Developer: Sunsoft Publisher: Tengen Released: 1989 Genre: Action Platform: NES
Sega games on a Nintendo system will never stop being strange to me. I realize they have been third party since 2001 but as a seasoned veteran of the console wars it still seems weird. Even as far back as the Master System I knew, Sega didn’t make Nintendo games and vice versa. Which made the unlicensed Tengen games all the more exotic. While Shinobi was an absolute disaster Alien Syndrome fared a lot better. Too bad it is almost impossible to find now.
It should be obvious to anyone with functioning eyes that Alien Syndrome is an Alien game without the license. Aliens have infested a variety of Earth colonies, prompting Earth to send in our heroes Ricky and Mary who are in no way Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn expys. Your job is to save as many colonists as possible before time runs out. That’s right, as insurance in case you fail each colony is set to explode!
Alien Syndrome has more in common with Gauntlet than other overhead shooters like Commando and Heavy Barrel. Each colony is one large map and you have free reign to explore within the time limit. Your goal is to save all twelve colonists per level and reach the exit. You also have to defeat the end level boss within the same time limit. This is different from the arcade, where you were given a set amount per stage. It puts an even bigger focus on plotting the best route as time is so limited.
Compared to the arcade game the NES port features more compact maps. They are still large enough to get lost in but small enough that you won’t wander aimlessly. Luckily there are map stations to help you find your way. Scattering multiple maps per level was a smart decision rather than forcing you to backtrack to one central location. By the game’s midpoint you’ll frequently have to refer to the map as entire rooms and sections are recycled, adding some confusion. But it never becomes overbearing.
What I appreciate the most about this version of Alien Syndrome is its almost perfect difficulty curve. In the beginning enemies are slow and lumbering. They are easily avoided and colonists are placed near each other in groups of two or three. You won’t even need to bother with the special weapons to deal with them early on. By the fourth colony things change. Now the aliens will aggressively follow you and take more shots and the game isn’t shy about spawning more. The maps become more complex and you will have to travel further to save hostages. It isn’t uncommon to reach the bosses with less than a hundred seconds to spare.
In spite of the ramp up in difficulty the boss battles are the only real point of contention. Each boss is a large monstrosity that is faster and more aggressive than any enemy you’ve faced. They are also faster than you are which adds an extra element of challenge. Their weakpoints are very small and depending on the weapon the hit detection can be spotty. It makes an already tough battle harder. At least you don’t lose your current weapon when you die, unlike the arcade game.
As a port the NES version of Alien Syndrome is great. The only thing keeping it from greatness are a few niggling issues. The pace is incredibly slow; your walking speed may as well be a crawl. It makes trudging form one end of a map to the other a task in itself. It doesn’t help that it isn’t until the second half of the game that the enemies actually recognize your presence. If they would have upped the pace a smidge it would do wonders. I also would have appreciated a few more weapons. This version only has three: the flamethrower, fire, and laser. It is missing the bombs, rapid fire, and optional turrets from the arcade. It’s a huge loss as the options present all feel similar and don’t offer much variety.
The game is also aggressively ugly. Sunsoft did a good job mimicking the arcade but the system’s small color palette is not put to good use. Most levels use a duo tone scheme that does not do it any favors. But at least the game has no slowdown or flickering, even in two-player coop. It doesn’t look as good as the Master System version but that may as well be an entirely different game anyway.
In Closing
Alien Syndrome is a solid port of a classic arcade game and better than it appears. After the disaster that was Shinobi I expected worse but came away surprised. This should have seen an official release but alas.
