imported>Vickvvy: vgr without a region

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vgr without a region

imported>Bro3256 at 11:19, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T11:19:55Z

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	==Gameplay==		==Gameplay==
	[[Image:Alien Syndrome.png\|thumb\|left\|An example of gameplay during the first level, "Round 1". The player is taking control of Ricky whilst fighting alien worms.]]		[[Image:Alien Syndrome.png\|thumb\|320px\|left\|An example of gameplay during the first level, "Round 1". The player is taking control of Ricky whilst fighting alien worms.]]

	Two players control two soldiers, named Ricky and Mary, who fight their way through large eight-way scrolling levels while rescuing their comrades who are being held by aliens. At the beginning of each level, a time bomb is set onboard the infested ship and the players must complete their task before it runs out which will result in the ship being destroyed. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages, the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the [[boss (video gaming)\|end-of-level guardian]]. If this monstrosity is defeated before times runs out, they are then able to move onto the next stage. Once all seven levels are completed, the game starts over again with more aggressive aliens, and less time on the countdown to finish the levels.		Two players control two soldiers, named Ricky and Mary, who fight their way through large eight-way scrolling levels while rescuing their comrades who are being held by aliens. At the beginning of each level, a time bomb is set onboard the infested ship and the players must complete their task before it runs out which will result in the ship being destroyed. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages, the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the [[boss (video gaming)\|end-of-level guardian]]. If this monstrosity is defeated before times runs out, they are then able to move onto the next stage. Once all seven levels are completed, the game starts over again with more aggressive aliens, and less time on the countdown to finish the levels.

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Sega Games franchises to :Category:Sega video game franchises per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2024 October 7#Category:Sega Games franchises

2024-10-15T01:03:23Z

Moving Category:Sega Games franchises to Category:Sega video game franchises per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2024 October 7#Category:Sega Games franchises

New page

{{Short description|1987 video game}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{For|the 2007 video game of the same name|Alien Syndrome (2007 video game)}}{{Update|date=October 2023}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Alien Syndrome
| image = Alien Syndrome Cover.png
| caption = Arcade flyer
| developer = [[Sega]] [[Sanritsu]] {{small|(NES, Master System)}}
| publisher = Sega
| designer =
| composer = Tohru Nakabayashi (arcade) [[David Whittaker (video game composer)|David Whittaker]] (computers) Noboru Machida (NES)
| released = '''1987:''' Arcade, Master System '''1988:''' Amiga, Atari ST, C64, Famicom, MSX, NES '''1989:''' Spectrum, MS-DOS '''1992:''' Game Gear, X68000
| genre = [[Run and gun video game|Run and gun]], [[Horror game|horror]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Game Gear]], [[MS-DOS]], [[MSX]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Master System]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[X68000]]
| arcade system = Sega Pre System 16, [[Sega System 16|Sega System 16B]]
}}

{{Nihongo|'''''Alien Syndrome'''''|エイリアンシンドローム|Eirian Shindorōmu}} is a [[run and gun video game]] developed by [[Sega]] and released in arcades in 1987, and later ported to the [[Master System]] the same year. The game utilizes a [[side-scrolling video game|side-scrolling]] feature that allows the player to take control of either a male (Ricky) or female (Mary) soldier whilst hunting aliens and saving hostages before they run out of time.

''Alien Syndrome'' released with a strong opening, becoming one of Sega's best-selling video games for the Master System. It received generally positive reviews, with praise towards the gameplay, character designs, sounds, and horror theme. It was included as a bonus game in the Genesis compilation game, ''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]'' (2009). A [[Alien Syndrome (2007 video game)|sequel of the same name]] was released in 2007 to a strong negative response from critics.

==Gameplay==
[[Image:Alien Syndrome.png|thumb|left|An example of gameplay during the first level, "Round 1". The player is taking control of Ricky whilst fighting alien worms.]]

Two players control two soldiers, named Ricky and Mary, who fight their way through large eight-way scrolling levels while rescuing their comrades who are being held by aliens. At the beginning of each level, a time bomb is set onboard the infested ship and the players must complete their task before it runs out which will result in the ship being destroyed. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages, the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the [[boss (video gaming)|end-of-level guardian]]. If this monstrosity is defeated before times runs out, they are then able to move onto the next stage. Once all seven levels are completed, the game starts over again with more aggressive aliens, and less time on the countdown to finish the levels.
''Alien Syndrome'' features two player simultaneous gameplay and pickups, including better weapons and maps of the current level.

==Ports==
In 1988, the game was [[porting|ported]] to the [[Master System]], [[MSX]], [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]]/Nintendo Entertainment System (published by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]] without a [[Nintendo]] license). Later, the game was ported to the [[ZX Spectrum]] (1989), [[Game Gear]] (1992), and [[X68000]] (1992).

