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3D Thunder Force III confirmed in Archives 3 (JP) for 3DS, Sega buys Technosoft's IPs

N

Nauren

Member
I remember being enamored by the fact that when you beat the Thunder Force III and see the ending, if you held down buttons, stuff would move. like the pilot would wave.
 
K

Krejlooc

Banned
I can't believe these games aren't in limbo anymore, and are actually in the hands of one of the only game companies that would embrace this legacy. i can't believe Sega is talking about repackaging the series for modern audiences. I can't believe we live in a world where a new thunder force isn't impossible anymore.

I never saw any of this coming.

Nauren said:
I remember being enamored by the fact that when you beat the Thunder Force III and see the ending, if you held down buttons, stuff would move. like the pilot would wave.
Click to expand...

I like how they blinked on the last screen, lol.

The day I got my Genesis, I can't express enough how mind blowing these graphics were. Seeing Labyrinth Zone in Sonic and Goron in Thunder Force III on the same day melted my brain. It was such an enormous leap over the Sega Master System. That level is everything great about the Sega Genesis. Intense music, awesome screen-filling special effects, great speed, enormous mid-boss and end-bosses... perfect games to introduce me to the 16-bit era.
 
Spukc

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
!!Warning crazy sega fan post please ignore!!

Who the hell cares.
I WANT SONIC 3 & SONIC AND KNUCKLES IN 3D FFS
Sorry cant help it.

Sonic mania made it easier tho.
 
K

Krejlooc

Banned
Oh man what if we get a definitive version of Thunder Force V, with the Saturn version graphics that the PSX version cut, but with the extra PSX version content?

Sega needs to package this series into a collection and release it as The Very Best of Thunder Force all at once. Let M2 do their magic on it. Let me replace the already awesome soundtrack from the Thunder Force Live performances.

Fuck I'm so happy this happened
 
N

Nauren

Member
Krejlooc said:
I like how they blinked on the last screen, lol.

The day I got my Genesis, I can't express enough how mind blowing these graphics were. Seeing Labyrinth Zone in Sonic and Goron in Thunder Force III on the same day melted my brain. It was such an enormous leap over the Sega Master System. That level is everything great about the Sega Genesis. Intense music, awesome screen-filling special effects, great speed, enormous mid-boss and end-bosses... perfect games to introduce me to the 16-bit era.
Click to expand...

I actually made my friend come over and watch me sit there and beat the whole game again just so I could pass him the controller and let him do it lol.
 
K

Krejlooc

Banned
Nauren said:
I actually made my friend come over and watch me sit there and beat the whole game again just so I could pass him the controller and let him do it lol.
Click to expand...

I love that these are the kinds of games you can beat multiple times in an afternoon if you have enough skill. It took me so long, like actual years, to be able to 1CC Thunder Force III on mania, but getting there was a blast.

I actually beat TF3 again not that long ago, like a few weeks back. Mainly popped it in for the killer music.
 
theclaw135

theclaw135

Banned
TF3 is too frustrating for my tastes. If we could see Super Fantasy Zone or Burning Force picked up, their stellar soundtracks demand to be heard.
 
A

AmyS

Member
Don't forget about Thunder Force AC :)

ye0MO3M.jpg
 
A

AmyS

Member
Krejlooc said:
It's not a straight port, actually. It's as close to Thunder Force AC, as Thunder Force AC is to Thunder Force III. Particularly in the end, quite a bit changes.
Click to expand...

Oh wow, I thought it was a fairly straight port with only changes based on the SFC/ SNES hardware. I'll have to look at youtube longplay footage of both games then.
 
K

Krejlooc

Banned
AmyS said:
Oh wow, I thought it was a fairly straight port with only changes based on the SFC/ SNES hardware. I'll have to look at youtube longplay footage of both games then.
Click to expand...

They aren't enormous changes, mind you. Different graphics, a different boss in the penultimate stage, and the final level orn is much different.

It's still recognizably Thunder Force III, just like Thunder Force AC is, just slightly different.
 
gunstarhero

gunstarhero

Member
K.Jack said:
TF2's top down sections were literally my first "git gud son" experience as a kid. Suddenly I realized that there are levels to being good at controlling video games.
Click to expand...

