History VideoGame / SpaceHarrier

* TheFlatwoodsMonster: * The Flatwoods Monster is the boss of Stage 02: Fors Yard in ''Space Harrier II''. It is known as Paranoia and upon approach is [[SphereOfPower encircled by ten red orbs]] resembling its head. These orbs serve as a barrier and need to be taken out before Paranoia can be harmed. In the meantime, Paranoia shoots fireballs at the protagonist and sometimes there's a flash of facial features on its head.

* TheFlatwoodsMonster: The Flatwoods Monster appears as the final boss. It floats around and shoots energy orbs.

** Another boss in ''Space Harrier II'' looks similar to eyewitness reports of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatwoods_monster Flatwoods Monster]].

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: An operator toggle grants the player infinite lives for the first 60 seconds of gameplay.

->''[[YetAnotherStupidDeath Aaaaaaugh!]] Get ready!''

* RammingAlwaysWorks: How the bonus stages work. You hop on your companion dragon and destroy as many things as you can by flying into them.

* ArrangeMode: The ''SEGA AGES'' port has KOMAINU Barrier Attack mode, in which a pair of dogs provide a shield to the Harrier that protects him from being knocked down by environmental objects. However, the shield will not protect him from enemies or their attacks and if either of the dogs gets hit, they will enter a brief stun state during which the shield will be unavailable. This mode also disables the system of giving the player a continuous stream of points just for playing.

Currently, the game is available for download on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo [=eShop=], in the form of ''3D Space Harrier''. Unlike ''Space Harrier 3-D'', which requires special glasses for the 3D mode, ''3D Space Harrier'' utilizes the [=3DS=]'s native 3D capabilities to achieve a 3D display without the need for external peripherals.

* GetingCrapPastTheRadar: In the end credits of the Master System version, the Art Director's name is FUUUUUK.

The game has an enduring legacy, being featured as a GameWithinAGame in both ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'' games as well as ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', and ''VideoGame/SegaSuperstars'' and ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' also feature minigames based on it. Several other Sega games pay homage to it one way or another as well.

The player controls a man with blond hair, red jacket, blue pants and a jetpack doubling as a laser cannon, who fights alien creatures while zooming towards the horizon at blisteringly fast speeds over highly colorful landscapes.

The original arcade game was built on a version of the powerful "Super Scaler" hardware Sega had introduced in ''Hang-On'' and would use again in ''VideoGame/AfterBurner'' and ''VideoGame/ThunderBlade''. Considered to contain extremely cutting-edge gameplay for its' time, the game was met with universal critical acclaim, but was criticized by some for its' Main/NintendoHard difficulty. Cited by many as the game that first popularized the third-person and rail shooter genres later adapted by titles up to and including Nintendo's VideoGame/StarFox, Creator/HidekiKamiya of {{Creator/Capcom}} and Creator/PlatinumGames fame has cited it as a major inspiration for going into video game development.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: In ''Space Harrier II'', TheHero has defeated his EvilCounterpart and peace is restored on Fantasy Land. However, there is a chance that another evil being like the Dark Harrier will rise to threaten the peace in the galaxy, so our hero resolves to keep fighting]].

The original arcade game was built on a version of the powerful "Super Scaler" hardware Sega had introduced in ''Hang-On'' and would use again in ''VideoGame/AfterBurner'' and ''VideoGame/ThunderBlade''. Considered to contain extremely cutting-edge gameplay for its' time, the game was met with universal critical acclaim, but was criticized by some for its' Main/NintendoHard difficulty. Cited by many as the game that first popularized the third-person and rail shooter genres later adapted by titles up to and including Nintendo's Main/StarFox, Creator/HidekiKamiya of {{Creator/Capcom}} and Creator/PlatinumGames fame has cited it as a major inspiration for going into video game development.

Currently, the game is available for download on the {{Nintendo 3DS}} via the Nintendo [=eShop=], in the form of ''3D Space Harrier''. Unlike ''Space Harrier 3-D'', which requires special glasses for the 3D mode, ''3D Space Harrier'' utilizes the [=3DS=]'s native 3D capabilities to achieve a 3D display without the need for external peripherals.

The original arcade game was built on a version of the powerful "Super Scaler" hardware Sega had introduced in ''Hang-On'' and would use again in ''AfterBurner'' and ''ThunderBlade''. Considered to contain extremely cutting-edge gameplay for its' time, the game was met with universal critical acclaim, but was criticized by some for its' Main/NintendoHard difficulty. Cited by many as the game that first popularized the third-person and rail shooter genres later adapted by titles up to and including Nintendo's Main/StarFox, Creator/HidekiKamiya of {{Creator/Capcom}} and Creator/PlatinumGames fame has cited it as a major inspiration for going into video game development.

->''"Ready? Many more battle scenes will soon be available!"''

* BossRush: The eighteenth and final level (Absymbel) is solely a parade of six of the previous bosses, except that [[BossSubtitles now they get names]].
** TrueFinalBoss: Haya Oh, a pair of twin flaming dragons who are about as fast as the incoming obstacles in the tunnel stages, if you clear the stage with no deaths.

* SharedUniverse: With FantasyZone.

The original arcade game was built on a version of the powerful "Super Scaler" hardware Sega had introduced in ''Hang-On'' and would use again in ''AfterBurner'' and ''ThunderBlade''.

* {{Expy}}: Trimuller, the first boss from ''Space Harrier II' is a stand-in for Gamera, right down to looking just like a giant tortoise monster and its spinning movement. There's also the [[MechaMooks Ric Doms]] from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' who appear to harass [[TheHero our hero]].