You may not know this (I didn’t) but after Strider, its designer created a new leaping sword-wielding hero: Cannon Dancer (more commonly known in the west as Osman).
And if you’re like me and loved the Strider arcade game, you’ll probably fancy Cannon Dancer, which is being prepared for reissued in 2023. This is the first time the game has been released on consoles, and you can expect it on Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 4/5 and Microsoft Xbox One/Series S|X.
Cannon Dancer is an Action Jump & Run set in a dystopian late 21st century, in which the world is under the control of a single federal government. One day, a new threat known as “Abdullah the Slaver” – an evil sorceress who wants to take control of the world – appears, causing widespread terror and panic. This fear incites the abandonment of all economic activity and corruption in the government, which now undermines the foundations of society itself. Judicial Affairs Director, Jack Layzon, fears the worst and summons a lone assassin.
The player controls a Cannon Dancer called Kirin; a top-class agent in a mercenary unit known as “Teki”, and a highly skilled martial arts fighter. As he travels, he has to face not only Abdullah the Slaver and the government forces but also the other members of the Teki, who want him dead for personal reasons.
This is the first time Cannon Dancer has been ported to modern consoles, and features retro gaming mechanic, six stages set in different brightly coloured locations, with tons of bosses and enemies. Cannon Dancer can use three different types of power-ups, and the modern release features a rewind and save and load state functions.
ININ Games is behind the release, which is planned for a digital launch in Q1 2023. They’ve teamed up with game designer Kouichi Yotsui (also known as “Isuke” and famous for his work on Strider) and artist Takashi Kogure (better known as “Utata Kiyoshi”) to promote the game at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show on Saturday 17th September (Hall 2 D6 if you’re attending).
Cannon Dancer Limited Editions
As often happens with ININ Games releases, Cannon Dancer is getting the limited edition treatment from Strictly Limited Games. These limited boxed editions will offer collectibles that cannot be found elsewhere, alongside physical copies of the game.
The regular limited edition features a physical copy of Cannon Dancer plus game manual. Meanwhile, the Collector’s Edition has:
- Cannon Dancer Gamer + Game Manual
- High-quality Collector’s Edition BoxArtbook (B5)
- Soundtrack in jewel case
- Tenugui (Japanese-style towel)
- Arcade Coin
- Acrylic Diorama
- Reversible Poster (A2)
- Arcade Instruction Flyer (A5)
- Calendar & Photo Frame (metal) with 2023 Calendar
- Postcards
- Marquee Sticker
Pre-orders will kick off on Sunday, September 18th, at 12 AM CEST (midnight), only at strictlylimitedgames.com.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.