Desert Strike 1.0.0

The five-campaign playable release adds portable progress export/import and clear local-save status. Invalid backups preserve current progress; unavailable or corrupt storage leaves existing bytes untouched and offers a session backup. Existing v0.6.1 checkpoints and Jake unlock migrate when no v1 record exists.

Source and offline ZIPs have matching version/commit identities, individual and combined SHA-256 checksums, and a six-file offline build receipt. Fresh source consumers rebuild the identical game without npm installation. The Windows launcher reports a missing/extracted-file problem instead of opening incomplete source.

Campaign definitions, simulation, maps, assets and the original-game fidelity limits are retained. There is no mid-mission save or account.

Download desert-strike_1.0.0_offline.zip, compare SHA256SUMS and extract it. Open Desert-Strike.html in a supported browser; the six-file offline package includes all game assets and requires no network or server. The matching source ZIP builds with Node.js 24 or newer and no npm packages. Export progress before moving browsers or offline files, then import that backup from the flight briefing. This fan recreation retains its documented original-game differences; original artwork and music rights are separate from the code MIT license.

Play, backup, update and build instructions.

Desert Strike 0.6.1

Fixes keyboard activation of focused menu buttons: Space on Pause now pauses instead of firing a Hydra, and Space activates Launch. Hold Space or Enter on a focused direction or weapon button to use that control, then release to stop. The mission/map panels now fit 320-pixel screens.

Download Desert-Strike-offline.zip, extract it, and open Desert-Strike.html. The game includes its artwork, music and code and runs with networking disabled. The source archives require the build steps in BUILD.md.

Verified on Windows with Edge 154: the extracted single-file game, keyboard controls, weapon-button release, actual tab-switch pause and 1440/390/320 layouts. All 63 simulation tests passed, including all five campaigns in both Standard and Relaxed. See VERIFIED.md for the dated checks and limitations.

Desert Strike — Five-campaign DOS recreation v0.6.0

Adds the DOS CD edition’s Supergun campaign, bringing the standalone recreation to five campaigns and 35 objectives. Play in your browser or extract the attached ZIP and open Desert-Strike.html. No ROM or emulator is required.

• Recreates the spy chain, airport, parts convoy and driver rescues, cash bribe, factory/gun complex, palace decoy and capture alive at the yacht.
• Applies DOS objective anchors, building armor, ordinary supply positions and aircraft starts across the campaign set.
• Adds original DOS building scenery and artwork for the Supergun trucks, aircraft, guns and pickups. Fixes the intact transport frame.
• Makes the palace ATV indestructible and removes the incorrect requirement to destroy it.
• Fixes supplies trapped inside overlapping covers and reduces off-screen rendering work.
• Updates the README, campaign guide, build instructions and fidelity/verification reports.

Validation: 63 passing tests, including ten complete input-driven simulation runs across five campaigns and both difficulty modes; browser interface and campaign checks; self-contained HTML tested with external resources blocked.

This is not a verified one-to-one port. Flight timing, scoring, some terrain choices, enemy scripts, collision behavior and mission deadlines remain reconstructed. The music is Mega Drive rather than DOS, and complete original cinematics/passwords are absent. See the repository’s fidelity ledger and verification report for exact scope.

Original artwork and music remain outside the MIT code license; credits are included in the offline ZIP.

Desert Strike — DOS Air Superiority corrections v0.5.2

Corrects Air Superiority using the supplied DOS CD reference: 12 aircraft, 4 hangars and 2 towers at their recorded anchors, plus radar, power station and command-center armor and positions.

Validated with 53 simulation tests, all eight campaign/difficulty completions, a complete browser run of the changed campaign, and a self-contained build check.

This remains a standalone recreation requiring no ROM or emulator. The supplied DOS CD includes a fifth campaign, Supergun, which is not yet implemented. Movement timing, scoring and other placements remain incomplete; see docs/DOS-COMPARISON.md.

Download Desert-Strike-offline.zip, extract it, and open Desert-Strike.html. Artwork, music and code are embedded.

Desert Strike — directional sprite and firing fixes v0.5.1

Fixes the helicopter appearing to fire from its tail. Original DOS sprite directions are now mapped north through east to south, with mirrored western views. Player tracers share the helicopter's visual height.

Also fixes reversed enemy headings, western bus/ATV mirroring, bus route-facing, Crotale and helicopter frame selection, and a tank direction incorrectly selecting a wreck. Turrets now use all 24 source direction frames.

Validation: 51 tests pass, including all four campaigns in both difficulties. Browser input tested all eight directions with cannon, Hydra and Hellfire (24 combinations), plus forward firing after turning in both classic control modes. Desktop and mobile control checks passed without uncaught errors. Complete browser campaign runs remain v0.5.0 evidence; this patch adds focused directional regressions.

The source sprites now agree with gameplay headings. Exact original-console animation cadence, flight/combat coefficients and overall difficulty remain unverified; see the fidelity ledger. Original asset credits remain in THIRD_PARTY.md.

For offline play, extract Desert-Strike-offline.zip and open Desert-Strike.html.

