The Obscure Arcade : Osman / Cannon Dancer

Thanks Jonathan Holmes

Year : 1996
Company : Data East
Similar To : Strider


Title screen.

Osman, or Cannon Dancer in Japan, is a side scrolling 2-d action game that plays strikingly similar to Capcom’s Strider. Only Osman is much more of a badass than Strider. He doesn’t need any weapons, he fights mainly with savage kicks. Oh, and his kicks are so goddamn awesome that enemies EXPLODE INTO A MALESTROM OF BLOOD AND GORE when they connect. He doesn’t even wear a fucking shirt! And he fights TIGERS!!!


HOLY SHIT!

I wish I could kick that hard. But anyway. You move from left to right, kicking the living shit out of enemies along the way. You can climb walls and hang from ceilings, just like Strider. When you collect power ups, you get “shadow images” of yourself that can also strike enemies.


Someone’s about to get mauled like he’s at the San Fran zoo.

You’ll also face off against some very inventive and creative bosses. Usually you will even get some hilarious speeches before the fight. Osman’s enemies are stereotypical loquacious bad guys while Osman himself is the stereotypical stoic and silent hero.


What the hell do you call this?

The levels show some great variety. From a futuristic city, to a desert, to surfing along the ocean, the scenery never gets boring.


Beginning of the desert level.

This game is extremely difficult. If you played this in an actual arcade, it would simply annihilate your quarters. Through most of the game, though, you start off right where you die. So as long as you can continue you should be ok. Until the last stage, that is.


One of the later bosses, Tianon.

I’m not going to lie. I couldn’t finish this game. The final stage is a lesson in frustration. You have to face off against many of the past bosses. But the worst part, when you die you have to start over from the beginning of the stage. I gave up on it.


Okami? Is that you?

Overall, Osman is a very cool game, especially if you enjoyed Strider. Just be prepared for the extreme difficulty. You may break a controller or two. Also:

YOU CANNOT DESTROY THE TRUCK!!!!




[Edit : here’s some more, and better written, info on Osman]

http://lscmainframe.topcities.com/osman.html
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/raddspencer/cannondancerstages.html