW: June 30, 2010
Genre(s)Vertically scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player
Arcade systemNeo Geo MVS

Fast Striker was developed in conjuction with HUCAST's DUX over the course of six years after the Hellwig brothers founded NG:Dev.Team and development of their first video game, Last Hope, was completed. The team went with a different approach for their vertical-scrolling shooter project compared to the level memorization focus of Last Hope, emphasising fast-paced reflex action and a elaborate scoring system. The staff also received support from German shooter communities during beta testing, advising from Twinkle Star Sprites designer Yoshiyasu Matsushita and approval from SNK Playmore. The game was later ported to Dreamcast, iOS, Neo Geo AES, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, each one featuring minimal changes and additions compared to the original version.

Fast Striker was met with mixed reception from critics; Reviewers praised its fast action, scoring system, techno soundtrack, speed and adjustable difficulty levels that alters each playthrough, which drew comparison with Cave shooters but others criticized the gameplay, monocrome visual style, pacing and short length, as well as the lack of additional options on the PlayStation versions, among other aspects.

Gameplay
Neo Geo version screenshot.

Fast Striker is a science fiction-themed vertically scrolling shoot 'em up game in which the player take control of a space fighter craft through six increasingly difficult stages in order to defeat an assortment of enemy forces and bosses.[1]

At the start, there are three difficulty modes to choose from (Novice, Original and Maniac), each one hosting unique scoring systems.[1][2] In Novice mode, the enemies' color palette are altered to make them more visible and the player collects golden stars to gain points. In Original mode, the ship has a shield that can be activated for a brief protection time period against incoming enemy bullets and holding the down the spread fire button will also perform a short burst of rockets.[1][2] Maniac mode introduces new strategies to obtain higher scores and the player can activate "Grind Mode" by concentrating the ship's laser on a large enemy, turning green and destroyed enemies will give high scores.[1]

Development

Fast Striker was developed by NG:Dev.Team in conjunction with HUCAST's DUX over the course of six years as their second project, after the brothers René and Timm Hellwig founded the company and development of Last Hope was completed, though René stated they considered game development as a hobby at the time.[3][4][5][6][7] In various interviews, René stated that the team went with a different approach to the project, focusing on fast-paced reflex action and emphasis on an elaborate scoring system when compared Last Hope, which was more bulky and required players to memorize the level.[4][5][6][8]

The team developed Fast Striker using a Neo Geo development kit and also took more time to test the game, with German shooter communities Triggerzone and Daddelking participating in the game's beta testing phase.[4][5][6][9] Twinkle Star Sprites designer Yoshiyasu Matsushita also tested and liked the title, giving the team advices to improve the project.[4][5][6] René claimed that the team also got quality approval from SNK Playmore for their project but did not get a license due to complications with reviving the Neo Geo platform.[4][5][6] The title employs computer-generated imagery for stages, runs at 60 frames per second and displays up to 180 simultaneous enemy bullets on-screen.[8] The music was co-composed by Christian Werdehausen and Ronny Leuendorf.[1][10] Antone Pires and Steven Wen served as character artists.[1] A two-player mode was planned but scrapped due to technical issues.[11]

Release

Fast Striker was first released by NG:Dev.Team for the Neo Geo MVS on June 30, 2010, while a limited edition included a soundtrack album.[10][12][13] At 1560 megabits of data, it is one of the largest game developed for the Neo Geo platform.[14] The MVS release supports software updates via a USB port and employs an anti-piracy system using propietary hardware.[8]

A Dreamcast conversion dubbed Fast Striker 1.5 featuring an "Omake" game mode was first announced in publications such as Joystiq and Spanish magazine GamesTribune,[14][15] before going gold on December 2010 with a tentative release date of December 21 of the same year.[16][17][18] The Dreamcast version was released on December 28, 2010 in a Japanese-style DVD packaging as three editions;[12][15][18][19] a regular edition, a deluxe edition limited to 1000 copies featuring an alternate cover art and a soundtrack enclosed with the game,[20] as well as a pack containing both editions. An iOS version based on the Dreamcast port was released in North America on March 27, 2011 and later in Europe on April 22 of the same year.[21][22] In 2013, a Neo Geo AES version limited to 150-200 copies was also released.[23]

On October 2018, Eastasiasoft published Fast Striker worldwide on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita via PlayStation Network.[24][25][26][27] Eastasiasoft also published a physical edition for both PS4 and PS Vita via Play-Asia in a special cardboard box with embossed art on the front.[12]

Reception

Fast Striker received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator site Metacritic.[28] However, according to NG:Dev.Team co-founder Timm Hellwig, sales of the game only totaled to 60% of Last Hope before it.[38] ReVival's Cyril Denis regarded the game as "an excellent shoot'em up which, if only for its vertical scrolling using the entire width of the screen, deserves Dreamcast owners to take an interest in it."[36] Carlos Oliveiros of Spanish magazine GamesTribune praised the art design, techno soundtrack, enemy variety and adjustable difficulty but criticized the Dreamcast conversion for being a straightfoward adaptation of the Neo Geo MVS original, monocromatic stage visuals and lack of a two-player mode.[11] Retro Gamer's Darran Jones and Stuart Hunt commended its fast-paced action, attack formations, bosses, intricate bullet patterns, music, mechanics and scoring system.[35]

Jeuxvideo.com's shametblame criticized the graphics for being unpleasant, techno soundtrack and overall length. However, he praised the scoring mechanics, gameplay and adjustable difficuly levels that alters each playthrough.[29] MAN!AC's Matthias Schmid commended the Dreamcast version for running at a consistent framerate, the addition of "Omake" mode from revision 1.5, thought-out scoring system and soundtrack but criticized the visuals and stages for their monotonous colors and abundance of bullets during gameplay.[30] Likewise, Spanish publication RetroManiac commended NG:Dev.Team for balancing their game to cather a wider audience, prasing the scoring system, visual presentation, speed and music, stating that "Fast Striker is a pretty remarkable shooter that emphasizes dodging shooting patterns on us, eliminating bosses, and mastering our weapons system.[21]

Vida Extra's Oscar Bouzo criticized the PlayStation Vita conversion for its lack of additional options and "ugly" 3D stage design but commended the release for the bosses and gameplay differences each difficulty mode offers.[39] Likewise, Video Chums' A.J. Maciejewski criticized the PlayStation 4 version for the lack of extra content, multiplayer and visual design but praised the action, sound design and difficulty modes that changes the gameplay.[37] In a similar manner, Push Square's Nathanial Eker criticized the PlayStation 4 port for its Neo Geo-style graphics for the "ugly" color palette, lack of extra options and basic gameplay, though he gave positive remarks to the soundtrack.[31] GameGrin's Simon Brown also noted the lack of new gameplay additions but regarded it as a solid shoot 'em up for newcomers, praising the soundtrack while comparing its later difficulty modes and combo mechanic to Cave shooters such as DoDonPachi and Mushihimesama, though he criticized the stages for not standing out visually from each other.[33]

GameSpew's Kyle Bradford criticized the ship's slow speed, pacing and length though he praised the aesthetics, stating that "Alas, Fast Striker isn’t what it should have been."[34] Cubed3's Gabriel Jones compared the pre-rendered visuals with both Pulstar and Blazing Star. Jones commended its "brisk" pacing, dynamic action and boss fights, regarding it to be a solid game.[32] Oprainfall's Nick Benefield gave the title a positive outlook on PS Vita, praising the upbeat music, elaborate bosses, visuals and gameplay but criticized the power-up system.[12]

References
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