Out of Capcom's storied lineup, Strider has never gained the popularity of series such as Mega Man and Street Fighter, but its' unique take on the platforming genre has gained it a steadfast cult following, of which this reviewer belongs to. With the unveiling of the extremely solid Genesis version on the Virtual Console, hopefully more gamers will take a chance on downloading this and experience one of the hidden gems of the 16-bit era.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Strider takes you along five levels, ranging from St. Petersburg to an Amazonian jungle complete with dinsoaurs, in order to bring down the evil leader, Grandmaster. Not only are you armed with a plasma sword and robot helpers, but Stider also has the ability to climb along walls and ceilings, which adds a flavor to the gameplay not seen in too many platformers, especially given the silky smooth near-perfection of the game's control system.

Combined with a solid soundtrack and graphics that still hold up extremely well today, Strider is a mandatory download for fans of old-school platforming action.