Thunder Blade

For the Western home computer versions, see Thunder Blade (home computers).

n/a

X Board
Master System
PC Engine
X68000

Thunder Blade

System(s): Sega X Board, Sega Master System, PC Engine, X68000

Publisher:

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (JP)

Sega Enterprises, Inc. (U.S.A.) (US)

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (JP, EU)

Sega of America (US)

NEC Avenue

Sharp

Developer:

Sega R&D 1

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Nova

SPS

Distributor:

Unidesa (ES)

Ecofilmes (PT)

Tonka (US)

Tec Toy (BR)

Samsung (KR)

Peripherals supported:

FM Sound Unit

Genre: Shooting^[1], Arcade^[2]

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP (Upright)	1987-12-18^[3]	¥?	?
JP (Deluxe)	1988-02-"last ten days of month"^[4]	¥?	?
US	1988-02^[5]	$?	?
UK	1988-01^[6]	£?	?

JP	1990-12-07	¥¥7,200	NAPH-1015
{{#ifeq: 0 \| 0 \|

JP	1988-07-30^[1]	¥5,5005,500	G-1360
US	1988-10^[7]		7011
EU	1988-11-05		MK-7011-50
PT	19xx
UK	1988-10^[8]	£24.9524.95^[9]^[10]	MK-7011-50
BR	19xx
KR	19xx		GB-2360
JP	1990

Thunder Blade (サンダーブレード) is a 1987 Sega X Board arcade rail shooter game developed by Sega R&D 1. Putting players in the cockpit of an advanced military helicopter, the game uses extensive sprite scaling to simulate three-dimensional gameplay, and was very well-received by the gaming public. It has since been regarded as a classic and seminal Sega arcade game, and has been re-released on a number of home systems.

Story

The government forces of X Country are secretly developing an ultra-high-performance jet helicopter named Thunder Blade. Meanwhile, the guerilla army, which had not been heard from in three years, but had significantly grown in power, launches an attack. The government's army is outnumbered and less powerful, so makes a desperate move by entrusting everything to the under-developed Thunder Blade, ordering it to wipe out the guerilla army and destroy its fortifications^[11].

Gameplay

Thunder Blade has the player pilot a helicopter which can fire with either its machine gun or missile launcher to destroy various enemy vehicles.

The game was notable for its differing view changes and sprite scaling techniques. Though the game starts off as a top-down shooter, the player can adjust his/her height, zooming in and out of battle while doing so. Half way through the level, the viewpoint changes to a third-person perspective, creating a game that is similar to Space Harrier or After Burner (though with improved graphics as the technology is more advanced).

Stages

	Stage 1

	Stage 2

	Stage 3

	Stage 4

History

Development

Thunder Blade is considered a spiritual successor to Sega's electro-mechanical arcade game Heli-Shooter (1977).^[12] Thunder Blade takes notable inspiration from the 1983 film Blue Thunder, going so far as to feature a digitized screen capture of the movie for its title screen.^[13]

Release

Reportedly, a port to FM Towns home computers was released, but no evidence of this has been found.

Legacy

The game was ported to a variety of platforms including the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC, MSX, Sega Master System, X68000, PC Engine and ZX Spectrum. Surprisingly most of these ports retain the sprite scaling, albeit with less detailed graphics, but often require the user to manually adjust the speed of the helicopter (unlike in the Arcade game where it was done for you). The Sega Master System version of the game omits the overhead scaling entirely.

Thunder Blade was followed by Super Thunder Blade, a launch title of the Sega Mega Drive which is essentially the same game but without the overhead segments.

Sega's arcade helicopter game Air Rescue (1992) is considered a spiritual successor to Thunder Blade.^[14]

Versions

Comparisons

Main article: Thunder Blade/Comparisons.

Production credits

Main article: Thunder Blade/Production credits.

