Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Release: 06/08/93 Genre: Action
Contra III is one of my favorite action games of all time. It holds up surprisingly well for an early SNES title and considering their later work on the system I had hoped Konami would grace the system with a sequel. While that never materialized their home port of Sunset Riders was the next best thing. Featuring a similar pace to its action it scratches that run and gun itch and is an excellent arcade port. Do not pass this up.
Sunset Riders was released at an interesting point in time. Street Fighter 2 had just hit and no one knew the impact it would have. The arcade was still pretty varied at that point and Konami were on a roll with their numerous four-player arcade cabinets such as the Simpsons and G.I. Joe. Although I never had enough money to finish it in the arcade I anticipated the home ports. While the Genesis version was a complete mess the SNES game did the coin op original justice.
It’s amazing how closely this follows Konami’s other four player hits. There are four characters, Steve, Bob, Cormano, and Billy. If you are thinking of making a Ninja Turtles comparison you are only half way right. Steve and Billy wield six shooters while Cormano and Bob are packing shotguns. The weapons are uneven; the shotguns are equivalent to Contra’s Spread gun and we know that is the fan favorite. The six shooters fire faster but that does not make up the difference. There are very few power-ups, extra guns for dual wielding, rapid fire and the occasional stick of dynamite. Honestly that’s all that is necessary.
Despite the fact that you are essentially hunting bandits for money the game has a comedic tone. The bosses are definitely unique and each has some particular quirk that gives them personality. Simon Greedwell lives up to his name as even in death he refuses to give up his money. Chief Scalpem….I am not touching that one. El Greco has a whip and shield and fights on top of a train where the landscape works against you. You can practically smell the aristocratic air surrounding Sir Richard Rose and it is not because of his mansion. It does shift slightly in the second half but that tone is still there.
What I really like about Sunset Riders, and what sets it apart is its setting. The Wild West is not the most overused setting, especially at release and Konami dive into it. All of the tropes are here; stampeding bulls, a battle with Indians, horseback riding, and a bonus shooting gallery. These elements make the game incredibly varied. Now that I look back there are never more than two levels in a row of straight shooting action. These are broken up by the previously mentioned horse segments and a boss battle in a saloon which is awesome. While it is sad they could not include four player coop it is for the best. Neither console could handle that much chaos without it being a complete mess.
Much like the series it takes after Sunset Riders presents a decent challenge while also being fair. It is easy to catch a stray bullet at the worst possible moments and lose your precious power-ups. It is not as devastating a loss as your typical shooter but it is notable, especially during a boss battle. Just like the tone shifts midway through there is a noticeable difficulty spike in the back half of the game as enemies become more aggressive and you face bosses in well-crafted arenas. The four credits seem like enough but I wager most will run out before seeing the credits. But you will have fun along the way.
Unlike its Sega counterpart the Super Nintendo version of Sunset Riders is a pretty faithful adaptation of the arcade game. All four characters are present, all eight levels and bosses are here, and they even include all the voice clips. There is some missing background detail and less enemies onscreen but all things considered Konami did a fantastic job. There are a few things that have been changed though. The saloon dancers in stage four have had their risqué outfits toned down but the most significant censorship comes in stage 6. Here you fight against Chief Scalpem, an Indian chief and so the level appropriately had Native American enemies. These have been altered to avoid controversy. They replace the enemies with generic bandits which changes the dynamic of the level considerably. Chief Scalpem is now Chief Wigwam. It sucks but what can you do?
In Closing
I loved Sunset Riders in the arcade and the SNES version turned out amazing. Konami went all out with this port and it is one of the better SNES run and gun action games. I still like to revisit the game every year or so and it has held up wonderfully. This is definitely worth the nostalgia trip.
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