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| Dragon = {{Rating|2|5}} (Master System)<ref name="Dragon141"/>
| rev1 = ''[[Computer Entertainer]]''
| rev1Score = {{Rating|6.5|8}} (C64)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=COMMODORE 64/128 Software |magazine=[[Computer Entertainer]] |date=January 1989 |volume=7 |issue=10 |page=4 |url=https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-7-10/page/4}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Console XS]]''
| rev2Score = 85% (Master System)<ref name="XS"/>
| rev3 = ''[[Sega Pro]]''
| rev3Score = 85% (Master System)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pro Scores |magazine=Sega Pro |date=April 1993 |publication-date=1993-03-11 |page=70 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/7/74/SegaPro_UK_18.pdf#page=70}}</ref>
| award1Pub = ''[[Crash (magazine)|Crash]]''
| award1 = Crash Smash<ref>Game review, Crash magazine, [[Newsfield Publications]], issue 57, October 1988</ref>
}}

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Alien Syndrome'' on their May 15, 1987 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=308|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=15 May 1987|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref> The original arcade version of the game was reviewed in the July 1987 issue of ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'', where Clare Edgeley described it as "one of the most gripping games" she "played in months", praising the ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''-like [[Survival horror|horror]] atmosphere, chilling sounds, special effects, graphics and gameplay. She stated it was "the first time the atmosphere and sheer addictiveness of a [[shoot 'em up]] has transported me to another planet" and concluded that it "is fantastic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/21/16/alien_syndrome_review.html|title=Alien Syndrome arcade game review}}</ref>

The Master System version of the game was reviewed in ''[[Console XS]]'' magazine, giving it an 85% score.<ref name="XS">{{cite magazine |title=Software A-Z: Master System |magazine=[[Console XS]] |date=23 April 1992 |issue=1 (June/July 1992) |publisher=[[Paragon Publishing]] |location=United Kingdom |pages=137–47 |url=https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/137}}</ref> It was reviewed in 1989 in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'', getting two out of five stars.<ref name="Dragon141">{{cite journal
|title=The Role of Computers|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk|journal=Dragon|issue=141|date=January 1989|pages=72–78 (75)|url=https://www.annarchive.com/files/Drmg141.pdf#page=77}}</ref>

==Reviews==
* ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' (April 1988)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://amr.abime.net/review_34317 | title=SDI review from Computer + Video Games 78 (Apr 1988) - Amiga Magazine Rack}}</ref>
* ''Power Play'' (February 1988)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_powerplay_1988-03_seite96 | title=Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Powerplay 3/1988}}</ref>
* ''[[The Games Machine]]'' (March 1988)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-magazine-04/page/n54/mode/2up | title=The Games Machine Magazine Issue 04}}</ref>
* ''[[Sega Power]]'' (December 1993)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a7/SegaPower_UK_49.pdf#page=130 |access-date=2023-02-16 |title=SegaPower - December 1993 |website=Retro CDN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103075537/https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a7/SegaPower_UK_49.pdf |archive-date=2023-01-03 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''[[ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)]]'' (May 1988)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-08/page/n62/mode/2up | title=ACE Magazine Issue 08 | date=May 1988}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The game was also converted to [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygonal]] graphics for the [[PlayStation 2|PS2]] as part of the [[Sega Ages]] re-release program and included in the US version of the ''[[Sega Classics Collection]]'' (it was removed from the European version to receive a lower age certificate). This version has updated controls, adding the use of both analog sticks, similar to that seen in ''[[Sheriff (video game)|Sheriff]]'', ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'' and ''[[Smash TV]]''. The original arcade game was also included as an [[Unlockable (gaming)|unlockable]] in ''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]''.

A sequel of the same name, ''[[Alien Syndrome (2007)|Alien Syndrome]]'', was released for [[Wii]] and [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]] in July 2007.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=61 ''Alien Syndrome''] at Arcade-History
* {{KLOV game|id=6857}}
* {{moby game|id=/alien-syndrome}}
* {{WoS_game|id=0000157}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1987 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Amstrad CPC games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Atari ST games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Game Gear games]]
[[Category:Master System games]]
[[Category:MSX games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Run and gun games]]
[[Category:Sanritsu Denki games]]
[[Category:Sega arcade games]]
[[Category:Sega video game franchises]]
[[Category:Sega video games]]
[[Category:Tengen (company) games]]
[[Category:Unauthorized video games]]
[[Category:Video games about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]
[[Category:Video games scored by David Whittaker]]
[[Category:X68000 games]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]

Alien Syndrome - Revision history

imported>Vickvvy: vgr without a region

imported>Bro3256 at 11:19, 14 June 2025

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Sega Games franchises to :Category:Sega video game franchises per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2024 October 7#Category:Sega Games franchises