is a series of
free-roaming scrolling shooter
In computer displays, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display, vertically or horizontally. "Scrolling," as such, does not change the layout of the text ...
type
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s developed by the
Japanese software company
Technosoft
was a Japanese video game developer and publisher based headquartered in Sasebo, Nagasaki. Also known as "Tecno Soft", the company was founded in February 1980 as Sasebo Microcomputer Center, before changing its name to Technosoft in 1982. The c ...
and published by
Sega. The franchise is recognized for its distinctive gameplay, graphics, and
synthesizer-based
chiptune music soundtracks.
There are six games in the series in total. The first appeared on the personal computers. The majority of installments in the series appeared on the
Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan a ...
console. The most recent entry was released on
PlayStation 2.
History
The series' first game, ''
Thunder Force
is a series of nonlinear gameplay, free-roaming Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters, scrolling shooter type video games developed by the Japanese software company Technosoft and published by Sega. The franchise is recognized for its distinctive gam ...
'', appeared in 1983 on a variety of Japanese computers, such as the
X1,
PC-8801 mkII, and
FM-7
The FM-7 ("Fujitsu Micro 7") is a home computer created by Fujitsu. It was first released in 1982 and was sold in Japan and Spain. It is a stripped-down version of Fujitsu's earlier FM-8 computer, and during development it was referred to as th ...
. Since ''
Thunder Force II
is a scrolling shooter developed by Technosoft. It was first released in Japan on October 15, 1988 for the Sharp X68000 computer. A year later, it was ported to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game console and released in Japan (under the name ''Th ...
'', the majority of installments in the series appeared on the
Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan a ...
console, where the series gained much of its popularity. The most recent entry was released on
PlayStation 2.
The original ''Thunder Force'' video game was created by
Kotori Yoshimura in 1983. She later left Technosoft and founded
Arsys Software in 1985, where herself and Osamu Nagano worked on notable titles such as ''Star Cruiser''.
[Alt URL]
/ref> In 1984, Technosoft released a level editor, or game creation system, titled ''Thunder Force Construction'', created by Yoshimura for the FM-7
The FM-7 ("Fujitsu Micro 7") is a home computer created by Fujitsu. It was first released in 1982 and was sold in Japan and Spain. It is a stripped-down version of Fujitsu's earlier FM-8 computer, and during development it was referred to as th ...
computer.
In September 2016, Sega announced at the Tokyo Game Show that they own the rights to the ''Thunder Force'' franchise and all other Technosoft intellectual properties.
Games
*''Thunder Force
is a series of nonlinear gameplay, free-roaming Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters, scrolling shooter type video games developed by the Japanese software company Technosoft and published by Sega. The franchise is recognized for its distinctive gam ...
'' ( X1) (1983)
*''Thunder Force II
is a scrolling shooter developed by Technosoft. It was first released in Japan on October 15, 1988 for the Sharp X68000 computer. A year later, it was ported to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game console and released in Japan (under the name ''Th ...
'' (X68000) (1988)
*''Thunder Force II, Thunder Force II MD'' (Sega Genesis, Mega Drive/Genesis) (1989) (port of ''Thunder Force II'')
*''Thunder Force III'' (Sega Genesis, Mega Drive/Genesis) (1990)
*''Thunder Force III#Ports, Thunder Force AC'' (Arcade game, Arcade) (1990) (port of ''Thunder Force III'' retooled into an arcade game)
*''Thunder Force III#Ports, Thunder Spirits'' (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES) (1991) (port of ''Thunder Force III#Ports, Thunder Force AC'')
*''Thunder Force IV'' (Sega Genesis, Mega Drive/Genesis) (1992) (''a.k.a. Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar'')
*''Thunder Force Gold Pack, Thunder Force Gold Pack 1'' (Sega Saturn) (1996), contains ''Thunder Force II
is a scrolling shooter developed by Technosoft. It was first released in Japan on October 15, 1988 for the Sharp X68000 computer. A year later, it was ported to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game console and released in Japan (under the name ''Th ...
'' and ''Thunder Force III'').
*''Thunder Force Gold Pack, Thunder Force Gold Pack 2'' (Sega Saturn) (1996), contains ''Thunder Force IV'' and ''Thunder Force III#Thunder Force AC, Thunder Force AC''.
* ''Thunder Force V'' (Sega Saturn) (1997)
*''Thunder Force V, Thunder Force V: Perfect System'' (PlayStation) (1998) (port of ''Thunder Force V'')
* ''Thunder Force VI'' ( PlayStation 2) (2008)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thunder Force (Series)
Thunder Force,
horizontally scrolling shooters
Sega Games franchises
video game franchises introduced in 1983