- Blow On The Cartridge
- Posts
- Cyborg Hunter
Cyborg Hunter
Before Metroidvania was a genre, this Master System gem did it in style.
In partnership with
PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
My gaming journey began with the Sega Master System, and honestly, the 8-bit era was pretty straightforward. Hardware limitations meant games kept things simple: jump, shoot, reach the end of the level. Nothing too complicated.
Then Christmas morning arrived, and I unwrapped Cyborg Hunter, a game I'd never even heard of before that moment.
Cyborg Hunter was different from everything else in my collection. Some consider it an early Metroidvania-style game, and my poor kid brain just couldn't crack it. Progress was gated behind specific items, forcing you to backtrack through levels searching for the right doors to unlock your path forward. This was all new to me.
Going back to it now, it still feels this game was trying to be something more and was ahead of its time.
So let's dive in and see what made this game such a puzzle for my younger self.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
If you’ve never heard of Cyborg Hunter, imagine a side-scrolling action game with a surprising dose of exploration and gadget management. At a glance, it looks like a standard 2D sci-fi brawler: you run through rooms, punch enemies, and grab power-ups.
Dig a little deeper, though, and there’s a light Metroidvania structure underneath. Seven interconnected areas, labeled A through G, require you to find key items in one zone to unlock progress in another.
Jet engines let you bypass hazards, ID cards dropped by bosses open new sections, and careful backtracking rewards players who pay attention to maps and item placement.
One of the game’s standout features is its HUD. The screen is divided into multiple sections: a first-person radar warns of nearby enemies, a map tracks your current floor and area, and the main action plays out in a side-view window. For an 8-bit game released in 1988, it’s an ambitious layout that encourages planning rather than blind running and punching.
The controls are where Cyborg Hunter really gets weird. The game expects you to use two controllers. Controller 1 handles movement and combat, while Controller 2 opens your equipment menu to swap weapons or activate gear like jetpacks and shields.
It’s a clever workaround for the Master System’s limited buttons, but it can feel awkward in practice. Many players ended up stretching across both controllers or hot-swapping a single pad mid-game, making it one of Sega’s more infamous control experiments.
Gameplay focuses on corridor crawling and elevator hopping through a massive robot fortress. You’ll battle standard cyborg enemies and hunt down tougher “Chief Cyborgs” guarding key upgrades.
Combat starts simple but gains depth once you unlock ranged weapons and the powerful Psycho Gun, which uses a limited energy meter that forces smart resource management.
One Habit You’ll Keep
By this time of the year, most New Year goals are already slipping. That’s why the habits that last are the simple ones.
AG1 Next Gen is a clinically studied daily health drink that supports gut health, helps fill common nutrient gaps, and supports steady energy.
With just one scoop mixed into cold water, AG1 replaces a multivitamin, probiotics, and more, making it one of the easiest upgrades you can make this year.
Start your mornings with AG1 and get 3 FREE AG1 Travel Packs, 3 FREE AGZ Travel Packs, and FREE Vitamin D3+K2 in your Welcome Kit with your first subscription.
WHERE TO PLAY
The original copy or emulation will be your best bet in playing this.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $15
Complete: $28
New/Sealed: $145
GAME INFORMATION
|  |
Cover Art
Fact-based news without bias awaits. Make 1440 your choice today.
Overwhelmed by biased news? Cut through the clutter and get straight facts with your daily 1440 digest. From politics to sports, join millions who start their day informed.
RETRO HARDWARE
Reading about retro games is great, but playing them is the real goal. This new Retro Hardware section is about easy, affordable ways to get those classics running without the headache.
Miyoo Mini Plus
The Miyoo Mini Plus. My first retro device I ever bought. Slightly bigger than the original Miyoo Mini, the Plus model adds a larger screen and a more comfortable grip, making it easy to toss in a bag and take on the go when I dare to leave my protective man cave. (Still scary.)
The Miyoo Mini Plus is an entry-level retro handheld, but in the best possible way. It excels at playing classic systems like NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, and a massive arcade library, all of which run great. It’s simple, affordable, and perfect for anyone looking to dip their toes into retro gaming without overcomplicating things.
My readers can use the following code for a 12% discount: NY12
Click either of the pictures to take you to the website.
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you buy through MECHDIY, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
It’s not every day you see a platformer/ shooter hybrid that makes you juggle two controllers and monitor a pseudo-3D radar while punching cyborgs in a side-scrolling view.
That experimental spirit is exactly what makes revisiting Cyborg Hunter worthwhile. It’s a time capsule of Sega’s 8-bit ambition, a game that tried to pack in big ideas (like multi-layered HUDs and Metroid-style exploration) on hardware best known for simpler fare.
Playing it today, you might chuckle at some clunky aspects (the pause button on the console issue is real, and yes, plugging in a second controller just to switch weapons is a bit wild). But those quirks are part of the fun.
Once you get the hang of it, there’s a solid action game here with a satisfying upgrade loop. And if you grew up with a Master System, Cyborg Hunter might scratch a nostalgic itch you didn’t know you had, it’s one of those games that many missed back in the day, so discovering it now is like unearthing a lost chapter of 80s gaming history.
In a nutshell, Cyborg Hunter is worth a play for its novelty alone. It’s a reminder of a time when developers took risks to stand out, sometimes resulting in oddball gems like this.
Reply