Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs is a retro arcade action game based on the classic 80’s Anime series of the same name that blends Contra-esque on-foot run and gun combat, R-Type inspired side-scrolling shooting and giant mech combat.
For those unaware Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs was a popular 80’s Anime cartoon that was like a blend of BraveStarr and Voltron, with a team of heroes fighting enemies called Outriders using a prototype spaceship known as the “Ramrod Equalizer Unit”. This spaceship has the capability to transform into a giant robot to allow the team to fight the Outrider’s powerful legion of robots and superior technology.
The Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs Alpha Demo build is still very early in development and the gameplay does feel a little bit basic at the moment but the artwork and audio are superb. It currently only features one playable character (Fireball) and one on-foot run and gun level, so there’s no spaceship or mech action, but it’s a fun game that offers up a nice bit of challenge thanks to its constant barrage of enemies running in from both sides.
It still has a long way to go gameplay-wise, but the devs have already nailed the visuals and tone of the game, feeling very much like a classic, slightly cheesy 80’s Saturday morning cartoon. It’s not just the visuals and IP that’s retro either, the platforms that it’s coming to are too – along with 3DS, PC, Mac and Linux, Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs is also coming to Sega Dreamcast and PC Engine! Now that really is a blast from the past!
Note: The current Windows build seems to boot up in a 3840×2160 screen ratio by default. If you don’t have a 4K monitor you can access the options screen to change it. If the screen ratio is too big for you to see the options menu, just use these commands from the start screen: Down, Enter, Down, Down, Down, Right, Down, Down, Down, Down, Down, Enter.
Follow The Development of Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs Here
Download The Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs Demo Here (Win, Mac, Linux & Dreamcast)