In 2014's Strider Hiryu's scarf serves as a visual cue for the Cypher upgrade the player is using (Reflect, Explosive, Cold, Magnetic), changing colors accordingly.

The first three missions can be played in any order the player wishes to undertake them, and are set in different locations on Earth (Hong Kong, Germany, Antarctica).

The final two stages take place in the Flying Battleship Balrog and the space station Third Moon, both of which were locations in the original Strider.

Around 2000 years after his defeat in the original game, the mysterious Grandmaster has returned once again to finish his plans and claim total control over the world.

[citation needed] Finishing both games and saving the achievements on the same memory card unlocks a secret level in Strider 2: "Mission 00", a waterfall stage.

[11] James Mielke, writing for GameSpot, called it "a deliberate throwback to the arcade-dominant '80s" and "an excellent starter kit for the uninitiated, but for veterans of the series, it's like dinner without the dessert.