Thunderforce

Thunderforce (also spelled "Thunder Force") is a series of Scrolling shooter type video games developed by the Japanese game company Technosoft. The Thunderforce games have appeared on the Genesis, Saturn, SNES, Playstation, and Arcade gaming platforms and the Sharp X1, and Sharp X68000 computer systems. Known espcially for their hardcore diffculity, and synth-rock heavy soundtracks, the Thunderforce games are held in high regard to shmup fans and is Technosoft's most well known series.

The series currently consists of five games:

Table of contents

1 Thunderforce 2 Thunderforce II 3 Thunderforce III 4 Thunderforce IV 5 Thunderforce V 6 Other Notes

Thunderforce

Released in 1984 for the Sharp X1 computer and it's variations(i.e. PC-88), suprisingly little is known about the first game in the series and it is fairly hard to track down. In this game you control a Galaxy Federation ship called the "Fire Leo" and fly over enemy base installations from the evil "Orn" empire to destroy them. The style of the game consist of overhead, free-directional scrolling and you ship has a main shot to shoot airborne enemies and a bomb shot to target ground installations.

Thunderforce II

Thunderforce II was released in 1988 for the X68000 computer and later ported to the Sega Genesis in 1989. This time a huge battle ship named "Preareos" from Orn destroys a Galaxy Federation planet named "Reda" and mobilizes to attack the rest of Galaxy Federation. In response, the Federation sends out the Fire Leo Mk. II codenamed "Exceliza" to deal with this threat. This game format featured the free-directional scrolling, overhead stage format from the first game and in addition, horizontal, forward-scrolling stages. After this game. the overhead stages are phased out in favor of the horizontal stage format for the other games in the series. The standard forward weapon and backward weapon that could be powered up a level was intoduced here along with a other variety of weapons (the "Hunter", a consistent weapon of the series is first seen here). Once obtained, the weapons could be chosen at the player's desire but once the player lost a life, all weapons would disappear except for the un-upgraded forward shot and backward shot. This game also introduces the CRAW add-ons (Note: Unsure if they were in the first Thunderforce). A player could collect up to two CRAW's at a time and they would circle the ship while blocking incoming bullets and providing extra firepower.

The X68000 version is slighly superior to the Genesis version as it features slightly better graphics, clearer sound, and some stages not found in the Genesis revision.

Thunderforce III

Released in 1990 for the Sega Genesis, Thunderforce III is consisdered one of the most popular shooters on the Genesis and is aguably the fan-favorite of the series. It features stunning graphics for its time and fast-paced gameplay. One-Hundred years after the first Thunderforce, the Orn empire comes back to wage war with the Galaxy Federation again. The Federation sends the Fire Leo Mk. III codenamed "Styx" to intercept Orn for the next battle. The game format was essentally the same style as the horizontal stages from Thunderforce II. Slight power up varitions of the standard weapons and some unique weapons were added. In addition, the ablility to choose the order of the first few stages was implemented and would be used in the later games.

Thhunderforce III was reworked, given an extra stage, and ported to the acrades as Thunderforce AC and the arcade version was ported to the SNES as Thunder Spirits

Thunderforce IV

Released in 1992 for the Sega Genesis (this game is also known as Lightening Force), Thunderforce IV was one of the games that pushed the Genesis to its limits from a graphical standpoint. Orn, the longtime enemy of the Galaxy Federation mobilizes another counterattack against the federal forces once again. As usual, the Fedaration sends their latest revision of the Fire Leo spacefighter, the Fire Leo Mk. IV codenamed "Rynex", to fend off Orn's forces. The usual Thunderforce gameplay and weapon system is used here along with some new weapons like the "Free Range". The most unique feature about this game was that the height of some of the stages could exceed the length of a television screen, making the stage seem very open and massive. Also, after completing the game, players could access a "omake" section where the could listen to remixed versions of the game background music.

Thunderforce V

Relased in 1997 for the Sega Saturn, Thunderforce V is the first game in the series to utilize 3-D graphics. The setting of Thunderforce V takes us away from the confict between the Galaxy Federation and the Orn empire and brings us to Earth in the future. At the very end of Thunderforce IV, the pilots of Rynex were forced to eject from their ship in order to survive and return successfully. The remains of Rynex floated throught space for some time until it was discovered by Earthlings. The technology used to build Rynex (at this point, Rynex is renamed "Vasteel" by Earthlings and the people who made it were called "Vastians") was far more advanced than anything Earthlings had ever seen. Therefore, Earth scientists use the Vastian technology to bulid an island called "Babel" controlled by a computer called the "Guardian" to build ships and weapon s that could match or even exceed the capibilities of the Vasteel. However, something happened to the Guardian to make it go haywire and use what it had built to attack the Earthlings. In response, the Earthlings gather the Vastian ships they have (called "RVR's" or "Refined Vasteel Replicas") and organizes a strike force to take down the Guardian. You take control of a RVR-01 "Gauntlet", and later, a RVR-02B "Brigandine" and RVR-02 "Vambrace" to help accomplish this goal. The game has a familar Thunderforce format but with 3-D sprites on a 2-D scrolling screen to create a 2.5-D effect. The most unique features about this game is that you can now have three CRAW's at once and the CRAW's could be combined with a weapon to create an "Over Weapon". Over Weapons are high powered version of each weapon that could be sustained for a limited period of time. When used up, the CRAW would turn red indicating that its energy is used up and it takes some time to recharge them. A CRAW could be destroyed if it has no energy while absorbing a hit.

Thunderforce V was given extra game modes and some extended bounses and add-ons and was released on the Playstation as Thunderforce V: Perfect System in 1998. This is the version that was released in North America.

Other Notes

Thunderforce II and III were re-released on the Sega Saturn as the Thunder Force Gold Pack 1 in 1996 and Thunderforce IV and AC were re-released on the Sega Saturn as Thunder Force Gold Pack 2 also in 1996.

"Thunder Force" comes from the name the Galaxy Federation uses for their Fire Leo oriented offensive attacks again the Orn empire. In Thunderforce V, it is the name of the strike team that fights against the Guardian computer.

It is questionable if there will be a Thunderforce VI for it is rumored that Technosoft has gone out of business. So far this has been unconfimed.