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Index › 1990s › Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf cover art

Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

AKA: Desert Strike Advance, Apache AHX: Desert Madman, Desert Strike: Wangan Sakusen
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Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf

Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, commonly known as Desert Strike, is a shoot 'em up video game released by Electronic Arts (EA) in February 1992 for Sega's Mega Drive. The game was later released on several other formats such as the SNES, including a much upgraded version for the Amiga home computer. The game was inspired by the Gulf War and depicts a conflict between an insane Middle Eastern dictator, General Kilbaba, and the United States. The player controls a lone Apache helicopter and attempts to destroy enemy weapons and installations, rescue hostages and capture enemy personnel, while managing supplies of fuel and ammunition.

Year
1992
Developer
Electronic Arts
Publisher
Gremlin Interactive

SCREENSHOTS

PHYSICAL

STORY

After terrorist leader General Kilbaba has seized control of an unnamed "small but wealthy" Gulf emirate, overthrown the monarchy and installed himself as dictator, the United States sends a lone helicopter to destroy his army in a series of swift strikes. The game's plot was felt by commentators to be a thinly disguised reference to the Gulf War, while comparisons were drawn between Kilbaba and Saddam Hussein, and between the game's unnamed desert setting and Iraq

GAMEPLAY VIDEO

SCORES

Source
Audience
Score
Reviews
Users
8 / 10
188
Users
79 / 100
66

ACHIEVEMENTS 1 set

Tracked by RetroAchievements and earned in an emulator that reports to it. A game tracked on more than one machine gets a set for each, because they are different lists earned on different hardware.

Genesis/Mega Drive 27 achievements, 295 pts
  1. A Dish Best Served Cold in Air Superiority 5
    Destroy 2 radar sites in Campaign #1: Air Superiority
  2. Lights Out in Air Superiority 5
    Destroy the power station in Campaign #1: Air Superiority
  3. Bad Day on the Runway 5
    Destroy 2 airfields
  4. We Command You to Stop 5
    Destroy a command center and capture its commander
  5. Bonding Time 10
    Find and rescue the secret agent
  6. A Dish Best Served Cold in Scud Buster 10
    Destroy 3 radar sites in Campaign #2: Scud Buster
  7. Parole Copter 10
    Rescue at least 10 political prisoners from the jail
  8. Lights Out in Scud Buster 10
    Destroy the power station in Campaign #2: Scud Buster
  9. Chemical Plant Zone? 10
    Destroy the chemical weapons complex
  10. So Much for "Tactics"... 10
    Capture the Scud commanders and destroy their launchers
  11. Out on Good Behavior 25
    Rescue 14 prisoners of war from the POW camp
  12. United We Strike 10
    Rescue a group of 6 captive U.N. inspectors
  13. Disease Control 10
    Destroy the secret biological weapons plant and capture the lead biochemist
  14. Going Ballistic 10
    Destroy the ICBM silos before they launch their missiles
  15. Shot Down in Flames 10
    Search and rescue 2 pilots who have been shot down over the Gulf
  16. Lights Out in Embassy City 10
    Destroy the power station in Campaign #3: Embassy City
  17. Save Our Ships 10
    Rescue 8 hostages who are being held in the Madman's yacht
  18. A Commander of Rubble 10
    Capture the enemy ambassador and destroy all 4 command centers
  19. Emba-See You Never 25
    Rescue all 12 officials who are being held captive by enemy terrorists
  20. Tanks for Nothing 10
    Airlift a group of 6 commandos to the oil fields and destroy all ZSUs nearby
  21. Terror and Freedom Don't Mix 10
    Stop the flow of oil spilling into the gulf
  22. Helter-Shelter 10
    Rescue at least 15 civilians who are being held captive in underground bomb shelters
  23. Taking Out the Trash 10
    Destroy the garbage trucks holding parts of a nuclear bomb
  24. Experiments Gone Awry 10
    Destroy the nuclear plant and capture the Madman's nuclear scientist
  25. Lights Out in Nuclear Storm 10
    Destroy the power station in Campaign #4: Nuclear Storm
  26. It's His Hiding Spot! 10
    Find the Madman in his secret bunker
  27. War Is Heck 25
    Rescue your copilot and destroy the Madman's nuclear bomber

Achievement names, descriptions and badges are the work of the RetroAchievements community. View this set on RetroAchievements

RELEASES 9 systems

System
Platform
Year
Notes
GEN
Mega Drive / Genesis
1992
Original release
SFC
Super Famicom / SNES
1992
Original release
SMS
Sega Master System
1992
LYNX
Atari Lynx
1993
AMI
Amiga
1993
GG
Game Gear
1994
DOS
DOS
1994
GB
Game Boy
1995
GBA
Game Boy Advance
2002

GAME DATA

Series
Strike

SOURCES

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