Desert Strike — original assets, terrain and palace finale v0.5.0

Original game artwork and music, reconstructed terrain, and the palace escape sequence for the standalone browser/offline recreation.

• Original DOS sprite sheets and terrain tiles from DarkWolf's Spriters Resource collection; eight Mega Drive music tracks from the supplied Internet Archive collection.
• Four terrain grids matched against the Genesis map references, with campaign-specific palettes and coast boundaries.
• Palace escape vehicle, copilot transfer, bomber boarding, breach and rescue.
• Corrected final-campaign radar defenses and hidden extra lives.
• Fixed 60 Hz simulation across display frame rates; civilian penalties, bonus rescues and an itemized score report.
• Copilot selection, tactical-map filters and the mission-rule improvements from v0.4.
• Updated README, campaign guide, fidelity ledger, build instructions, verification record and asset credits.

Validation: 49 passing simulation tests, all four campaigns completed through browser keyboard/pointer input, desktop/mobile interaction checks, and embedded music playback. The built HTML also launched with every subresource request blocked. A fresh direct-file launch is not claimed; see VERIFIED.md for the exact scope.

Extract Desert-Strike-offline.zip and open Desert-Strike.html, or use Play.cmd on Windows. Artwork, music and code are embedded; no ROM or emulator is required.

This is not a verified 1:1 port. Dynamic-object placement, original numeric scoring, flight/combat coefficients and event timing remain estimated. Complete original cutscenes and passwords are absent. The artwork is from DOS and the music from Mega Drive. See the fidelity ledger.

Original assets are separately credited in THIRD_PARTY.md and are not covered by the code's MIT license.

Desert Strike — campaign geography and combat v0.3.0

Desert Strike v0.3.0 brings the standalone recreation closer to the 1992 Genesis game in campaign geography, combat and resource management.

• Four distinct maps at the Genesis reference-image dimensions, with reconstructed coasts, roads, landmarks and campaign palettes.
• Enemy armor, damage and firing intervals from the original manual; separate ground, helicopter and speedboat behavior, turret tracking and local radar/power alerts.
• Longer flights, finite scattered supplies, hidden quick-winch/extra-life caches, and building collisions.
• Standard / With Momentum defaults, with Shift strafing. Relaxed and From Above remain available.
• Updated player instructions, campaign guide and an evidence-based fidelity ledger.
• Smaller self-contained offline build: approximately 1.4 MB, with no runtime downloads.

Verification: 32 automated checks pass, including all four campaigns in both difficulty modes. Desktop/mobile controls and offline file launch passed; the standalone game made zero HTTP/HTTPS requests. See VERIFIED.md for browser playthrough evidence and testing limits.

Download Desert-Strike-offline.zip, extract it, and open Desert-Strike.html. Windows users may double-click Play.cmd. No build tools, ROM, emulator or server are required.

Play on Sites · Play on GitHub Pages · Fidelity ledger · Verification

This is not a verified one-to-one port. Map coordinates, enemy placement, ranges, flight physics, alert multipliers and timers remain estimates. The original-console difficulty and playthrough timing have not been measured side by side.

Desert Strike — standalone recreation v0.2.0

Desert Strike v0.2.0 restores the original four-campaign, 27-mission structure in the standalone recreation.

• Air Superiority: airfields, commander intelligence and agent extraction.
• Scud Buster: prison and POW rescues, chemical facilities and timed SCUD interceptions.
• Embassy City: inspectors, biological silos, sea/yacht rescues, ambassador capture and bus escort.
• Nuclear Storm: commandos, oil protection and spills, civilian shelters, bomb trucks, palace trap and bomber interception.
• Mission briefings, intelligence reveals, role-based passengers, countdowns, failure conditions, radar/power effects and fuel conservation over water.
• Updated README, build instructions and complete campaign/fidelity guide.

Verification: 27 automated tests passed, including eight full simulation playthroughs. Four additional rendered-browser playthroughs completed in Standard mode. Desktop/mobile controls and offline file launch were checked; the standalone game made zero network requests.

Download Desert-Strike-offline.zip, extract it, and open Desert-Strike.html. Windows users may double-click Play.cmd. No build tools, ROM, emulator or server are required.

Play on Sites · Play on GitHub Pages · Campaign guide and fidelity limits

This follows the original mission structure, but is not an exact port: compact maps, art, enemy behavior, timings and balance remain newly implemented. See the campaign guide for details.

Desert Strike — standalone recreation v0.1.0

Play without building

Download Desert-Strike-offline.zip, extract it, and open Desert-Strike.html. Windows users can also open Play.cmd. The download works without internet access and needs no ROM, emulator, installation, or development tools.

Play on Sites · Play on GitHub Pages

This standalone fan recreation by agammann includes four compact campaigns, pixel artwork, classic flight options, chain gun / Hydra / Hellfire weapons, hover rescue, six-person capacity, three lives, finite Standard supplies, and a Relaxed mode for first-time players.

It is a newly implemented recreation, not an exact port. The repository README describes the differences from the original game.

Validation: 22 simulation tests, complete simulated campaigns in both modes, desktop and narrow-screen browser checks, and standalone file playback with zero network requests. Buildable source and GitHub Actions are included in the repository.