C&VG
1st June 1988
Publisher: Sega
Machine: Sega Master System (EU Version)
Published in Computer & Video Games #80
Space Harrier 3D
Space Harrier 3D is not just the original Space Harrier in 3D, it has different graphics, a lot more colours, some really vicious gameplay (glue that joystick to your palm, no kidding) and some dragons that really mean business. It is Space Harrier II rather than the original in 3D.
The title screen shows your man in mid-battle and, unlike Zaxxon 3D, you cannot play the game in 2D by pressing the pause button on the title page (tough!). The first level is called Platia and you get blue mushies sliding up to you, the aliens are straight out of Star Wars (Darth Vader's ship) and they lob big blue spheres at you (These come at you very fast). If you are hit, the customary Aaarrrgggghhh! is screamed with a more-than-welcome Get Ready soon after as your next life is put into play. Then come the metallic pillars: contact is fatal, zooming behind them are hunky jets which lot those big blue things at you. You've got to keep moving and be aware of what is around you. As I said, this is one tough cookie!
The dragon at the end is well detailed, and has really rich, vibrant colours; it is quite easy to kill (and so it should be after such a brute of a first wave!).
Wave two is called Moura; there is a colour flip and there is a star background. The attack pattern is *new*, big metallic spikes wander down from the sky slowly filling up the screen and you have to move out of the way.
As you move up and down the horizon tilts and it is easy to collide with the spikes; you also have to zap big green butterflies, at the end of the wave large transformer-type aliens rotate firing spheres galore.
I have been up to level five and you get a mixed bag of aliens, backdrops (again, rich colours and strong 3D) and non-stop zapping.
It is a great game and this alone justifies buying the specs!
It is not a game for wimps or those with weak wrists. So what are you waiting for?