Space Harrier - Atari ST (Elite) - Sega - Arcade Game

Space Harrier gameplay ft. the cyclops mammoth

My biggest memory of Space Harrier is excitedly heading for the arcade cabinet at a motorway service station while on our summer holiday. After entering a 20p coin, the first thing I heard was "welcome to the fantasy zone!", quickly followed by "get ready!". Combined with colourful visuals, it was a game that certainly caught your attention in the arcades.

By the way, the video clip above features the Atari ST version of Space Harrier (by Elite) from the 80s. This was the version I played at home, and the moment I heard that music again it brought the memories flooding back. Personally, I always found the game very difficult to play (and many reviewers of the day thought likewise), and it took a fair bit of practice to get to grips with the gameplay.

Space Harrier's vibrant colour palette is remembered with fondness by many. The game was originally released into the arcades in 1985. Produced by Yu Suzuki, it was then ported to various video game systems and 8-bit and 16-bit home computers including the Sega Master System, C64, Amstrad CPC, Atari XL/XE, Atari ST and Amiga. The home computer versions were mainly on the Elite label.

The arcade version was truly groundbreaking and featured digitized voices, 16-bit graphics and Sega's "super scaler" technology. In 1988, two sequels were released Space Harrier 3D and Space Harrier II. b

The setting is a brightly-coloured fantasy world full of prehistoric creatures and flying robots, and features chequered grounds and multi-coloured skies. It was certainly a crowd stopper at the video game shows.

The game received positive feedback from most critics of the time.