Difference between revisions of "Thunder Force IV"

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===Tips and tricks===
 
===Tips and tricks===
 
*The game has at least two score exploit points. The first is at the enemy just before going underwater in Strite. I constantly releases small enemies. The second is in the final stage, Versus. Keep playing until you reach the large cannon, which you normally must destroy to proceed. Power up items and 1UPs will keep respawning forever. Whether this was by design or an oversight is not clear.
 
*The game has at least two score exploit points. The first is at the enemy just before going underwater in Strite. I constantly releases small enemies. The second is in the final stage, Versus. Keep playing until you reach the large cannon, which you normally must destroy to proceed. Power up items and 1UPs will keep respawning forever. Whether this was by design or an oversight is not clear.
 +
 +
==Versions==
 +
===Localised names===
 +
{{aka
 +
|en_name=Thunder Force IV
 +
|us_name=Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar
 +
|jp_name=サンダーフォースIV
 +
|jp_trans=
 +
|jp_rom=Thunder Force IV
 +
}}
  
 
==Production credits==
 
==Production credits==

Revision as of 06:21, 1 September 2018

n/a

ThunderForceIV MDTitleScreen.png

Thunder Force IV
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Tecnosoft, Sega (US)
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥8,8008,800 T-18063
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$29.9929.99[1] 1143
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		1143-50
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
KR 		GM8055JT

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

Thunder Force IV (サンダーフォースIV), called Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar in the US, is a 1992 shoot-'em-up by Tecnosoft released for the Sega Mega Drive. It is the fourth game in the Thunder Force series.

Story

Shortly after defeating the ORN Empire in Thunder Force III, the Galaxy Federation comes under attack by survivors of the empire, who have banded together to form a new threat, Vios. Vios turns out to be more powerful than ORN ever was, and the Galaxy Federation must again use a new small craft to destroy their base on the planet Aceria.

Gameplay

Gameplay is almost identical to III: B shoots (you have rapidfire), A changes speed by 25% while holding the button down constantly adds 1%, C changes weapon, and powerups are collected from enemies. Unlike III, however, you are not fixed to the camera motion; holding Up and Down will take you higher/lower than the screen limits (as in II).

Weapons

  • Blade: Update of the standard shot. Destructive but big bullets, sometimes too big (see Strite boss)
  • Railgun: Update of the rear shot
  • Freeway: Small rockets that fire in the opposite direction of the ships movement
  • Snake: Bombs that travel along the ground/ceiling
  • Hunter: Homing orbs

Stages

The first four stages can be played in any order; the order listed here is the default.

Notavailable.svg Strite
A world full of clouds, mountains, and waters. You spend two "days" on this planet, primarily shooting down basic enemies that either just attack, shoot homing missiles at you, or worse. A giant serpent-like creature will come at you several times. A train-like underwater being will send smaller enemies hurling at you while trying to hit you with a large laser, and the rising boss ship will make it easier for homing missiles to hit you...
  • Boss: A giant ship with a fin on the bottom that shoots fireballs at you. Hit it enough and it will detach from the ship, revealing a free-moving sub-ship that will attack you in a variety of ways. Due to collision detection on the boss' weak spot, it's very difficult to damage him with the "Blade" weapon.
Notavailable.svg Ruin
A blue ruin facing the void of space. Here you face larger robots on pedestals that are hard to defeat, pairs of laser-shooting shark-like beings, barriers that form as you move, and small, immobile enemies that generate themselves int he least convenient places. Halfway though you fight a giant robot that spams loads of bullets at you at once.
Notavailable.svg Air-Raid
Possibly better called an outer space raid: you fly through an asteroid belt, avoiding the (multiple) turrets that constantly send bullets your way and follow your every move. You also have to dodge the regular enemies (they come fast) and avoid crashing into an asteroid. Halfway through, the astroids start moving at very high speeds, so pay attention to survive!
Notavailable.svg Daser
Fly through a desert sandstorm. Some enemies can take massive damage before going down.
  • Boss:Formalhaut
Notavailable.svg Vios
Battle the boss ship from stage one in space
Notavailable.svg Volbados
Water and Ice themed world, with the path over and under water being almost completely different play experiences
Notavailable.svg Desvio
Lava themed world with a cameo boss
Notavailable.svg Bio-Base
A stage in a bio-mechanic environment which consists mainly of miniboss fights
Notavailable.svg Wall
Last "proper" stage with moving walls and traps
Notavailable.svg Versus
Final confrontation

