Thunder Force IV

Thunder Force IV / Lightening Force
European Mega Drive box art
Developer(s)	Technosoft
Publisher(s)	JP Technosoft NA Sega EU Technosoft
Composer(s)	Toshiharu Yamanishi Takeshi Yoshida Naosuke Arai
Series	Thunder Force
Platform(s)	Sega Genesis
Release date(s)	JP July 24, 1992 NA September 1992 EU December 1992
Genre(s)	Shoot 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player

Thunder Force IV, known in North America as Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar, is a 1992 side-scrolling shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Technosoft for the Sega Genesis as the fourth installment of the Thunder Force series. The game was released in Japan on July 24, 1992, in North America in September 1992, and in Europe in December 1992.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

The game format is mostly unchanged from the previous game (horizontally oriented and forward scrolling). However, many of the stages now stretch beyond the height of a TV screen, which allow the player more space to maneuver and dodge incoming fire (but also makes it easier to miss power-ups). Also, the player now has the option choosing the play order of the first four stages, instead of just the starting stage like in Thunder Force III.

The weapon system is also similar to Thunder Force III. Featuring the same upgradeable defaults, and unique extra weapons that are either exclusive, or were in previous games. Again, upon ship destruction, the weapon currently being used is lost, apart from the defaults. The CRAWs return, and basically have exactly the same function as their Thunder Force III counterparts. The speed setting also returns, although it is represented by a percent gauge from twenty-five (lowest speed) to one-hundred (highest speed). Tapping the speed button will increase speed by 25 percent and holding it down will increase speed gradually by one percent.

The most significant addition to the ship arsenal is the Thunder Sword, a very powerful lightning-based frontal attack. At the game's halfway point, the ship receives an add-on part which enables the use of the Thunder Sword. From here, the one requirement of using the Thunder Sword is that the ship be equipped with CRAWs. When the ship is not firing any weapons, a charging noise is heard (followed by a chime when fully charged) and the CRAWs will appear to be surrounded with electricity. The next press of the fire button will discharge the Thunder Sword. The blast is stronger if charged longer and is at its strongest when fully charged.

It is possible to play two-player co-op using two pads simultaneously. One player can direct the craft and choose speed settings, while the other can fire and choose weapons strategies. Whether this was ever a proper feature is debatable, as there is no documentation for it. However, the fact that both joypad inputs can be used is unusual for a one-player game.

Plot

Taking place directly after Thunder Force III, the ORN Empire is thought to be defeated by the Galaxy Federation, but still suffers from increasingly frequent attacks from hostile forces. The forces are discovered to be the "Vios", an army made up of allies and residual forces of ORN. The Galaxy Federation discovers the location of their headquarters on the planet Aceria and attacks, but since the power of Vios has grown greater than the previous ORN Empire, the Galaxy Federation forces are initially defeated. Once again, they develop a new small yet powerful fighter spacecraft, the FIRE LEO-04 Rynex to eliminate Vios. The player controls Rynex and travels through ten stages while battling Vios forces.

Development

Thunder Force IV was the very first game with a sophisticated regional lockout program. Unlike previous Mega Drive games, the player could not play the Japanese version on a European Mega Drive or Sega Genesis (and vice versa) with a simple pass through adapter. However, cheat devices such as the Game Genie or Action Replay would enable the player to do so, as did later adapters such as the Mega Key.

Thunder Force IV also has the distinction of being one of the only European Mega Drive games to have been properly adjusted for the screen refresh rate of European PAL televisions. The game ran at the correct speed unlike most games which ran 16.7% slower than their NTSC counterparts due to the lack of any adjustments by Sega of Europe or other European software distributors which would have been required to address the differences between the different TV systems. The game's resolution however was not adjusted to meet the higher resolution of the European TVs, which resulted in black bars on top and bottom of the screen, like with most other Sega Mega Drive games.

The soundtrack of the game includes atmospheric synthesized scores, while hard-rock with backing synths take a role in the boss sections of the game. It is especially notable as being varied and intense, greatly enhancing certain moments of gameplay, such as the spectacular battle with huge mechanical boss above the Strite Sea, or the entrance of the player's nemesis, an enormous and seemingly indestructible robot. Completing the game unlocks ten bonus (omake) tracks in the BGM player in the options.

Reception

MegaTech magazine praised the video effects, but noted that "the basic gameplay is nothing original".^[3] Similarly, Mean Machines criticised the title's lack of originality whilst acknowledging that it was graphically accomplished.^[4] Retro Gamer included Thunder Force IV among top ten Mega Drive games, praising its " amazing visuals, over-the-top weaponry and a stunning soundtrack that perfectly complemented the frenetic on-screen action."^[5]

References

External links

• Thunder Force IV at MobyGames