Strider is a really good game.  In fairness to Mario, you really can't compare a game with depth like Super Mario World to Strider because Strider excelled at giving variety, violence and cool sci-fi-ninja atmosphere in small yet potent doses.  Read on for how. 

Graphics:  Strider stands tall, slicing enemies in two (yes they are in two pieces before they're done), has animation for his flips, his climbs, his steeper climbs, basically he is well-animated as he faces a varied onslaught of foes.  He also can enlist backup from little robots, birds and a Jaguar.  His enemies range from a trio of small acrobatic ladies to robot gorillas that stand the whole screen tall (and this isn't even a boss gorilla, he just shows up randomly as a miniboss/stronger-than-average normal enemy--it's a trip).  Or, ever imagined what a packed senate buliding would look like if all the senators morphed into a mecha-dragon before your eyes?  you'll have to beat level one to find that out.  When the events of this game are committed to paper it sounds really trippy, but needless to say it's worth a few quarters to experience.

Sound:  Catchy, effective music, sound effects that capture metallic sword slashes and cackling, evil bosses with equal clarity, sound scores high. 

Addictiveness:  Scores high because no matter how far in the game you play, if you see someone who has played even slightly further you will see them doing strange, ninja-sci-fi stuff that you could not have imagined.  Basically you have to pump the game full of quarters till the very end or you will feel left out compared to the cooler guy who was able to beat it. 

Story:  I approve of the story because Strider Hiryu is such an awesome protagonist, no matter how villainous and interesting the bad guys are who cross his path, he is able to slice them down to size and then put them down with his words as well.  My favorite:  Sexy gymnast evil woman says (after losing in a bossfight to strider, of course):  "you will never defeat the flying battleship balrog."  To which Strider retorts "You must be joking--you are sending a toy into battle?"  LOL  Strider is truly a protagonist worthy of a whole roll of quarters.

I tried to be systematic because there are various strategies to attempting to convey in words how special this game is, but I think all would fall short in some respect.  It's a game that is packed to the brim with atmosphere, attitude, violence, variety--it's pretty much designed to be a thrill-ride that never gets boring and I would say it pulled it off nicely.  If you haven't played it yet, enjoy the very modest vizzed expense and try for yourself.  Tell the steroid-enhanced muscle villain that I said hi before you murder him with you sci-fi cyber sword.