Tips and tricks

  • The game has at least two score exploit points. The first is at the enemy just before going underwater in Strite. I constantly releases small enemies. The second is in the final stage, Versus. Keep playing until you reach the large cannon, which you normally must destroy to proceed. Power up items and 1UPs will keep respawning forever. Whether this was by design or an oversight is not clear.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Thunder Force IV Thunder Force IV
English (US) Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar
Japanese サンダーフォースIV Thunder Force IV

Production credits

  • Programmers: Indick Mst, Yotaro, Zako, Chinpui, Kwd & Edger, Fake Dwarf Giva, Godzy, Alpha
  • Graphics: Two Socks, Krp, Gaja, Silver Hammer, Ushimatu, Hunter, Booby Master, Tamtam, Guges.D, Unbalance, Pei Crash, No Remorse, Shion
  • Music: Funky Surounin, Omen, Yunker Matai
  • Voice: Atuko
  • Director: My Home Papa
  • Producer: Sigotonin

Magazine articles

Main article: Thunder Force IV/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Thunder Force IV/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 №10/92, p126-127[3]
93 №131, p36-37[4]
91 №151, p106/111[2]
98 №12, p86-89/91[5]
87 №13, p84-86
80
93 №1, p108[6]
97 №0101, p6/18[7]
93 №49, p66[1]
95 №16, p26-29[8]
97 №12, p54-56[9]
94 №16, p158[10]
97 №30, p172[11]
94 №2, p24-27[12]
81 №1, p48-49[13]
92 №1, p65
94 №9, p30-33
87 №24, p104-106[14]
94 №25, p64-67[15]
91 №1/93, p95[16]
91 №36, p54/55
100 №46, p99[17]
92 №11, p64-65
92 №18, p68
88 №10, p54-56[18]
90 №18, p12[19]
85 №9/92, p52-53[20]
Sega Mega Drive
 92
Based on
27 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) NTSC-U
40
[21]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[22]
Alaab Alcomputtar (SA)
90
[23]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
88
[24]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
73
[25]
Console Mania (IT)
98
[5]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
91
[2]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[4]
Digitiser (UK)
80
[26]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
93
[6]
GameFan (US) NTSC-J
97
[7]
Game Mania (UK)
93
[27]
Game Power (IT)
93
[28]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
93
[1]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
80
[29]
HiScore (DK) PAL
73
[30]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
95
[8]
Joypad (FR) PAL
94
[31]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
97
[9]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-J
97
[11]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
94
[12]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-J
94
[32]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
82
[33]
Mega (UK) NTSC-J
81
[13]
Mega Action (UK)
92
[34]
Mega Force (FR)
90
[35]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J
92
[36]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J
94
[37]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[38]
Mean Machines (UK) NTSC-J
87
[39]
Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J
86
[40]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
89
[41]
Player One (FR)
94
[15]
Play Time (DE)
91
[16]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J
91
[42]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
92
[43]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
92
[44]
Sega Force (SE)
92
[45]
Sega Force (UK) NTSC-J
88
[18]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
86
[46]
Supergame (BR) NTSC-J
90
[19]
Supersonic (FR)
93
[47]
Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-U
65
[48]
Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-J
88
[49]
Video Games (DE)
85
[50]
Sega Mega Drive
 87
Based on
45 reviews

Thunder Force IV

Mega Drive, US
ThunderForce4 MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Thunderforce4 md us cart.jpg
Cart
Thunder Force IV MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
ThunderForce4 MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
ThunderForceIV MD EU Carttop.jpg
ThunderForceIV MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Thunder Force IV MD EU Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, JP
ThunderForce4 MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
ThunderForce4 MD JP CartTop.jpg
ThunderForce4 MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, KR
ThunderForceIV MD KR cover.jpg
Cover
ThunderForceIV MD KR cart.jpg
Cart

