Tony Barnes Outlines Plans for Spiritual Successor to Desert Strike Series

Tony Barnes Outlines Plans for Spiritual Successor to Desert Strike Series Electronic Arts’ iconic helicopter-based shoot 'em up franchise, Desert Strike, first hit the gaming scene in the early 1990s and has left a significant mark on the industry.

With titles spanning multiple platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive and later the Nintendo Switch via re-releases, Desert Strike and its sequels, such as Jungle Strike and Urban Strike, remain influential for many developers and players alike. Over the past year, the enduring appeal of the Strike series has been evidenced by new releases and announcements inspired by its signature gameplay.

Titles like Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess from Pizza Bear Games and the upcoming Cleared Hot from MicroProse and Not Knowing Corporation each demonstrate different approaches to the tactical action and helicopter combat pioneered by Desert Strike. Now, Tony Barnes—winner of the Jerry Lawson Lifetime Achievement Award (2019) and veteran Strike series designer—is preparing to deliver his own modern take on the beloved franchise.

Barnes’ association with the series runs deep: he started as a production assistant on the original Desert Strike, then co-designed Jungle Strike and Urban Strike, and served as lead designer for Nuclear Strike on the Nintendo 64. Speaking recently with Time Extension, Barnes shared insight into his creative process and plans for the future.

He revealed that enthusiastic fans frequently ask when he’ll return to the Strike formula.

Recounting his repeated responses, Barnes clarified, “For at least a decade, I’ve been asked on a monthly basis if I’ll bring back Strike, and it’s always been an idea I’ve kept in mind.

While making a new Strike game would be instinctive for me, I’ve preferred to take on fresh challenges before revisiting familiar territory.” Barnes further explained that while the spiritual successor is on his roadmap, its development will follow several other projects from his studio, Retro Ninja.

He stated, “At the moment, I have roughly four games ahead of a new Strike in my development queue.

Fortunately, the progress on these projects overlaps, so players can expect a steady stream of releases over the next year.” Two of these upcoming titles—Run Die Run Again and BPM Boy—are already available to wishlist on Steam, while details are still forthcoming for the remaining projects.

Despite the packed schedule, Barnes offered a preview of his vision for the future of the Strike-inspired project.

He described it as taking inspiration from filmmaker Neill Blomkamp, seeking to create an experience that feels “more grounded and set a couple steps into the future,” moving away from the campiness of earlier games and evoking a gritty, analog aesthetic reminiscent of the film District 9. With a substantial legacy and continued demand for classic helicopter action, Tony Barnes’ return promises an innovative reimagining for longtime fans and newcomers alike.

As anticipation builds, all eyes will be on Retro Ninja’s forthcoming slate of games on platforms like Steam and, potentially, the Nintendo Switch, as Barnes charts a future for the spirit of Desert Strike.

Tony Barnes