Thunder Force

Thunder Force

Sharp X1 cover art
Developer(s) Technosoft
Publisher(s) Technosoft
Designer(s) Kotori Yoshimura[1][2]
Platform(s) Sharp X1, NEC PC-8801 mkII, FM-7, Sharp MZ-1500, NEC PC-6001 mkII, NEC PC-9801
Release

Sharp X1

  • JP: December 1983

Sharp MZ-1500

NEC PC-8801

  • JP: January 1984 (V1)
  • JP: March 1985 (V2)

FM-7

  • JP: February 1984

NEC PC-9801

  • JP: October 1984

NEC PC-6001

Genre(s) Scrolling shooter
Mode(s) Single-player

Thunder Force (サンダーフォース, Sandā Fōsu) is a free-roaming scrolling shooter computer game released by Technosoft in 1983. It is the first game in the Thunder Force series. It was initially released for the Sharp X1 computer, and later appeared on the Sharp MZ-1500, NEC PC-6001 mkII, and in 1985 on the NEC PC-8801 mkII. In 1984, it was released for the FM-7 and NEC PC-9801 computers as Thunder Force Construction, featuring an add-on that allowed players to create custom made areas, like a level editor or game creation system.[2]

Gameplay

The structure of the game consists of overhead, free-directional scrolling areas and the player's ship is armed with main shot to shoot airborne targets and a bomb shot to shoot ground enemies. Gameplay consists of flying the FIRE LEO over ORN occupied areas while destroying enemy base installations and turrets. Each area has a certain number of shield generators hidden under the ground based enemy targets; in order for an area to be completed, the shield generators must be found and destroyed. After doing so, the Dyradeizer will temporally appear and the player must destroy a certain section of it. Once this section is destroyed, the Dyradeizer will disappear and the player will be taken to the next area to repeat the process.

Plot

The ORN Empire (antagonists of the game) has built a large asteroid fortress named the Dyradeizer to oppose the Galaxy Federation. In addition to its high firepower capabilities, Dyradeizer is supported by shield generators hidden in various locations by ORN, which render the fortress invisible. In an attempt to destroy Dyradeizer, the Galaxy Federation sends their specially designed fighter, the FIRE LEO (controlled by the player), to locate and destroy the shield generators and defeat Dyradeizer.

Development

The original Thunder Force was created by Kotori Yoshimura in 1983. She later left Technosoft and founded Arsys Software in 1985.[1] In 1984, Technosoft released a level editor, or game creation system, entitled Thunder Force Construction, created by Yoshimura for the FM-7 computer.[2]

Legacy

Five sequels have been released to Thunder Force. The majority of installments in the series appeared on the Mega Drive console, where the series gained much of its popularity. The most recent entry was released on PlayStation 2. The franchise is recognized for its distinctive gameplay, graphics, and synthesizer-based chiptune music soundtracks. As of 2016, Sega announced at the Tokyo Game Show that they own the rights to the Thunder Force franchise and all other Technosoft intellectual properties.[3]

List of sequels

References

  1. 1 2 "Wibarm". Oh!FM. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "Thunder Force Construction". Oh!FM. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  3. ↑ "Sega announces acquisitions of Technosoft IP's". September 2016.
  4. ↑ PSTFV - Official Technosoft PS1 Thunderforce V Webpage (archived 1998-12-05, japanese)
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