Space Harrier
Description official descriptions
Run… fly… dodge those obstacles, but return fire on wave after wave of attacking aliens. Armed with a really big gun, you have to defend yourself against the alien hordes using your wits to navigate around the screen. But watch out for those end of level bosses!
Originating in the arcades, Space Harrier is a third-person rail shooter with pseudo-3D graphics, set in the same world as Fantasy Zone. The lone titular hero fights aliens with a fireball-launching cannon, which can also be used to transform the hero into a flying rocket. The protagonist is constantly in motion, but the speed of his movement can be regulated by the player.
Spellings
- 3D スペースハリアー - Japanese Nintendo 3DS spelling
- スペースハリアー - Japanese spelling
- 스페이스 해리어 - Korean spelling
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (Arcade version)
8 People
Staff |
|
US Product Manager |
|
Reviews
Trivia
1001 Video Games
The Arcade version of Space Harrier appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
Missing ports
Space Harrier was advertised for the Commodore 16/Plus 4 computer, and the (multi-platform) manual also had loading instructions for BBC and Electron computers. For reasons unknown, those ports never did appear.
Setting
Space Harrier originally mentioned that it took place in the Fantasy Zone just as the game of the same name, (remember the "Welcome to the Fantasy Zone! Get Ready!" intro?) and many have claimed that the games take place in the same universe considering the similarity in graphic design. While SEGA never made any official statement they did try to capitalize on the similarities with Space Fantasy Zone. An unreleased Fantasy Zone sequel for the PC Engine CD was developed that used the pseudo 3D gameplay of the Space Harrier series but used Opa-Opa and his gang of cute characters and levels.
It is unsure why the game never got released, but several beta copies have been leaked and you can easily find them around the net and run them with an emulator.
Super Scaler technology
First Sega game to come out that used "Super Scaler" technology.
Game Art Beyond
In 2018, Space Harrier was selected as one of the biggest classics on the Commodore 64 by the creators of the C64 graphics collection Game Art Beyond. Space Harrier was honoured with a high resolution title picture in a special C64 graphics format called NUFLI, along with a new C64 SID interpretation of the Space Harrier (arcade level 1) theme, which is much longer than the conversion originally done for the C64 port in 1986.
Information also contributed by Zovni
Related Sites +
-
AtariMania (Elite, FR/DE/UK, Atari ST)
For Atari ST: game entry database; downloadable release; game packaging; advertisement; manuals; magazine reviews; additional material. -
AtariMania (SEGA, USA, Atari ST)
For Atari ST: game entry database; downloadable release; game packaging; advertisement; manuals; magazine reviews; additional material. -
CPC-Power (in French)
For Amstrad CPC: game database entry; game packaging; manual digitalizations; goodies; advertisement; magazine reviews; downloadable releases; additional material. -
CPCRrulez (in French)
For Amstrad CPC: game database entry; advertisement; game packaging; downloadable releases; additional material. -
DOSBox, an x86 emulator with DOS
Compatibility information page about the original game and its DOSBox versions. -
Hall of Light
For Amiga: game database entry; digitalised manuals; game packaging; screenshots; additional material. -
Lemon 64
For Commodore 64: game entry database; advertisement; magazine reviews; music; documentation; cover art; additional material. -
OC ReMix Game Profile
Fan remixes of music from <em>Space Harrier</em>. -
SMS Power! (Game Gear)
For Game Gear: releases info; credits; box text; additional material. -
SMS Power! (Master System)
For Master System: releases info; credits; box text; additional material. -
Sega8bit, a Master System fan site
For SEGA Master System: artwork; releases; additional material. -
The Arcade Flyer Archive
for Arcade: digital repository for advertisement flyers -
The International Arcade Museum
for Arcade: extensive information about the arcade game machine. -
The Tipshop
For ZX Spectrum: a central archive for all Spectrum and SAM games hints, tips, cheats, maps, hacks and pokes. -
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Encyclopaedic entry for the combined platforms of the game. -
World of Spectrum
For ZX Spectrum: downloadable releases; additional material including – cassette inlay, advertisement, instructions; remakes links; player reviews; magazine references; magazine adverts. -
ZX-Art - online archive of pixel art and 8-bit music
For ZX Spectrum: music, credits, pixel art. Artist's graphics artwork.
Identifiers +
- MobyGames ID: 1434
Contribute
Know about this game? Add your expertise to help preserve this entry in video game history!
Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Macintrash.
Sharp X1 added by Trypticon. NES added by Max Tikhonov. Commodore 64 added by PCGamer77. Nintendo 3DS added by Michael Cassidy. Nintendo Switch added by Rik Hideto. PC-6001 added by Infernos. Atari ST, Amiga added by Rebound Boy. TurboGrafx-16 added by RKL. ZX Spectrum added by Martin Smith. Arcade added by Pseudo_Intellectual. SEGA Master System, Game Gear, SEGA Saturn added by Satoshi Kunsai. Sharp X68000 added by Terok Nor. Amstrad CPC added by Игги Друге. FM-7 added by Unicorn Lynx. SEGA 32X added by quizzley7. PC-88 added by j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】. Wii added by samsam12.
Additional contributors: Satoshi Kunsai, chirinea, Robbb, Игги Друге, Thomas Thompson, Rik Hideto, Malte Mundt, FatherJack, ZeTomes, Harmony♡.
Game added May 13th, 2000. Last modified February 22nd, 2023.