Those who want to relive the punches and kicks of Cannon Dancer – Osman, have a golden opportunity on Xbox
One of the rarities that we could see in arcades in the 90’s was Cannon Dancer (or Osman, as many of us met in our territory). This frantic proposal devised by the estudio Mitchell Corporation he put us in the skin of a warrior who did not need the use of weapons to satisfy his mission of revenge. With only his punches and kicks, he made his way through a series of the most striking scenarios. Now, 25 years after its release, we can relive the adventures of Kirin with a series of improvements that the developer has taken into consideration to make the experience more rewarding.
unofficial second part
Surely if you see a video, or simply with the images of this analysis, a certain game with similar characteristics will come to mind. Indeed, this work drinks a lot from a similar title that came out in arcades under the name of Strider. In fact both proposals share the same director, Kouichi Yotsui, Although each one touches very different themes. While in Strider we control a sword-wielding warrior in cybernetic Russia, in Cannon Dancer we’ll face unarmed enemies in an Arab-style environment.
Revenge will be the main claim that our protagonist will have. After being betrayed by his corporation to get rid of him, He will not hesitate for a moment to overcome and put an end to the person who wanted our hero underground. To do this, we will travel through different scenarios facing all kinds of enemies, beasts and dangers. An odyssey that, like a good arcade game, It doesn’t last more than 30 minutes, but it is full of frantic and memorable moments.
tweaks to the pixel
In this remastering, apart from having the American side of the game and the Japanese side, We will have two different modalities. The first is the standard mode, where we can save / load game whenever we want and even go back / speed up the game. In addition, we will have several modifiers such as infinite credits, the typical God mode or other extras that will make it easier for us to progress on each screen. Although if we want to relive the real experience in the most reliable way possible, it is best to go to its challenge mode.
In it challenge mode We will also play the same screens as in story mode, but aid will be more limited. Be careful, they also exist and they will save our skin on more than one occasion, but they break the game experience less. For example, we can perform a double jump, be invincible while hitting or have extra credits. We will not have fast saving or loading, and here we will have achievements.
fleeting reminiscence
Be that as it may, the truth is that playing Cannon Dancer is a blast. I admit that I only played Strider at the time, and this other gem from the author went completely unnoticed by a server. Personally, This proposal is much more bearable and fair than its predecessor, and although it is easy to die for a mistake, everything is much more affordable. Each screen is a visual spectacle (of the time), and reliving the rarities and extravagances that Kouichi Yotsui thought of for his work at the time is a luxury.
Pay attention, we already have a reinvention of Strider in our Xbox catalog. If you want to know more about this remake, don’t hesitate to visit our review
Despite this dynamism that I am describing, It can be said that the product is brief in content. Despite the modalities or variations that we can add, the reality is that we are facing a short title, and little replayable. It would not have been a bad idea to make a compilation with the great works of the director or the company, Since it would have been a good time to discover, along with Cannon Dancer, other hidden gems like The Karate Tournament, Lady Killer or why not, Strider himself balancing his control and difficulty.
an off-road hero
If we don’t mind that it’s a short experience, we’ll travel back in time and have a great time making use of Kirin’s martial skills. Thanks to our duplication ability, like a certain ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village, we will be able to hit enemies with our doubles. In addition, we will have a special attack in the chamber that will be very useful to beat those tougher enemies.
Not everything will be paste in this title. In addition to the run-ins with the bad guys on duty, It will be very important to know our potential in the jumps. There will be several paths, and depending on our ability to navigate the platforms, our path will be easier or more complicated. To have, the title even has moments of persecution where we will have to put our feet on the run so as not to end up in intergalactic dust.
Conclusion of Cannon Dancer – Osman
Those who grew up in the wonderful world of arcade games will surely welcome this proposal that revives the Mitchell Corporation studio. Whether or not you have played the original, this is a very gratifying experience due to its colorful visuals, its variety of situations and a difficulty that is not as high and unfair as other titles of the time.
The penalty lies in the short duration of the title and its zero replay value. Yes, there are two game modes, and we can choose to enjoy the Japanese or American version. But deep down, when you complete the title once, there’s no reason to pass it on again beyond getting all the achievements. If they had included more titles as a collection, or even a remake with tangible differences, it would be more justified to pay the price for which it is launched on the market.
Cannon Dancer – Osman
29.99€
Pros
- A pure, frenetic and fair arcade
- Several aids to facilitate the game (if we want…)
- Filters to emulate old screens
Cons
- It lasts very little and is hardly replayable…
- It would have been a good time to make a collection with several more games
- It is expensive compared to similar games