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{{Short description|1987 video game}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{For|the 2007 video game of the same name|Alien Syndrome (2007 video game)}}
{{Multiple issues|{{Update|date=October 2023}}{{Refimprove|date=October 2025}}}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Alien Syndrome
| image = Alien Syndrome Cover.png
| caption = European arcade flyer
| developer = [[Sega AM1|Sega R&D1]]{{efn|Master System and NES versions developed by [[Sanritsu]]; Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions developed by Softek International; Amstrad CPC version developed by Animagic; MSX version developed by Xortrapa Soft; Game Gear version developed by [[SIMS (company)|SIMS]]; X68000 version developed by Dempa Micomsoft.}}
| publisher = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Sega]]}}|'''Amiga, Atari ST, C64'''{{vgrelease|EU|ACE Software|NA|Sega}} '''NES'''{{vgrelease|JP|[[Sunsoft]]|NA|[[Tengen (company)|Tengen]]}} '''CPC, ZX Spectrum''' ACE Software '''MSX''' [[DROsoft]] '''Game Gear'''{{vgrelease|JP|[[SIMS (company)|SIMS]]|EU|Sega}} '''X68000''' Dempa Micomsoft}}
| designer =
| composer = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|Tohru Nakabayashi}}|{{ubl|'''Home computers'''|[[David Whittaker (video game composer)|David Whittaker]]|'''NES'''|Noboru Machida}}}}
| platforms = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]}}|[[Master System]], [[Commodore 64]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Amiga]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari ST]], [[MSX]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Game Gear]], [[X68000]]}}
| released = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|April 1987}}|'''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|April 1987<ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005) |date=October 13, 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |lang=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |pages=36, 131 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n37/mode/2up}}</ref>|NA|June 1987<ref name="Akagi"/>}} '''Master System'''{{vgrelease|JP|18 October 1987<ref>{{cite web |title=Software List |url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html |website=Sega Hard Encyclopedia |publisher=[[Sega|Sega Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621034428/https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html |archive-date=2019-06-21 |language=ja}}</ref>|NA/PAL|March 1988<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/e45a949e-7d1a-4cf0-bbd1-a63b79ef58e8 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=7 |issue=1 |date=April 1988 |page=14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2 Mega Cartridges |url=https://segaretro.org/images/3/38/SMSGamesCatalogueUK.pdf|work=The Sega Master System Game Catalog (1988)|publisher=[[Mastertronic]]}}</ref>}} '''C64'''{{vgrelease|UK|January 1988<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |date=February 1988 |title=Previews: Alien Syndrome |url=https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-03/page/n15/mode/2up |magazine=[[The Games Machine]] |publisher=[[Newsfield]] |issue=3 |page=15}}</ref>|NA|December 1988}} '''ZX Spectrum'''{{vgrelease|UK|May 1988<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |date=April 1988 |title=Preview: Alien Syndrome |url=https://archive.org/details/sinclair-user-magazine-073/page/n101/mode/1up |magazine=[[Sinclair User]] |publisher=[[Ascential|EMAP]] |issue=73 |page=102}}</ref>}} '''NES'''{{vgrelease|JP|2 December 1988<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/|title=All Famicom games sorted from the latest release to the earliest|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|archive-date=October 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015061257/https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/|url-status=dead}}</ref>|NA|December 1989<ref name="cejan90">{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/cff99160-03fe-4527-80d8-2cd40ae1a436 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=8 |issue=10 |date=January 1990 |page=22}}</ref>}} '''Amiga, Atari ST'''{{vgrelease|EU|1988|NA|January 1989<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/4894dc4d-52b2-447b-83c4-91f3ba837f9a |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=7 |issue=11 |date=February 1989 |page=14}}</ref>}} '''CPC, MSX'''{{vgrelease|EU|1988}} '''MS-DOS''' December 1989<ref name="cejan90"/> '''Game Gear'''{{vgrelease|JP|19 March 1992<ref>{{cite web |title=Software List (Released by Soft Licensees)|url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/gamegear/software_l.html |website=セガ製品情報サイト |publisher=Sega |language=ja}}</ref>|EU|3 December 1992<ref>{{cite news |title=The Release Schedule |work=Computer Trade Weekly |issue=414 |date=23 November 1992 |page=18}}</ref>}} '''X68000'''{{vgrelease|JP|25 March 1992<ref>{{cite web |title=X68000のソフトとか |url=http://tkhr000.s601.xrea.com/ |website=tkhr000.s601.xrea.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512145954/http://tkhr000.s601.xrea.com/ |archive-date=May 12, 2019 |language=ja}}</ref>}}
}}
| genre = [[Run and gun video game|Run and gun]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| arcade system = Sega Pre System 16, [[Sega System 16|Sega System 16B]]
}}

{{Nihongo|'''''Alien Syndrome'''''|エイリアンシンドローム|Eirian Shindorōmu}} is a 1987 [[run and gun video game]] developed and published by [[Sega]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]]. The game utilizes a [[side-scrolling video game|side-scrolling]] feature that allows the player to take control of either a male (Ricky) or female (Mary) soldier whilst hunting aliens and saving hostages before they run out of time.