Wow - me to! I must have practiced that last boss (top down level) 20+ times until I finally beat it. I've always been good with beating games - but that one sticks out to me. Awesome last boss fight moment as well - when I realized the entire level is a gigantic mothership, I was in awe.
 
K

Krejlooc

Banned
gunstarhero said:
Wow - me to! I must have practiced that last boss (top down level) 20+ times until I finally beat it. I've always been good with beating games - but that one sticks out to me. Awesome last boss fight moment as well - when I realized the entire level is a gigantic mothership, I was in awe.
Click to expand...

If Sega is gonna re-release the Thunder Force games, they need to release the x68000 version of Thunder Force II instead of the Genesis version. It has additional parallax graphics in the overhead stages.
 
H

HyperZone<3

Member
professor denim said:
Thunderforce VI HD please.
Click to expand...
hells ya!

I was always disappointed that we never got that in the west. But then again, there were a whole buncha PS2 shooters that never made it out here. Heck, its just great news in general that Sega is pursuing traditional game development and re-releases with this acquisition. There's no possible mobile-whale-exploitation game to make from this stuff, its just all gold.
 
T

To Far Away Times

Member
theclaw135 said:
TF3 is too frustrating for my tastes. If we could see Super Fantasy Zone or Burning Force picked up, their stellar soundtracks demand to be heard.
Click to expand...
Believe it or not this game is on the easier side of shmups. I can see players learning it start to finish in a playthrough or two. Learn where the shields are and don't lose the Hunter or the Craw. Seems hard at first but once you've seen the tricks and traps it's quite easier as there's little execution needed when you know where stuff is coming from.

TF IV is pretty challenging, one of the harder console shmups for sure.
 
X

xylo

Neo Member
I still play TFIV every few months. They stage design and music are just amazing. One of my favorite shooters. I still have my carts and Saturn copies.
 
Needlecrash

Needlecrash

Member
I'm very happy that Sega took over Technosofts IPs. Here's to hoping we can get a Thunder Force 1-6 collection in the future. Maybe some Hyper Duel as well, not paying $400 for that.
 
G

Git

Neo Member
Needlecrash said:
I'm very happy that Sega took over Technosofts IPs. Here's to hoping we can get a Thunder Force 1-6 collection in the future. Maybe some Hyper Duel as well, not paying $400 for that.
Click to expand...

Hyper Duel/Blast Wind re-released by M2 = Paradise.
 
M

MacTag

Banned
xemumanic said:
Oh my FUCKING GOD.

If MUSHA ever comes to 3DS, I'm gonna pop a nut...

likely both.
Click to expand...
MUSHA (Aleste) is Compile, not Technosoft. D4 Enterprise owns it and all Compile's other IP (Madou Monogatari, Zanac, Golvellius, Guardic, Guru Logic Champ, Randar no Bouken, Rune Master, Lunar Pool, Gorby's Pipeline, etc) except for Puyo Puyo which Sega owns.
 
D

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
Is there a Thunder Force 1?

Anyways, this is some fantastic news! Happy to hear that these games won't be lost to the ether, since Technosoft was responsible for a lot of great memories of mine growing up. And still now, since I've only played Elemental Master for the first time very recently.

OK, granted I can't get through TF4 without using the cheat codes, but whateva :p

Krejlooc said:
If Sega is gonna re-release the Thunder Force games, they need to release the x68000 version of Thunder Force II instead of the Genesis version. It has additional parallax graphics in the overhead stages.
Click to expand...

SHIT!
I did not even know that. Thought the games were much the same... but now I'll have to put some more time in the x68k game.
 
A

AmyS

Member
Nintendolife:

Feature: The History Of Technosoft's Thunder Force Series
With Thunder Force III coming to 3DS, we take a look back at the franchise

Although SNES fans will insist that Nintendo's 16-bit powerhouse had a more diverse range of software when compared to its bitter rival the Mega Drive, one genre in which it simply couldn't compete was the 2D shooter. Sega's console was quite literally flooded with top-notch arcade blasters and one series which is particularly worthy of praise is Technosoft's legendary Thunder Force. Despite not being a first-party Sega release the franchise would become almost synonymous with the Mega Drive and was responsible for converting a great many gamers to the platform.

