Jungle Strike
Encyclopedia
Jungle Strike is a video game developed (in association with Mike Posehn) and published by Electronic Arts
in 1993. It was originally released for the Mega Drive, before being ported to several other systems including an upgraded version for the Amiga
. The Amiga and other home computer conversions were the responsibility of Ocean Software
while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
version was that of Gremlin Interactive
. The game is a helicopter based shoot 'em up
, mixing action and strategy. It is the sequel to Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
(a best-seller released in 1992) and is the second game in the Strike series
. Jungle Strike retained its predecessor's core mechanics and expanded on the model with additional vehicles and settings. The plot concerns two villains intent on destroying Washington, D.C.
. The player must use the helicopter and occasionally other vehicles to thwart their plans. The game was critically acclaimed, with some reviewers awarding scores upwards of 90%. Publications praised its gameplay, strategy, design, controls and graphics, although there were some complaints regarding the interface, difficulty and perceived jingoistic
politics.
attack helicopter. Additional vehicles can be commandeered: a motorbike, hovercraft and F117. The latter in particular features variable height and unlimited ammunition, but is more vulnerable to crashes. The game features an "overhead" perspective "with a slight 3D twist".
Levels consist of several missions, which are based around the destruction of enemy weapons and installations, as well as rescuing hostages or prisoners of war, or capturing enemy personnel. The helicopter is armed with machine guns, more powerful Hydra rockets and yet more deadly Hellfire missiles. The more powerful the weapon, the fewer can be carried: the player must choose an appropriate weapon for each situation. Enemy weapons range from armoured cars, to artillery and tanks.
The player's craft has a limited amount of armour, which is depleted as the helicopter is hit by enemy fire. Should the armour reach zero, the craft will be destroyed, losing the player a life. The player must out-manoeuvre enemies to avoid damage, but can replenish armour by means of power-up
s or by airlifting rescued friendlies or captives to a landing zone. The helicopter has a finite amount of fuel which is steadily depleted as the level progresses. Should the fuel run out the Comanche will crash, again costing the player a life. The craft can refuel by collecting fuel barrels. The helicopter also carries limited ammunition, which must be replenished by means of ammo crates.
, a similar game which parodied the Gulf War
and which was released in 1992. Desert Strike arose from a failed attempt at a flight simulator and was inspired by Matchbox toys and Choplifter
. Central to the game's concept were nonlinear gameplay and the eschewing of power-ups and bosses. Jungle Strike retained the core mechanics of its predecessor, with the addition of various vehicles and settings. Desert Strike was at the time Electronic Arts' highest selling video game and maintained a high sales chart position as Jungle Strike was released in 1993.
The Amiga conversion of Desert Strike featured upgraded graphics and sound over the Mega Drive original. With regards to the Jungle Strike Amiga conversion, senior programmer Stuart Johnson stated he "tried to keep this conversion a lot more faithful to the Mega Drive version than Desert Strike was". He attempted to make the Amiga conversion run more smoothly than the Mega Drive original. Graphical improvements were attempted: these were less successful on the A500 than the A1200 because of technical restrictions. The developers also struggled with technical challenges because of differences in hardware between the Mega Drive and Amiga. Amendments were also made to the workings of in-mission plot screens. The Amiga conversion was released as sequel Urban Strike was published for the Mega Drive in 1994. Sega Midwest Development Division/ Sega Midwest Studio, one of Sega's U.S. divisions, was developing a game called Aftershock for the Sega 32X, which was to be released in 1995. It was noted as being very similar to Jungle Strike, although it was set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. Players were to be given the ability to use various forms of weaponry and vehicles to destroy an alien infestation. Sega Midwest filed for bankruptcy in early 1995 and the game was never released.
Jungle Strike was followed by three further sequels: Urban Strike, Soviet Strike, and Nuclear Strike. As the series moved to more advanced consoles, series creator Mike Posehn became less involved in the programming side of development. Urban Strike, released for the Mega Drive, featured new vehicles and locations, as well as on-foot sections. Soviet Strike, released for Sony
's PlayStation
and the Sega Saturn
in 1996, featured 3D graphics
, as did Nuclear Strike, released on PC and PlayStation in 1997 and the Nintendo 64
in 1999. Another sequel provisionally titled Future Strike was planned, but the game was eventually released as Future Cop: LAPD
, a mech-based shooter game.