''Alien Syndrome'' was released to commercial success and positive reviews, with praise towards its gameplay, character designs, sound design and horror themes. It was ported to various home computers and consoles, including Sega's own [[Master System]], becoming one of the best-selling titles for that console. It was included as a bonus title in the 2009 compilation ''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]''. A [[Alien Syndrome (2007 video game)|sequel of the same name]] was released in 2007 to a mostly negative response from critics.

==Gameplay==
[[Image:Alien Syndrome.png|thumb|250px|left|An example of gameplay during the first level, "Round 1". The player is taking control of Ricky whilst fighting alien worms.]]

Two players control two soldiers, named Ricky and Mary, who fight through large eight-way scrolling levels while rescuing their comrades that are being held by aliens. At the start of each level, a time bomb is set onboard the infested ship and the players must complete their task before it runs out which will result in the ship being destroyed. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages, the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the [[boss (video gaming)|end-of-level guardian]]. If the guardian is defeated before the time runs out, the players are then able to move onto the next stage. Once all seven levels are completed, the game starts over with more aggressive aliens, and less time on the clock.

==Ports==
In 1988, the game was [[porting|ported]] to the [[Master System]], [[MSX]], [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System]] (published in North America by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]] without a [[Nintendo]] license). Later, the game was ported to the [[ZX Spectrum]] (1989), [[Game Gear]] (1992), and [[X68000]] (1992).

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| Dragon = {{Rating|2|5}} (Master System)<ref name="Dragon141"/>
| rev1 = ''[[Computer Entertainer]]''
| rev1Score = {{Rating|6.5|8}} (C64)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=COMMODORE 64/128 Software |magazine=[[Computer Entertainer]] |date=January 1989 |volume=7 |issue=10 |page=4 |url=https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-7-10/page/4}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Console XS]]''
| rev2Score = 85% (Master System)<ref name="XS"/>
| rev3 = ''[[Sega Pro]]''
| rev3Score = 85% (Master System)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pro Scores |magazine=Sega Pro |date=April 1993 |publication-date=1993-03-11 |page=70 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/7/74/SegaPro_UK_18.pdf#page=70}}</ref>
| award1Pub = ''[[Crash (magazine)|Crash]]''
| award1 = Crash Smash<ref>Game review, Crash magazine, [[Newsfield Publications]], issue 57, October 1988</ref>
}}

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Alien Syndrome'' as the third most successful table arcade unit of April 1987.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=308|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=15 May 1987|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref> The original arcade version of the game was reviewed in the July 1987 issue of ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'', where Clare Edgeley described it as "one of the most gripping games" she "played in months", praising the ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''-like horror atmosphere, chilling sounds, special effects, graphics and gameplay. She stated it was "the first time the atmosphere and sheer addictiveness of a [[shoot 'em up]] has transported me to another planet," and concluded that it "is fantastic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/21/16/alien_syndrome_review.html|title=Alien Syndrome arcade game review}}</ref>

The Master System version of the game was reviewed in ''[[Console XS]]'' magazine, which gave it an 85% score.<ref name="XS">{{cite magazine |title=Software A-Z: Master System |magazine=[[Console XS]] |date=23 April 1992 |issue=1 (June/July 1992) |publisher=[[Paragon Publishing]] |location=United Kingdom |pages=137–47 |url=https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/137}}</ref> It was reviewed in 1989 in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'', which rated it two out of five stars.<ref name="Dragon141">{{cite journal
|title=The Role of Computers|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk|journal=Dragon|issue=141|date=January 1989|pages=72–78 (75)|url=https://www.annarchive.com/files/Drmg141.pdf#page=77}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The game was also converted to [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygonal]] graphics for the [[PlayStation 2]] as part of the [[Sega Ages]] re-release program and included in the US version of the ''[[Sega Classics Collection]]'' (it was removed from the European version to receive a lower age certificate). This version has updated controls, adding the use of both analog sticks, similar to that seen in ''[[Sheriff (video game)|Sheriff]]'', ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'', and ''[[Smash TV]]''. The original arcade game was also included as an [[Unlockable (gaming)|unlockable]] in ''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]''.

A [[Alien Syndrome (2007)|sequel of the same name]] was released for [[Wii]] and [[PlayStation Portable]] in July 2007.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=61 ''Alien Syndrome''] at Arcade-History
* {{KLOV game|id=6857}}
* {{moby game|id=/alien-syndrome}}
* {{WoS_game|id=0000157}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1987 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Amstrad CPC games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Atari ST games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Game Gear games]]
[[Category:Master System games]]
[[Category:MSX games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Run and gun games]]
[[Category:Sanritsu Denki games]]
[[Category:Sega arcade games]]
[[Category:Sega video game franchises]]
[[Category:Sega video games]]
[[Category:Tengen (company) games]]
[[Category:Unauthorized video games]]
[[Category:Video games about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]
[[Category:Video games scored by David Whittaker]]
[[Category:X68000 games]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]

Alien Syndrome - Revision history

imported>Vinickw: vgr without a region