Magazine articles

Main article: Thunder Blade/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

X Board version

PDF

US flyer

PDF

JP flyer

PDF

Export flyer (deluxe)

PDF

Export flyer (upright)

PDF

X Board ES flyer

Print advert in Gamest (JP) #17: "February 1988" (1987-12-28)
also published in:

Gamest (JP) #18: "March 1988" (1988-01-30)^[15]

Master System version

ES advert (1990)

Print advert in Electronic Game Player (US) #4: "September/October 1988" (1988-xx-xx)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #bg89: "1989 Buyer's Guide" (1989-xx-xx)^[16]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #1: "May 1989" (1989-0x-xx)^[17]

Print advert in Tilt (FR) #60: "Jeux et Micro Guide 1989" (1988-11-16)

Print advert in Pixel (GR) #66: "Máios 1990" (1990-xx-xx)

Physical scans

X Board version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Commodore User (UK)

90

^[18]

Power Play (DE)

85

^[19]

	88
Based on 2 reviews

Thunder Blade

X Board, US (deluxe)

Manual

X Board, US (upright)

Manual

X Board, JP (deluxe)

X Board, JP (upright)

Master System version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

60

^[20]

ACE (UK)

64

^[21]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

79

^[22]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

80

^[23]

The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)

PAL

80

^[24]

Computer Action (DK)

100

^[25]

Console XS (UK)

PAL

65

^[26]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

80

^[27]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

53

^[28]

The Games Machine (UK)

76

^[10]

Génération 4 (FR)

62

^[29]

Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)

70

^[30]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

80

^[31]

S: The Sega Magazine (UK)

PAL

86

^[32]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

50

^[33]

Sega Pro (UK)

70

^[34]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

65

^[35]

Soft Today (DK)

100

^[36]

Software Gids (NL)

88

^[37]

	74
Based on 19 reviews

Thunder Blade

Master System, JP
Cover
Cart

Master System, US
Cover
Cart Manual Poster

Master System, EU
Cover
Manual

Master System, EU (Sega®)
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, EU ("No Limits")
Cover

Master System, PT (Black & white manual)
Cover

Master System, PT (Colour manual)

Master System, BX^†
Cover

Master System, SE

Master System, AU (NIAL sticker)
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU (OziSoft sticker)
Cover

Master System, AU (Classics)
Cover
Cart

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, KR
Cover
Cart

PC Engine version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Computer & Video Games (UK)

46

^[38]

Génération 4 (FR)

69

^[39]

Joystick (FR)

67

^[40]

Power Play (DE)

61

^[41]

Raze (UK)

NTSC-J

72

^[42]

	63
Based on 5 reviews

Thunder Blade

PC Engine, JP
Cover
Card File:Thunder Blade PCE HuCard Manual.pdf Manual

X68000 version

X68000, JP
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

?

CRC32	ae920e4b
MD5	70dcee3c77e95d83fcf6df0dae30a4a8
SHA-1	c38f3eea4e7224bc6042723e88b26c85b1a56ddc

256kB

Cartridge (EU/US)

?

CRC32	c0ce19b1
MD5	a03bbd3c75e736ce378f2c3fe47f5579
SHA-1	535dbd339f4b5c5efd502cffbbe719d7b3e7f1c3

256kB

Cartridge (JP)

?

CRC32	ddc3e809
MD5	b4bf32b4d986fa5f53115c3f361a8679
SHA-1	553f8026dd68e85cd17855adbf920b3971acfdc4

512kB

Card (JP)

References

NEC Retro has more information related to Thunder Blade

Thunder Blade

Music: Galaxy Force II & Thunder Blade Original Sound Track (2007)

Games in the Thunder Blade Series
Thunder Blade (home computers) (1987) \| Super Thunder Blade (1988) \| Electronic Thunder Blade (1989) \| 3D Thunder Blade (2014)
Thunder Blade related media
	Galaxy Force II & Thunder Blade Original Sound Track (2007) \| Galaxy Force II & Thunder Blade (2017)

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20201114213233.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Fhistory.2Fhard.2Fsegamark3.2Fsoftware.html-1] 1.0 ^1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-11-14 21:32)

[:File:ThunderBlade_SMS_EU_cover.jpg_p-2] File:ThunderBlade SMS EU cover.jpg

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1992-05.pdf_p103-3] Mega Drive Fan, "May 1992" (JP; 1992-04-xx), page 103

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1992-06.pdf_p75-4] Mega Drive Fan, "June 1992" (JP; 1992-05-08), page 75

[https:.2F.2Farchive.org.2Fdetails.2FArcadeGameList1971-2005.2Fpage.2Fn132.2Fmode.2F1up-5] ttps://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n132/mode/1up