, reviewer Adrian Pitt called the title a "strategy game" and claimed it as the "greatest game in the genre". He said the controls were "without fault", the graphics "superb" and awarded 94%. The second reviewer Mat Yeo praised the "amazing playability and lastability" and said the game was "twice as good" as Desert Strike. He called the graphics "brilliant" and said the game was "the best shoot 'em up I've seen in a long time", awarding 96%. The New Straits Times
praised the "simply wonderful" graphics but questioned whether the sound effects were enough to "create the environment of a full-scale war". The newspaper pointed to a high initial difficulty but said: "Once the skills are acquired, be ready for many hours of enjoyment and sleepless nights." Chip and Jonathan Carter deemed the Mega Drive game one of the best of the year and felt the SNES
version "loses nothing in the translation". The duo said the Game Boy
and Game Gear versions were "less impressive" because of technical restrictions but "about as good as you can get on the small screen". Amiga CD32 Gamer called Jungle Strike "a 500lb gorilla among games" and praised its ease of control and "masses of gameplay and realistic detail".
Amiga Computing
said: "With its impressive graphics and superbly designed game system, it could well be the best chopper title yet" although the reviewer felt the difficulty curve was too steep. Amiga Format
said of the game: "with a little more foresight and planning, it could have been a lot more fun", as the reviewer was irritated by the fact that fuel, armour and ammunition levels were displayed on map screen. However the magazine also wrote: "The bottom line though, is that Jungle Strike is an incredibly good game". Amiga Power
called the game "an appreciable shoot 'em up" but said it was "clearly tailored for the shorter attention span" of a console gamer. CU Amiga Magazine wrote: "This blend of shooting and thinking action blends together seamlessly and in the process creates a classic blaster well worth a ride". The One Amiga magazine wrote: "Jungle Strike's a fine game, which will prove both a challenge for Desert Strike-ophiles, and a good solid blast for first bloods". ACAR noted the game's "Good graphics, okay sound, smooth animation and tough game play." Amiga Power complained that "Throughout the game you're battered with uneasily right-wing US politics", while Amiga Format said "jingoism
" was "rife" throughout the game. Amiga CD32 Gamer called the plot "typically 'ugly American' idiocy".
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
in 1993. It was originally released for the Mega Drive, before being ported to several other systems including an upgraded version for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
. The Amiga and other home computer conversions were the responsibility of Ocean Software
Ocean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
version was that of Gremlin Interactive
Gremlin Interactive
Gremlin Interactive was a British software house based in Sheffield and working mostly in the home computer market.- History :...
. The game is a helicopter based shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
, mixing action and strategy. It is the sequel to Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, commonly known as Desert Strike, is a shoot 'em up video game released by Electronic Arts in February 1992 for Sega's Mega Drive. The game was later released on several other formats, including a much upgraded version for the Amiga home computer...
(a best-seller released in 1992) and is the second game in the Strike series
Strike series
Strike is the common name of a series of video games created by Mike Posehn, John Patrick Manley and Tony Barnes released between 1991 and 1997 by Electronic Arts for a number of video game systems. The games are multi-directional shooters shown from an isometric perspective...
. Jungle Strike retained its predecessor's core mechanics and expanded on the model with additional vehicles and settings. The plot concerns two villains intent on destroying Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. The player must use the helicopter and occasionally other vehicles to thwart their plans. The game was critically acclaimed, with some reviewers awarding scores upwards of 90%. Publications praised its gameplay, strategy, design, controls and graphics, although there were some complaints regarding the interface, difficulty and perceived jingoistic
Jingoism
Jingoism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy. In practice, it is a country's advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests...
politics.
