Space Harrier

Game Details:

Space Harrier is one of the early representative works of Yu Suzuki's team at Sega. It pioneered the use of a pseudo-3D perspective projection technology, simulating the experience of high-speed flight and vast scenes through rapid scaling of backgrounds, enemies, and bullets. The game style is bold and avant-garde, with imaginative enemy designs, ranging from giant cyclops and flying saucers to two-headed mammoths and mechanical dragons. The game has a very fast pace and is quite challenging, which greatly tests the player's reaction and prediction abilities. Early arcade versions were often installed on hydraulic movable machine stands, further enhancing the player's immersive experience and "somatosensory" effects, making it a star work in arcade halls in the mid-80s. The game's background music is also very distinctive and is still fondly remembered by many veteran players.

Game Guide:

The core challenge of Space Harrier lies in its super-fast speed and dense bullet patterns, which require players to combine dodging and shooting. First, the most important and basic skill is not to stop moving. Harrier can move quickly on the screen, not only to avoid enemy attacks but also to collect bonus points and upgrade items along the way (such as "mushrooms" that provide temporary invincibility). Because the game uses pseudo-3D perspective, you need to judge the size and position of distant objects in advance to decide whether to run on the ground or fly in the air.

In terms of combat, the game's shooting is automatic, and players only need to concentrate on controlling the direction. When facing large or heavily armored enemies (such as the end-of-level boss), the strategy is to maintain a mid-range circling flight, so you have time to observe their attack patterns and move sideways in the gaps of their bullet barrages. Remember, many bosses' attacks have specific patterns and judging points, and as long as you figure out the patterns, you can find a safe area to output damage. For obstacles on the ground (such as stone pillars and trees), the best approach is to fly directly into the air to avoid them, because in high-speed states, they are often the main cause of accidental deaths. When encountering a large number of slow-moving small enemies, you should immediately ascend to the upper or lower part of the screen, use the edge advantage to quickly clear the enemies, and make room for the upcoming high-speed sections. Practicing distance judgment is the key to mastering this game, because the scaling speed of distant enemies is extremely fast, and the time for reaction is extremely short.