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:GamePro US 049.pdf, page 68 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 049.pdf_p68" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:CVG UK 151.pdf, page 106 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 151.pdf_p106" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ File:ASM DE 1992-10.pdf, page 122
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:CVG UK 131.pdf, page 36 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 131.pdf_p36" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 File:ConsoleMania IT 012.pdf, page 86 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:ConsoleMania IT 012.pdf_p86" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, Virgin Books, page 108 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide Book UK.pdf_p108" defined multiple times with different content
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 File:GameFan US 0101.pdf, page 6 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GameFan US 0101.pdf_p6" defined multiple times with different content
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:HobbyConsolas ES 016.pdf, page 26 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:HobbyConsolas ES 016.pdf_p26" defined multiple times with different content
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:Joypad FR 012.pdf, page 54 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 012.pdf_p54" defined multiple times with different content
  10. ↑ File:Joypad FR 016.pdf, page 158
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 File:Joystick FR 030.pdf, page 172 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 030.pdf_p172" defined multiple times with different content
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 File:MDAG UK 02.pdf, page 24 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MDAG UK 02.pdf_p24" defined multiple times with different content
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 File:Mega UK 01.pdf, page 48 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Mega UK 01.pdf_p48" defined multiple times with different content
  14. ↑ File:MeanMachines UK 24.pdf, page 104
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 File:PlayerOne FR 025.pdf, page 64 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 025.pdf_p64" defined multiple times with different content
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 File:PlayTime DE 1993-01.pdf, page 95 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayTime DE 1993-01.pdf_p95" defined multiple times with different content
  17. ↑ File:SegaPower UK 46.pdf, page 99
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 File:SegaForce UK 10.pdf, page 54 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 10.pdf_p54" defined multiple times with different content
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 File:Supergame BR 18.pdf, page 12 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Supergame BR 18.pdf_p12" defined multiple times with different content
  20. ↑ File:VideoGames DE 1992-09.pdf, page 50
  21. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 116
  22. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 243
  23. ↑ Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-08-xx), page 73
  24. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Oktober 1992" (DE; 1992-09-11), page 126
  25. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-08), page 26
  26. ↑ Digitiser (UK) (1993-02-03)
  27. ↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
  28. ↑ Game Power, "Ottobre 1992" (IT; 1992-xx-xx), page 30
  29. ↑ Hippon Super, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-04), page 37
  30. ↑ HiScore, "15 Juli - 15 September" (DK; 1993-07-15), page 19
  31. ↑ Joypad, "Janvier 1993" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 159
  32. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  33. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "October 1992" (JP; 1992-09-xx), page 67
  34. ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  35. ↑ Mega Force, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 68
  36. ↑ Mega Fun, "08/92" (DE; 1992-08-18), page 16
  37. ↑ MegaTech, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-20), page 30
  38. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Febrero 1993" (ES; 1993-0x-xx), page 50
  39. ↑ Mean Machines, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-27), page 84
  40. ↑ Marukatsu Mega Drive, "September 1992" (JP; 1992-08-xx), page 119
  41. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
  42. ↑ Sega Power, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-01), page 54
  43. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  44. ↑ Sega Pro, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-13), page 64
  45. ↑ Sega Force, "5/93" (SE; 1993-08-26), page 18
  46. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  47. ↑ Supersonic, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 22
  48. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 151
  49. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27
  50. ↑ Video Games, "9/92" (DE; 1992-08-26), page 52



Thunder Force games for Sega systems / developed by Sega
Sega Mega Drive
 Thunder Force II (1989) | Thunder Force III (1990) | Thunder Force IV / Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar (1992)
Arcade
 Thunder Force AC (1990)
Sega Saturn
 Thunder Force: Gold Pack 1 (1996) | Thunder Force: Gold Pack 2 (1996) | Thunder Force V (1997)
Sony PlayStation 2
 Thunder Force VI (2008)
Nintendo Switch
 Sega Ages Thunder Force IV (2018) | Sega Ages Thunder Force AC (2020)
Thunder Force related media
Music
 Best of Thunder Force (1997) | Thunder Force VI Soundtrack Demo (2008) | Thunder Force IV (2019) | Technosoft Music Collection: Thunder Force III & AC (2020) | Technosoft Music Collection: Thunder Force IV (2021) | Technosoft Music Collection: Thunder Force I & II (2022)
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