Plot
Jungle Strike features two antagonists: Ibn Kilbaba, son of Desert Strike's antagonist, and Carlos Ortega, a "notorious South American drug lord". The opening sequence depicts these characters observing a nuclear explosion on a deserted island, while discussing the delivery of "nuclear resources" and an attack on Washington D.C.. Kilbaba seeks revenge for his father's death at the hands of the US while Ortega wishes to "teach the Yankees to stay out of my drug trade". The player takes control of a "lone special forces" pilot. The game's first level depicts the protagonist repelling terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C.. Subsequent levels depict counter-attacks on the drug lord's forces, progressing towards his "jungle fortress". In the game's penultimate level, the player pursues the two antagonists to their respective hideouts before capturing them. The final level takes places in Washington, D.C. as the drug lord's private army again attacks the city while the two antagonists attempt to flee. The game ends after the player has destroyed both enemies and saved the city from destruction. The ending sequence depicts the protagonist and his co-pilot in an open-topped car in front of cheering crowds. The PC version contains an extra level set in Alaska.Gameplay
Jungle Strike is a helicopter-based shoot 'em up, mixing action and strategy. The player's main weapon is a ComancheRAH-66 Comanche
The Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche was an advanced five-blade armed reconnaissance and attack helicopter designed for the United States Army. The RAH-66 program was canceled in 2004, before mass production began, after nearly $7 billion was spent on the program.During the early 1980s, the U.S...
attack helicopter. Additional vehicles can be commandeered: a motorbike, hovercraft and F117. The latter in particular features variable height and unlimited ammunition, but is more vulnerable to crashes. The game features an "overhead" perspective "with a slight 3D twist".
Levels consist of several missions, which are based around the destruction of enemy weapons and installations, as well as rescuing hostages or prisoners of war, or capturing enemy personnel. The helicopter is armed with machine guns, more powerful Hydra rockets and yet more deadly Hellfire missiles. The more powerful the weapon, the fewer can be carried: the player must choose an appropriate weapon for each situation. Enemy weapons range from armoured cars, to artillery and tanks.
The player's craft has a limited amount of armour, which is depleted as the helicopter is hit by enemy fire. Should the armour reach zero, the craft will be destroyed, losing the player a life. The player must out-manoeuvre enemies to avoid damage, but can replenish armour by means of power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s or by airlifting rescued friendlies or captives to a landing zone. The helicopter has a finite amount of fuel which is steadily depleted as the level progresses. Should the fuel run out the Comanche will crash, again costing the player a life. The craft can refuel by collecting fuel barrels. The helicopter also carries limited ammunition, which must be replenished by means of ammo crates.
History
Jungle Strike is the sequel to Desert Strike: Return to the GulfDesert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, commonly known as Desert Strike, is a shoot 'em up video game released by Electronic Arts in February 1992 for Sega's Mega Drive. The game was later released on several other formats, including a much upgraded version for the Amiga home computer...
, a similar game which parodied the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and which was released in 1992. Desert Strike arose from a failed attempt at a flight simulator and was inspired by Matchbox toys and Choplifter
Choplifter
Choplifter is a 1982 Apple II game developed by Dan Gorlin and published by Brøderbund. It was ported to other home computers and, in 1985, Sega released a coin-operated arcade game remake, which in turn received several home ports of its own...
. Central to the game's concept were nonlinear gameplay and the eschewing of power-ups and bosses. Jungle Strike retained the core mechanics of its predecessor, with the addition of various vehicles and settings. Desert Strike was at the time Electronic Arts' highest selling video game and maintained a high sales chart position as Jungle Strike was released in 1993.
The Amiga conversion of Desert Strike featured upgraded graphics and sound over the Mega Drive original. With regards to the Jungle Strike Amiga conversion, senior programmer Stuart Johnson stated he "tried to keep this conversion a lot more faithful to the Mega Drive version than Desert Strike was". He attempted to make the Amiga conversion run more smoothly than the Mega Drive original. Graphical improvements were attempted: these were less successful on the A500 than the A1200 because of technical restrictions. The developers also struggled with technical challenges because of differences in hardware between the Mega Drive and Amiga. Amendments were also made to the workings of in-mission plot screens. The Amiga conversion was released as sequel Urban Strike was published for the Mega Drive in 1994. Sega Midwest Development Division/ Sega Midwest Studio, one of Sega's U.S. divisions, was developing a game called Aftershock for the Sega 32X, which was to be released in 1995. It was noted as being very similar to Jungle Strike, although it was set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. Players were to be given the ability to use various forms of weaponry and vehicles to destroy an alien infestation. Sega Midwest filed for bankruptcy in early 1995 and the game was never released.