[:File:CVG_UK_077.pdf_p90-6] Computer & Video Games, "March 1988" (UK; 1988-02-15), page 90

[:File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.7_07.pdf_p08-7] Computer Entertainer, "October 1988" (US; 1988-10-15), page 08

[:File:BristolEveningPost_UK_1988-11-04_Page_80.jpg_p-8] File:BristolEveningPost UK 1988-11-04 Page 80.jpg

[:File:ACE_UK_16.pdf_p167-9] ACE, "January 1989" (UK; 1989-xx-xx), page 167

[:File:TGM_UK_13.pdf_p39-10] 10.0 ^10.1 The Games Machine, "December 1988" (UK; 1988-11-17), page 39

[:File:ThunderBlade_XBoard_JP_Flyer.pdf_p-11] File:ThunderBlade XBoard JP Flyer.pdf

[https:.2F.2Fbcaweb.bai.ne.jp.2Fmiyooo.2Fheli-shooter.html-12] ttps://bcaweb.bai.ne.jp/miyooo/heli-shooter.html

[:File:ThunderBlade_BlueThunder.png_p-13] File:ThunderBlade BlueThunder.png

[https:.2F.2Fbcaweb.bai.ne.jp.2Fmiyooo.2FThunder.2520Blade.html-14] ttps://bcaweb.bai.ne.jp/miyooo/Thunder%20Blade.html

[:File:Gamest_JP_018.pdf_p95-15] Gamest, "March 1988" (JP; 1988-01-30), page 95

[:File:EGM_US_BuyersGuide_1989.pdf_p57-16] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "1989 Buyer's Guide" (US; 1989-xx-xx), page 57

[:File:EGM_US_001.pdf_p49-17] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1989" (US; 1989-0x-xx), page 49

[:File:CommodoreUser_UK_54.pdf_p105-18] Commodore User, "March 1988" (UK; 1988-02-26), page 105

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_005.pdf_p100-19] Power Play, "Ausgabe 5" (DE; 1988-05-24), page 100

[20] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 311

[:File:ACE_UK_16.pdf_p76-21] ACE, "January 1989" (UK; 1989-xx-xx), page 76

[:File:CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf_p74-22] Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 74

[:File:CGtC_UK_04.pdf_p109-23] Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 109

[:File:TheCompleteGuideToSega_UK.pdf_p62-24] The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 62

[:File:ComputerAction_DK_01.pdf_p34-25] Computer Action, "Juli/August 89" (DK; 1989-0x-xx), page 34

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p146-26] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 146

[:File:CVG_UK_085.pdf_p131-27] Computer & Video Games, "November 1988" (UK; 1988-10-15), page 131

[28] Famitsu, "" (JP; 1988-xx-xx), page 1

[29] Génération 4, "Décembre 1988" (FR; 1988-1x-xx), page 58

[:File:Micromania2_ES_020.pdf_p27-30] Micromanía (segunda época), "Enero 1990" (ES; 19xx-xx-xx), page 27

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p136-31] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 136

[:File:StheSegaMagazine_UK_11.pdf_p24-32] S: The Sega Magazine, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-06), page 24

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p60-33] Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 60

[:File:SegaPro_UK_06.pdf_p30-34] Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 30

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p72-35] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72

[:File:SoftToday_DK_01.pdf_p20-36] Soft Today, "Januar 1989" (DK; 1988-12-xx), page 20

[:File:SoftwareGids_NL_04.pdf_p41-37] Software Gids, "Nov./Dec. 1990" (NL; 1990-11-xx), page 41

[:File:CVG_UK_112.pdf_p93-38] Computer & Video Games, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-16), page 93

[:File:Generation4_FR_030.pdf_p89-39] Génération 4, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 89

[:File:Joystick_FR_013.pdf_p98-40] Joystick, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 98

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1991-03.pdf_p150-41] Power Play, "3/91" (DE; 1991-02-15), page 150

[:File:Raze_UK_05.pdf_p79-42] Raze, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-01-31), page 79

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Thunder Blade

From Sega Retro

Contents

Story

Gameplay

Stages

History

Development

Release

Legacy

Versions

Comparisons

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

X Board version

Master System version

Physical scans

X Board version

Master System version

PC Engine version

X68000 version

Technical information

ROM dump status

References