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Express Raider

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Arcade

In this game, you control a train robber called Express Raider who must try to steal the bags of money from the running locomotives. There are two sequences: a fighting sequence and a shooting sequence. During the fighting sequence, you must fight the bank teller, hit the coyotes and then jump...

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Developer
Data East

Released on
1986

Size
1 Player

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Beat 'em Up

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

In this game, you control a train robber called Express Raider who must try to steal the bags of money from the running locomotives. There are two sequences: a fighting sequence and a shooting sequence.

During the fighting sequence, you must fight the bank teller, hit the coyotes and then jump onto the train before it speeds away. When you are on the trian, you must fight your way past other enemies and avoid various projectiles like bottles, bullets and shovels full of coal. Be careful to duck under the low signs that come along as the train is travelling. If you manage to make it to the train engine, the loot will be captured and you will move on to the shooting sequence.

In the shooting sequence, you ride on a horse and shoot at enemies appearing from the windows of a train car. They will shoot back at you and throw various objects, but hitting the Duck button will allow you to avoid their attacks. Do not shoot the woman on the train who will be handing over a bag of money, though. If you shoot her, you will lose a life. After the shooting sequence has been completed, the game will start over again with increased difficulty.

Express Raider

Overview & History

Released by Data East in 1986, Express Raider (known in Japan as *Septer* or *Express Chaser*) is a cult-classic arcade game that blends wild west outlaw tropes with side-scrolling beat-'em-up and platforming action. Players assume the role of Nick, a ruthless bandit determined to loot a heavily armed steam train carriage by carriage. Operating on a strict time limit, Nick must navigate the perilous rooftops of moving railcars while fending off waves of tenacious guards, dynamite-throwing bandits, and aggressive marksmen. The game is celebrated for its distinctive pacing, alternating between frantic melee brawling on top of the train and high-tension interior shootouts, all set against a vibrant, comic-book-inspired aesthetic that captures the raw energy of 19th-century pulp fiction.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Express Raider structures its challenge across multiple distinct stages, each capturing a different phase of the heist. The journey begins with Nick riding his trusty horse alongside the steam engine, leaping from the saddle onto the moving train's roof. Once aboard, players engage in relentless fistfights, utilizing punches, kicks, and a signature sliding tackle to sweep enemies off their feet. Timing is paramount; players must duck under low-hanging railway signals and leap over dangerous gaps or incoming obstacles. Collecting money bags scattered across the cars boosts the final score, while picking up dropped pistols allows for short-range ranged attacks with limited ammunition. Occasionally, the action shifts inside the cramped, wood-paneled passenger cars, forcing close-quarters combat where positioning and defensive jumps are the only way to survive the relentless onslaught of law enforcement.