Amazon (アマゾン) is one of the stages from the original Arcade game and all its port, being the fourth one in the original and all console ports, and the third in the home computer ports. The stage's official name is Unexplored Amazon (アマゾンの秘境) in Japanese[1], and Adventure in Amazon in English[2]. The intro text shown at the beginning of the stage is "Amazon" written in stylized English letters.
The location also appears in the original manga, as the setting of Chapter 4.
Story[]
After having successfully escaped the Flying Battleship Balrog, Hiryu proceeds into this unexplored area within the Amazon forest after finding out reports of suspicious activity in the region related to Meio[3][4][5]. While traveling through the area, he's confronted by a native all-female tribe who's been manipulated by Grandmaster Meio[3][4][5]. Shaking off his pursuers[5], Hiryu finally reaches the dense jungle near the riverside of the Amazon River, finding the place overrun by the thought-extinct prehistoric dinosaurs, something that's clearly the work of the Grandmaster[4], and eventually faces a mechanical dinosaur known as Lago. After destroying the monster, the Amazoness stop their aggressiveness and one, presumably their leader, reveals to him that Meio came from "The Third Moon" along with the dinosaurs.
Layout[]
Note: Area names are not official
Amazon Rainforest
Hiryu starts off in a section of the forest with a big depression going down then up, with part of the ascending path breaking after Hiryu steps on it. The whole area has a type of poisonous mushroom that quickly grows on any structure Hiryu touches, and shortly afterwards burst violently, spreading poison around. Following the area is a set of tree branches over the Amazon River, infested with piranhas. Using vines to move around, Hiryu has to climb from branch to branch to reach the top. The sides are blocked off by stone walls covered with spiked vines and more mushrooms. The village of the Amazoness awaits at the top of these trees, where Hiryu faces the female warriors as they attack from the ground with their axes and boomerangs, as well as from swinging vines.
Dense Jungle
Reaching the top of the stone wall, Hiryu faces a long descent down. As soon as he starts walking, a boulder falls from behind and runs down the path behind him, forcing Hiryu to quickly jump into a nearby tree branch as the slope ends in the piranha-infested river. After a few tree branches, Hiryu reaches dry land at the riverside and encounters a group of dinosaurs: there are two giant Brontosaurus Hiryu can jump onto, Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops can be seen walking around, the latter of which are ridden by the Amazoness, and Pteranodon are flying all over the sky. Soon after finding the second Brontosaurus, the animal is reduced to bones by Lago's fire breath, starting the boss fight.
Stage Enemies[]
Enemies present in this stage include:
- Poison Mushroom
- Piranhas (harmless)
- Flying Mosqueman
- Amazoness
- Triceratops
- Pteranodon
- Tyrannosaurus (removed in the Mega Drive and PC Engine ports)
- Brontosaurus (harmless)
- Boss: Lago
In the Manga[]
Deep within the Amazonian jungle lies the Amazon Research Institute, one of Enterprise's centers for the research of the ZAIN Project and the location of a ZAIN Terminal. The site is under heavy protection: while at first sight the jungle appears normal, it actually hides a reinforced security structure boosted to be impenetrable, with the claim that it leaves no gap for even an ant to sneak through[6]. As ZAIN predicted Hiryu and Kain would attack this institute, Matic sent Striders Arana and Kubira to serve as extra protection. Having arrived first, Arana set a trap zone around the jungle, using his ultra-sharp wire. The Amazon River is also near the institute, with a large bask of crocodiles sleeping on its shores.
As predicted, Hiryu and Kain assaulted the institute, easily sneaking past the security measures and catching Arana and Kubira off-guard. They use the satellite link in the institute to find the ZAIN Host Computer, then blow the institute. They then fight against Arana in the nearby jungle, overcoming his trap and killing him. They later confront Kubira while crossing over the Amazon River, defeating him as well. In the end, they use Enterprise's rescue airships to get a quick trip to their headquarters in Los Angeles.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Capcom (March 1989, CPS-1 Board). Strider Hiryû (Japanese). Attract Mode
- ↑ Capcom (March 1989, CPS-1 Board). Strider (English). Attract Mode
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sega (September 1990, Mega Drive). Strider Hiryû (Japanese). Instruction manual, Pg. 26
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Capcom (October 2006, PlayStation). Gamebook: Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Pg. 32. ISBN 4-86233-076-2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Staff (October 1992). "Capcom Game Street". Gamest Extra: All Capcom (81). Pg. 44.
- ↑ Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 4, Pg. 123. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.