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Alien Storm

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Alien Storm is a side-scrolling beat 'em up/shooter hybrid. The game resembles Golden Axe, with a similar artistic style, three playable characters (a man, a woman, and a novelty character) and pick-up or power-up special attacks. The player (one player only on the Master System version, up to tw...

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Developer
Team Shinobi

Released on
1990

Size
1–3 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Beat 'em Up

Publisher
Sega Enterprises

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Alien Storm is a side-scrolling beat ’em up/shooter hybrid. The game resembles Golden Axe, with a similar artistic style, three playable characters (a man, a woman, and a novelty character) and pick-up or power-up special attacks. The player (one player only on the Master System version, up to two players on the Mega Drive version, three on the arcade version) selects from the three different characters to embark upon a quest to save the Earth from an alien invasion.

Alien Storm

Overview & History

Released by Sega in 1990 for the System 18 arcade hardware, Alien Storm is a frantic, satirical beat-'em-up that injects sci-fi B-movie horror with a distinctly vibrant, tongue-in-cheek aesthetic. Following in the footsteps of Sega's own Golden Axe, this title tasks a specialized three-person counter-insurgency squad—known as the Busters—with eradicating a shape-shifting extraterrestrial infestation overtaking a metropolis. Eschewing pure fantasy, players navigate bizarre, bio-mechanical environments that transition from gritty city streets to fleshy, organic alien interiors, all while uncovering the delightfully surreal nature of the threat.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Alien Storm distinguishes itself from contemporary arcade brawlers by dynamically shifting camera perspectives across its eight stages. Alongside traditional side-scrolling melee action, players frequently engage in frantic first-person shooter galleries where they must blast encroaching aliens before time runs out, as well as fast-paced running segments. The roster consists of three distinct operatives: Garth, a hulking brute wielding a heavy flamethrower; Karen, an agile agility expert armed with a whip and electricity; and Slammer, a robotic police officer carrying a rotary gun. Unlike standard beat-'em-ups with traditional health bars, characters share a unified 'Energy' gauge. This meter depletes not only when taking damage from grotesque xenomorphs, but also when unleashing devastating special screen-clearing attacks, forcing players to carefully balance aggressive crowd control with resource management. Destructible environmental objects yield vital energy pick-ups and points, keeping the chaotic momentum relentless.