Back in December, Windows Central streamed a downloadable Xbox and Windows game from Capcom called Strider. The game became one of my favorites of 2014 thanks to its sleek style, fast pace, and rewarding sense of exploration. We've been wanting to come back to Strider on the stream ever since, and at last we're doing just that.
Why just play the newest Strider though? Last year's Strider is actually the latest in a long-running series. Seeing as how many readers and viewers probably haven't played the previous games, we've decided to turn back the clock a bit. Tonight we're playing the original Strider, Strider 2, and Strider (2014) all in one historic Twitch stream. Join us to see why the series is so beloved with hardcore gamers and have a blast chatting with the Windows Central crowd!
Update: The stream has ended. Continue reading to learn about the Strider series and see our full playthroughs of Strider 1 and 2!
Watch live video from EastXTwitch on Twitch
Follow this link to watch part 2 (Tyler playing Strider 2014).
Strider 1, 2, and 2014
Capcom released an arcade game called Strider in 1989. The game impressed with its flashy sword-based combat, wall climbing and no-gravity sections, and huge mechanical bosses. The next year, Capcom created a completely original Strider game for the 8-bit NES. The NES game starred the same character, Strider Hiryu, who later appeared in the Marvel vs.Capcom series.
Strider wouldn't see an official follow-up until 1999 with the arcade and Playstation One release of Strider 2. The sequel played much like the original, with the addition of new moves like double-jumping and a Boost skill that lets Hiryu fire projectiles from his sword. The characters still existed as 2D sprites, but the backgrounds became 3D – for better or worse.
We'll be playing Strider 1 and 2 in their entirety (which shouldn't take too long) before moving on to the newest game in the series.
In 2014, developer Double Helix teamed up with Capcom to make an all-new Strider for Xbox One and 360, as well as other platforms. The new Strider combines elements from the arcade and NES games (plus Strider 2) into a single action-packed Metroidvania-style platformer. With super-fast gameplay, wonderful music, and tons of futuristic areas to explore, Strider is a fantastic modern take on the classic series.
- Strider – Xbox One – 3 GB – $14.99 – Xbox.com Link
- Strider – Xbox 360 – 1.5 GB – $14.99 – Xbox.com Link
- Strider – Steam – 3.7 GB – $14.99 – Steam Link
The Stream
We'll be streaming Strider, Strider 2, and Strider (2014) for at least two hours tonight, starting at 8pm Central (9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific).
To join us, please follow me at Twitch.tv/Eastxtwitch and tune in during the stream. You can watch the stream right here in this post, but you'll need to watch from the Twitch website or a separate app to participate in our always delightful stream chat.
What's the best way to experience Twitch? The Twitch website on your PC or Mac web browser. If you don't have or prefer not to use a computer, you can get the Xbox One, Playstation 4, or Xbox 360 Twitch apps and watch from the comfort of your couch. Android and iOS both have official and unofficial Twitch apps to choose from as well.
On Windows Phone, you'll have to grab an unofficial app. My recommendation is Unstream. It has far more features than competing apps, such as the ability to see a list of users participating in the stream chat. You can even add our channel directly from within the app! Just search for Eastxtwitch, select the channel to view our profile, and then select Follow from the pop-up menu at the bottom.
I'll be available for a few minutes before and after the stream if you have any questions or just want to say hi.
Streaming schedule
Want to know what's next for Windows Central's weekly Twitch streaming contests? Here's our upcoming contest schedule. The stream always starts at the same time: 8pm Central (9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific).
- Thursday, February 26: ScreamRide from Frontier and Microsoft
- Saturday, February 28: Asphalt 8 (Windows 8) from Gameloft. Guest cohost: "Gameloft" Ryan!
- Saturday, March 7: Order & Chaos Online (Windows 8) from Gameloft. Guest cohost: "Gameloft" Ryan!
In addition to our Saturday contest streams, we also livestream a variety of different games throughout the week. These streams don't have contests, but they still offer a great chance to see more exciting games while enjoying our live commentary and stream chat.
- Mondays: Playstation Vita games! See what the other side gets to play.
- Tuesdays: The Witcher 2 for Xbox 360. Catch up on The Witcher saga before The Witcher 3 launches in May!
- Wednesdays: Xbox One games. This Wednesday is Strider history night, featuring Strider 1 and 2 plus Strider for Xbox One!
- Thursdays: Dragon Age: Inquisition! Game selected and funded by our excellent stream viewers.
We hope you'll tune in as often as you can! Set a recurring alarm on your phone so you'll always know when it's time for the stream to start.
Thanks to our Twitch stream moderators KalelCanFly and DerekDoesIt (who goes by isi mcf here at Windows Central) for keeping our streams clean and stress-free!
