Cannon Dancer: Osman

Cannon Dancer is an obscure underground cult classic that's finally going to find the audience it's always deserved. That we live in an era where games like this can be made easily accessible is worth celebrating, but even taken on its own merits, this spiritual successor to Strider is a breathless, brilliant affair. A sharp difficulty spike, common in the arcade releases of the era, feels unfair – but it won't prevent you from falling in love with all of the high-stakes action that precedes it.

Cannon Dancer is an undeniably polished product and has Yotsui's action-cinema aspirations stamped all over it. Speed, dynamism, and full-bodied combat snap will keep bringing you back for more. While visually inspired and boldly artistic, it's a concise affair, as was Strider, buoyed by a refined control scheme and consistently interesting stage developments. While the finale is no Third Moon, and could have been improved with a few adjustments, it still qualifies as the Strider sequel you always wanted but never knew.

Cannon Dancer: Osman isn't a perfect port due to some clunkiness, but it's the definitive way to experience a long-forgotten classic that can finally get its just due.

It may have taken more than three decades for Cannon Dancer to make its way to our living rooms, but it was totally worth the wait. If you’re a fan of Capcom’s Strider or classic 90s arcade games in general – especially ones with a meaty challenge – then you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Cannon Dancer: Osman is a game that can be completed in a short amount of time. It is action-packed, with tons of martial arts attacks and enemies to take on. The story doesn't make much sense, so if a good story is important to you, you won't find that here.

Cannon Dancer-Osman surprised me with how much fun I had, and I know it’s because I loved Strider so much. This game basically feels like Strider 2; but due to the creator leaving Capcom it obviously couldn’t be called that. It’s not the longest game and while its nice they included the cheats and things $29.99 is way too much for a game that last less than an hour. I loved this game but at that price I would honestly wait for a sale for this one if you are interested.

Cannon Dancer: Osman should feel like a celebration of unearthing a lost gem. Instead, the lack of extras and personality in its presentation outside of the game gives it more of a "shop-bought replica" feel. It's a fantastic way to spend an hour and longer should you want to challenge it to the one-credit clear, but I don't think there is enough there for people who aren't retro enthusiasts or have a history with the "Strider" games. I love Cannon Dancer: Osman, but it's a tough one to suggest outside of its niche. If you fall within that niche you're guaranteed to have a smile from ear to ear. Outside of it, it feels like an overpriced, flash in the pan.

The base game is one of the boldest, prettiest, most audacious arcade games of the era, even if it's eventually undermined by a late-game difficulty spike.

Since it is a product of the arcade '90, the duration of the game is not really long. Games at that time became longer mainly due to the sky-high difficulty. Cannon Dancer is no exception to that rule. There's basically just under twenty minutes of gameplay once you've fully learned it and can actually play it without errors. It's in the replay value, because you'll never be able to do that flawlessly in one go. It is therefore entirely up to you to get the most out of it.

From the very first suplex all the way to the explosive boss-gauntlet final stage, I had a blast playing Cannon Dancer - Osman. It's such an amazing game and I have no idea how this game slipped past me in the arcades in the '90s, but I'm glad I got to experience this gem on my PS5.