Space Harrier (1988). Play online

Summary

Space Harrier landed on the TurboGrafx‑16 as a faithful home version of Sega’s eye‑popping arcade shooter. The game thrust the player’s jet‑propelled avatar through constantly scrolling, pastel‑washed vistas filled with bizarre creatures, checkerboard planes and looming stone pillars, keeping the frantic “shoot‑and‑dodge” rhythm that defined the original. Even though the console lacked the arcade’s motion‑sim cabinet, the port managed to simulate the pseudo‑3‑D scaling by rapidly enlarging and shrinking sprites, preserving the sensation of soaring forward at breakneck speed. Enemies range from prehistoric beasts to metallic dragons, and each of the eighteen stages concludes with a boss encounter, punctuated by occasional bonus rounds where the rider can mount an invincible dragon for extra points. Fans of the series appreciated that the TurboGrafx‑16 version captured the original’s kinetic thrills despite technical limits, cementing Space Harrier’s reputation as a benchmark for rail shooters and prompting dozens of later ports on systems from the Master System to modern handhelds.

Storyline

Space Harrier’s arcade roots are pure arcade action – there’s no story to speak of. After you blast through every stage the game simply flashes “The End” and rolls back to the title screen.

The Master System version adds a thin plot: Harrier is tasked with rescuing the Land of the Dragons from total destruction. The quest ends with a showdown against Haya Oh, a twin‑bodied fire dragon that serves as the final boss. No other narrative details appear in the core game.