Cannon Dancer – Osman – Review

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Cannon Dancer returns… While you’d be forgiven for not knowing the details, Cannon Dancer (bizarrely known as “Osman” in the US), was originally released in the mid-90’s by a team including ex-capcom staff, with the initial aim to create an unofficial sequel to one of Capcom’s best known arcade hits, Strider.

When you load up Cannon Dancer, you’re greeted with the option between the original “Cannon Dancer” and “Osman” the US port, which with translated text at least makes a little more sense to Western gamers. It’s fair to say things are a little confusing with a bizarre Cyberpunk mixed with an Arabian setting and the overall storyline doesn’t help much either, with a single over-arching world-government threatened by the almighty Abdullah the Slaver. Up step’s our hero Kirin, a top-class mercenary who’s one man against the world as Abdullah, the government and other mercenaries all want him dead.

There are a few options to play as well as zoom level and a CRT filter for the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio, as well as various enhancements which allow you invulnerable jumps and attacks or extra credits and cheats such as complete invincibility, it’s simple enough to work through the main game with so many shortcuts, but you’ll miss out on achievements by doing so.

Challenge mode keeps things a little more traditional, allowing you to choose 2 enhancements, such as 4 extra credits and avoiding damage while jumping which was the combination, I found most enjoyable.

On to the actual gameplay and anyone who’s played Strider or a similar side-scrolling slasher will know what to expect, it’s a little faster than titles like Golden Axe or Double Dragon, but not as fluent as those two either. You have a basic attack which works