Game of the Day - Sorcer Striker

Sorcer Striker is a vertical shooter that is a visual feast.  Generally, when I'm playing a game to make it a GOTD, I take 5-10 snapshots to use in my post.  With Sorcer Striker, I used 59 snapshots (screen grabs).  The nine of them I selected to use below give you some idea of the variety and fun factor of the graphics in the game.

Sorcer Striker is the first in a nice trinity of games that culminates in Dimahoo (a previous GOTD).  It is not nearly as complex in the control scheme as its grandson, but Sorcer Striker is not short on good old blast-'em-up fun.  In addition to the redonkulous graphics, the action has the perfect blend of frenetic and manageable.  There is always crap to shoot and dodge, yet you never feel like its so absurd that you don't stand a chance.

One of the interesting things about the graphics is that they get much better as the game goes on.  The first level is nice, but nothing great.  It isn't until you get to the later levels that the variety and detail increases.  While that's great for gameplay and rewarding the player, if I was making an arcade game I'd want to crack out my best stuff early to make sure players stuck it out.

There are only two buttons, fire and bomb.  And the bomb is finite and directional - it does NOT destroy everything on the screen, so make sure to use it well.  Of course there are lots of power-ups for the weapons and the bombs.  A little bag of goodies with a "P" on it floats around for you to shoot.  Then, it coughs up the goods.

Also, when you lose your last ship and choose to continue, a little fairy shows up with the word "Special" - she drops all kinds of swag on you and you quickly get re-powered-up.  It is an unabashed effort to get you to spend more quarters as she appears as soon as you lose your last ship - just waiting for you to continue to give you the goods.