However, prior to the eyeball-searing visual excesses of the Mega Drive instalments Thunder Force established itself in the rather more mundane arena of Japanese personal computers. "Before they started developing for consoles, Technosoft primarily created software for the various Japanese home computer systems such as the Sharp X1 and the NEC PC range, and the original Thunder Force was one of these games," explains highly-knowledgeable shooter enthusiast and Hardcore Gaming 101 contributor Paul Brownlee. Surprisingly, this debut title showcased very few of the features which would make the franchise so beloved with shooter fanatics; in fact the gameplay was viewed from a top-down perspective and was very different from what would follow later.
Click to expand...

It was hardly the most inspiring start for the series but Thunder Force nevertheless found an audience amongst action-starved Japanese PC owners. It wasn't until the inception of the sequel &#8211; which was programmed for the Sharp X68000 personal computer in 1988 and converted to Sega's newly-launched Mega Drive console the following year &#8211; that Technosoft's most famous brand got a release outside of Japan. However, while the second title may be notable for bringing the name to western audiences it isn't viewed as kindly as its successors, largely due to the fact that it mixed brand-new side-scrolling levels with the overhead stages found in the original release. "Most of the complaints about Thunder Force II come from top-down stages, while the side-scrolling levels tend to be viewed in a more positive light," says Brownlee. Although the Mega Drive edition of the game would achieve a global release it was actually a port rather than an original production. "It's not commonly known but Thunder Force II was developed for the X68000 first and converted to the Mega Drive afterwards," says Brownlee. "The Sega edition lacks several features present in the original. For the top-down stages there was a handy map which would show the approximate location of the enemy bases. It also had extra stages which were removed from the Mega Drive port. Other things present in the X68000 version were an extended intro sequence with a narrative, some extra graphical effects, different weapons, better music and much clearer voice samples &#8211; amusingly, the game blurts out an expletive when you lose your last life, as if the game knows what's on the tip of your tongue when it happens."
Click to expand...

Despite the criticism directed at the top-down levels Thunder Force II still managed to find favour with many Sega players, thus encouraging Technosoft to expand the series further. For the third title the company wisely decided to focus solely on the much-loved side-scrolling viewpoint and abandon the overhead perspective altogether. This savvy move &#8211; combined with some astonishing visual tricks and suitably hectic gameplay &#8211; would result in one of the most significant Mega Drive games of the early '90s. "At the time of Thunder Force III's release in 1990 the Mega Drive was just starting to pick up its stride and showcase itself as markedly superior to the NES, Master System, or any other last-gen console," Brownlee recalls. "People were overawed by the famous wavy fire background effect of the lava level; its fluidity was unlike anything they had ever seen up until that point. It also had the benefit of being released around the peak of shooter popularity, at that time people were much more receptive to the genre." Thunder Force III was also responsible for establishing the reputation of the series for awesome chiptune rock soundtracks; the intense background music was the perfect companion to the dazzling on-screen action.

Thunder Force III was so successful that it warranted an arcade port &#8211; which is ironic when you consider that most shooter franchises tend go in the opposite direction. "Thunder Force AC is essentially the same game as Thunder Force III but with a few changes," Brownlee explains. "Thunder Force AC was ported to the Super Nintendo as Thunder Spirits which again was mostly the same but had some slight alterations from its arcade counterpart. In particular, the battleship stage is completely different and a portion of the final stage where you fight the last boss has been tinkered with slightly." The SNES has a poor reputation for shooters due to its slow CPU and Thunder Spirits predictably suffered from crippling bouts of slowdown.
After the insane graphics of the third entry many fans believed they had witnessed the zenith of genre but Technosoft would quite literally blow away its followers with the next entry. "Thunder Force IV is one of those games where every aspect comes together perfectly to deliver something extraordinary," gushes Brownlee, leaving little doubt as to which entry in the franchise is his personal favourite. "I think this game is the best at demonstrating how much Technosoft mastered the Mega Drive hardware; it was really the platform on which they peaked. The quality of the graphics is immediately apparent from the first stage, where you can see the multi-parallax scrolling effect in the water and the landscape in the background. You can scroll vertically across a two screen lengths for the first stage and several of the others, which makes the playing field seem open and gives things a greater sense of scale.
Click to expand...