Jungle Strike was followed by three further sequels: Urban Strike, Soviet Strike, and Nuclear Strike. As the series moved to more advanced consoles, series creator Mike Posehn became less involved in the programming side of development. Urban Strike, released for the Mega Drive, featured new vehicles and locations, as well as on-foot sections. Soviet Strike, released for Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in 1996, featured 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
, as did Nuclear Strike, released on PC and PlayStation in 1997 and the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
in 1999. Another sequel provisionally titled Future Strike was planned, but the game was eventually released as Future Cop: LAPD
Future Cop: LAPD
Future Cop: LAPD is a third-person shooter published and developed by Electronic Arts and released first for the PlayStation, then Mac OS and Windows. It was originally supposed to be a sequel to the popular Strike series of games...
, a mech-based shooter game.
Reception
In Sega ForceSega Force
Sega Force was an early 1990s publication that covered the Sega console range .-History:...
, reviewer Adrian Pitt called the title a "strategy game" and claimed it as the "greatest game in the genre". He said the controls were "without fault", the graphics "superb" and awarded 94%. The second reviewer Mat Yeo praised the "amazing playability and lastability" and said the game was "twice as good" as Desert Strike. He called the graphics "brilliant" and said the game was "the best shoot 'em up I've seen in a long time", awarding 96%. The New Straits Times
New Straits Times
The New Straits Times is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print , having been founded as The Straits Times in 1845, and was reestablished as the "New Straits Times" in 1965. The paper served as Malaysia's only broadsheet format English...
praised the "simply wonderful" graphics but questioned whether the sound effects were enough to "create the environment of a full-scale war". The newspaper pointed to a high initial difficulty but said: "Once the skills are acquired, be ready for many hours of enjoyment and sleepless nights." Chip and Jonathan Carter deemed the Mega Drive game one of the best of the year and felt the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
version "loses nothing in the translation". The duo said the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
and Game Gear versions were "less impressive" because of technical restrictions but "about as good as you can get on the small screen". Amiga CD32 Gamer called Jungle Strike "a 500lb gorilla among games" and praised its ease of control and "masses of gameplay and realistic detail".
Amiga Computing
Amiga Computing
Amiga Computing was a monthly computer magazine of a serious nature, published by Europress and IDG in both the UK and USA. A total of 117 issues came out. The games section was called Gamer, although later Amiga Action was incorporated into the magazine and became the games section.- External...
said: "With its impressive graphics and superbly designed game system, it could well be the best chopper title yet" although the reviewer felt the difficulty curve was too steep. Amiga Format
Amiga Format
Amiga Format was a British computer magazine for Amiga computers, published by Future Publishing. The magazine lasted 136 issues from 1989 to 2000. The magazine was formed when, in the wake of selling ACE to EMAP, Future split the dual-format title ST/Amiga Format into two separate publications...
said of the game: "with a little more foresight and planning, it could have been a lot more fun", as the reviewer was irritated by the fact that fuel, armour and ammunition levels were displayed on map screen. However the magazine also wrote: "The bottom line though, is that Jungle Strike is an incredibly good game". Amiga Power
Amiga Power
Amiga Power was a monthly magazine about Amiga computer games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and ran for 65 issues, from May 1991 to September 1996....
called the game "an appreciable shoot 'em up" but said it was "clearly tailored for the shorter attention span" of a console gamer. CU Amiga Magazine wrote: "This blend of shooting and thinking action blends together seamlessly and in the process creates a classic blaster well worth a ride". The One Amiga magazine wrote: "Jungle Strike's a fine game, which will prove both a challenge for Desert Strike-ophiles, and a good solid blast for first bloods". ACAR noted the game's "Good graphics, okay sound, smooth animation and tough game play." Amiga Power complained that "Throughout the game you're battered with uneasily right-wing US politics", while Amiga Format said "jingoism
Jingoism
Jingoism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy. In practice, it is a country's advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests...
" was "rife" throughout the game. Amiga CD32 Gamer called the plot "typically 'ugly American' idiocy".