is a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up

arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...

released by

Konami , is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...

in 1988. It used a "layered scrolling" background, a new

2D graphics 2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models (such as 2D geometric models, text, and digital images) and by techniques specific to them. It may refer to the branch of computer s ...

technique at the time. The game spawned a sequel, ''

Thunder Cross II ''Thunder Cross II'' is a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released by Konami in 1991 and it is the direct sequel of ''Thunder Cross (video game), Thunder Cross''. It wouldn't see a release outside of Japan or on home consoles unti ...

'', in 1991. Owing to several similarities, ''

Space Manbow is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed and published by Konami for the MSX2 and MSX2+ home computers in 1989. It was later re-released for mobile phones on September 1, 2006; for the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console service on November 24, ...

'' (1989) may also be considered a

spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...

. In 2007, ''Thunder Cross'' was included as part of the '' Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono'' budget series on the

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...

in Japan. It was later released as part of the ''

Arcade Archives is a series of emulated arcade games from the late 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch, published by Hamster Corporation. A sub-series called is focused on rereleasing Neo Geo ...

'' series on

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...

in Japan in 2017 and

Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...

worldwide in 2021, and was added to Konami's ''Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection'' for PlayStation 4,

Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...

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, and Nintendo Switch in 2019.

Gameplay

''Thunder Cross'' is a classic horizontal shooter with seven stages. Players control the Thunder fighter with up to four "options", which arrange up and down vertically and attack at the player's will. Three weapons are selectable ranging from the Vulcan shot to the Laser and the Boomerang shot (which doubles as a ricochet weapon). End-of-level bosses were present and, typical of a Konami shooter, ''Thunder Cross'' forced the player to beat the game twice in a harder Loop of the first seven levels.

Plot

Taking place in the future of space colonization, the planet Haniamu IV is under attack from a relentless, unknown military force known only as Black Impulse. The strongest Earth ships capable of stopping the total conquering of the planet are the Blue Thunder M-45 (player 1) and its earlier make the Red Thunder M-24 (player 2).

Soundtrack

* ''Thunder Cross Konami Arcade Game Soundtrack'' was released for Soundtrack CD on May 21, 1989 in Japan, and it also contain ''Ajax'', ''Salamander'', ''Hot Chase'' and ''

Gradius II ''Gradius II'' (also known as ''Vulcan Venture'' in arcades outside Japan) is a side-scrolling shooter game. Originally released for the arcades in Japan in 1988, it is the sequel to original ''Gradius'' and was succeeded by ''Gradius III''. Por ...

''. It was also reprinted on May 21, 1993. * An ending music for arcade ''Thunder Cross'' was a part of ''Konami Ending Collection'', which was released for CD soundtrack on October 21, 1991. * The Tracks 30 to 42 from ''Thunder Cross'', which contain an CD Soundtrack ''MIDI POWER ver.4.0'', were released on March 24, 1994 in Japan. * In addition, disc 5 of ''

Konami Music Masterpiece Collection is Konami's sound team. It is often confused with 矩形波倶楽部 ( Kukeiha Club), Konami's in-house band that has released albums consisting of their studio performances. They are primarily responsible for the sound and music in the majorit ...

'', which was released on October 1, 2004, is devoted to ''Thunder Cross''.

Reception

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Thunder Cross'' on their December 1, 1988 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit at the time.

References

1988 video games Arcade video games Konami franchises Konami games Horizontally scrolling shooters PlayStation 2 games Konami arcade games Video games developed in Japan {{Scroll-shooter-videogame-stub