Thunder Force has always been sidelined when compared to fellow classic shooter series purely because it possesses a cult appeal; casual gamers will recognise the names R-Type and Gradius even though they may never have experienced those titles, but Thunder Force doesn't have the same resonance. Brownlee thinks this is partly due to the modest origins of the series. "Other popular shooters appeared first in the arcade, which was known as the place where the new and cutting-edge games were to be found," he says. "Thunder Force however, had much humbler and obscure start on Japanese computers. I'm willing to bet that people outside of Japan hadn't even heard of Thunder Force until the Mega Drive sequel came seemingly out of nowhere. Even today, many people aren't aware that Thunder Force I even existed. Another secondary reason for Thunder Force's lesser popularity could be because it liberally borrowed elements from more celebrated shooters so some may see it as an 'also ran' series. It some respects this is valid, but Thunder Force refined itself enough to gain the attention of a niche following."
Indeed, Technosoft's finest hour has gained the admiration of many skilled players, and Brownlee isn't at a loss to explain why that is the case. "I've always been a big fan of shooters in general, but I was particularly attracted to Thunder Force because it blends the memorization and obstacle-based design of the traditional shooter with generally faster pasted gameplay, so you get a better sense of speed and more adrenaline-filled moments than you would through a slow ponder in an R-Type game for instance. I think the games successfully combined solid gameplay with great aesthetics and presentation, as well as excellent soundtracks." It may not have the cachet of its 2D rivals but the Thunder Force moniker continues to live on in the hearts of its followers, and the news that Sega now owns all of Technosoft's IP &#8211; and that is has remastered Thunder Force III as a 3D Classic on 3DS &#8211; bodes well for fans of the series.
Click to expand...

read the full article here: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/09/feature_the_history_of_technosofts_thunder_force_series
 
V

ViewtifulJC

Banned
I didnt even know there was a Thunderforce 1.

Like frfr I thought it just started with TF2 that everybody and their momma had for Sega Genesis
 
A

AmyS

Member
ViewtifulJC said:
I didnt even know there was a Thunderforce 1.

Like frfr I thought it just started with TF2 that everybody and their momma had for Sega Genesis
Click to expand...

Thunderforce 1 was released on a number of different Japanese computer formats from Sharp, NEC and Fujitsu during 1983 to 1985.

Thunder Force II was programmed and released for the 16-bit Sharp X68000 in 1988 (the hardware was released the previous year). It was then ported to Sega's console (Mega Drive aka Genesis in 1989.

But like you, we all thought the series started with TFII on the Genesis in 1989. None of the American game magazines back then ever mentioned the Sharp X68000. EGM and VG&CE did cover Fujitsu's 32-bit FM Towns computer but not the16-bit X68000. In fact, EGM showed what they said was R-Type for the FM Towns, when in fact there was no FM Towns version of R-Type, it was the X68000 version, but no mention of Sharp's system.
 
M

mollipen

Member
AmyS said:
Same here.

Electronic Gaming Monthly pretty much shat all over Herzog Zwei with their reviews.

Large in-your-face pics so everyone remembers and know what score each EGM Review Crew member gave Herzog Zwei.
Click to expand...

Next time I see Steve, I'll give him guff for that 4.

I remember being crazy in love with Herzog Zwei when I got it for Genesis (not knowing what it was), and it became a big thing between a few friends and I. Some of that music is still burned into my brain, such as "Funeral March for the Metal Knights".

Still wish we would have gotten this, though:

herzog.jpg
 
M

Mupod

Member
I bought both Thunder Force 3 and Lightening Force (TF4) from a yard sale early last year. I'd heard a lot about them but never played either.

I enjoyed 3 but 4 might have been legitimately the best game I played in 2015. I play a lot of retro games but it's rare that one really lights that fire without any nostalgia involved. The game was challenging without being frustrating, looked beautiful, and holy fucking shit that soundtrack. I love the way the Genesis sounds and it quickly became my favorite Genesis soundtrack even over games like Contra Hard Corps. It has some really memorable moments and I've replayed it frequently since then.

I like shmups but not specifically the bullet hell subgenre, which has lead to disappointment as nowadays that's what the genre seems to mainly be focused on. I was always more of an R-Type or Raiden kind of guy. So I should've known all along that Thunder Force was up my alley.

As for a 3D classics version, I'd certainly like to see the 'first' level in 3D and more people need to play the game for sure.
 
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