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Cover art of Space Harrier

3.7 / 5

4 votes

Platform
Sega Master System
Genres
Action · Shooter
Player Perspective
Third person
Developers
Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publishers
Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Release date
December 21, 1986

Summary

The Master System version of Space Harrier packs the arcade’s high‑speed rail‑shooter into a two‑megabit cartridge, a first for the console, and strips away the colorful backdrops in favor of a stark, monochrome horizon and checkerboard floor. Despite the visual cut‑back, all eighteen stages survive, and the port even tacks on a brand‑new climax—a twin‑bodied fire dragon called Haya Oh that serves as an exclusive final boss, complete with an ending sequence that replaces the arcade’s simple "The End." Critics noticed the effort; Ed Semrad of The Milwaukee Journal gave the cartridge a 9‑out‑of‑10, praising how the frantic jet‑propelled action translates onto the 8‑bit hardware. A later spin‑off, Space Harrier 3‑D, re‑uses the same core gameplay but adds SegaScope 3‑D glasses, new stages, enemies, and bosses, proving the formula’s flexibility even on a system not originally built for stereoscopic tricks.

Storyline

The Master System version of Space Harrier expands on the arcade’s bare‑bones approach by giving the game an actual plot. In this version the hero, Harrier, must rescue the mystical Land of the Dragons from total destruction. The journey culminates in an exclusive final boss fight against the fire dragon Haya Oh, followed by a new ending sequence. By contrast, the original arcade release offered no storyline at all, ending simply with the words “The End.”

Edited by Maya Carter

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  • Screenshot 1 of Space Harrier
  • Screenshot 2 of Space Harrier

Multiplayer

Game modes
Single