Thunder Force II

n/a

Thunder Force II

Publisher: Technosoft

Developer: Technosoft

Original system(s): X68000

Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1989-06-15	¥6,8006,800	T-18013
US	1989-08-14
EU	1990-11^[1]
AU	199x
CA	199x
BR	199x
KR	199x		GM4010JG

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Thunder Force II is a 1988 shoot-'em-up developed by Technosoft for the X68000, and the second installment in their Thunder Force series. The following year, it was ported to the Sega Mega Drive as Thunder Force II MD (サンダーフォースII ＭＤ), and this version was released worldwide as simply Thunder Force II. It was the first Sega Mega Drive game in Japan published by a third party.

Story

After the events of the first Thunder Force, the defeated ORN Empire decide to attack the Galaxy Federation again. Using Plealos, their new battleship, ORN is able to destroy the planet Reda and take the planet Nepura as their own. Fortunately, the Galaxy Federation discovers Nepura is used to hold Plealos when it is not being used, and they set out to destroy Plealos with a new version of the powerful "Fire LEO" fighter craft, the Fire LEO-02 Exceliza.

Gameplay

and switch weapons. fires as long as you hold it. There are nine stages — four top-view stages and four side-scrolling stages, then a final top-view stage.

"Top-view" stages: You have free 8-way movement, and the screen constantly scrolls in the direction the ship is facing. The ship's weapon shoots in the direction the ship is facing, though other weapons and powerups fire in different directions. The objective is to find and destroy the four bases.
Side-scrolling stages: You can only progress forward, and the screen constantly scrolls from right to left; the entire stage doesn't fit on the screen, so moving up and down reveals a bit more of it. Reach the end of the stage and defeat the boss there to complete the level.

As you defeat certain enemies, they'll drop various weapon; losing a life takes all acquired weapons away. The two types of stages have unique weapons between them.

History

Release

The Swedish version shown below has an interesting story behind it. The distributor in the Nordic countries was Playmix/BRIO, famous for its classic wooden toys and unharmful playthings. This is the first and probably last time they used censorship on a game. The missiles on this early game's front were considered too violent and the picture was replaced by the ship from the Japanese version instead. After they mixed it together, they simple photographed it and printed it on Fujicolor paper (can be seen on the back of the inlay). This version is therefore fairly common in Sweden.

Magazine articles

Main article: Thunder Force II/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in ACE (UK) #37: "October 1990" (1990-09-xx)
also published in:

Computer & Video Games (UK) #107: "October 1990" (1990-09-16)^[5]

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #111: "February 1991" (1991-01-16)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1990-02: "February 1990" (1990-01-08)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1990-09: "September 1990" (1990-08-XX)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1990-11: "November 1990" (1990-10-XX)

Physical scans

Mega-Tech version

Mega-Tech,
Cover

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

60

^[16]

ACE (UK)

PAL

93

^[6]

Beep! MegaDrive (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[17]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

90

^[18]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

81

^[10]

The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)

81

^[19]

Consoles + (FR)

90

^[20]

Console XS (UK)

PAL

87

^[21]

Cool Gamer (RU)

30

^[22]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

80

^[11]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

78

^[23]

Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)

76

^[24]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[25]

Game Mania (UK)

85

^[26]

Joystick (FR)

74

^[12]

Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)

PAL

82

^[27]

Mega Drive Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

81

^[28]

MegaTech (UK)

81

^[13]

Mean Machines (UK)

82

^[29]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

81

^[30]

Megazone (AU)

85

^[31]

Player One (FR)

58

^[4]

Power Play (DE)

71

^[32]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

75

^[33]

Sega Pro (UK)

86

^[15]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

81

^[34]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[35]

Tilt (FR)

60

^[36]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

80

^[37]

Zero (UK)

93

^[38]

	77
Based on 30 reviews

Thunder Force II

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, SE
Cover

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, KR
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, CA

References

↑ Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 88
↑ Raze, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 76
↑ File:ACE UK 37.pdf, page 51
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Player One, "Octobre 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 57
↑ Computer & Video Games, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-16), page 122
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ACE, "November 1989" (UK; 1989-10-xx), page 144
↑ File:BeepMD_JP_1990-02.pdf, page 72
↑ File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 86
↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 84
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 37
↑ ^11.0 ^11.1 Computer & Video Games, "September 1989" (UK; 1989-08-16), page 102
↑ ^12.0 ^12.1 File:Joystick FR 006.pdf, page 82 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 006.pdf_p82" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^13.0 ^13.1 MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 81
↑ Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 86-88 (86)
↑ ^15.0 ^15.1 Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 30
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 242
↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1990" (JP; 1990-01-08), page 72
↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 77
↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 50
↑ Consoles +, "Tilt Hors-Serie" (FR; 1991-07-xx), page 36
↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 135
↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 224
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1989" (US; 1989-xx-xx), page 13
↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 107
↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1989-xx-xx), page 1
↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
↑ Mega Drive Fan, "November 1989" (JP; 1989-10-07), page 49
↑ Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 86
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
↑ Megazone, "October/November 1991" (AU; 1991-xx-xx), page 30
↑ Power Play, "1/90" (DE; 1989-12-15), page 86
↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54
↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86
↑ Tilt, "Septembre 1990" (FR; 1990-0x-xx), page 100
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27
↑ Zero, "February 1990" (UK; 19xx-xx-xx), page 82

Thunder Force games for Sega systems / developed by Sega
	Thunder Force II (1989) \| Thunder Force III (1990) \| Thunder Force IV / Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar (1992)
	Thunder Force AC (1990)
	Thunder Force: Gold Pack 1 (1996) \| Thunder Force: Gold Pack 2 (1996) \| Thunder Force V (1997)
	Thunder Force VI (2008)
	Sega Ages Thunder Force IV (2018) \| Sega Ages Thunder Force AC (2020)
Thunder Force related media
	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)

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_01.pdf_p88-1] Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 88

[:File:Raze_UK_11.pdf_p76-2] Raze, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 76

[:File:ACE_UK_37.pdf_p51-3] File:ACE UK 37.pdf, page 51

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_002.pdf_p57-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Player One, "Octobre 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 57

[:File:CVG_UK_107.pdf_p122-5] Computer & Video Games, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-16), page 122

[:File:ACE_UK_26.pdf_p144-6] 6.0 ^6.1 ACE, "November 1989" (UK; 1989-10-xx), page 144

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1990-02.pdf_p72-7] File:BeepMD_JP_1990-02.pdf, page 72

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p86-8] File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 86

[:File:CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf_p84-9] Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 84

[:File:CGtC_UK_04.pdf_p37-10] 10.0 ^10.1 Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 37

[:File:CVG_UK_094.pdf_p102-11] 11.0 ^11.1 Computer & Video Games, "September 1989" (UK; 1989-08-16), page 102

[:File:Joystick_FR_006.pdf_p82-12] 12.0 ^12.1 File:Joystick FR 006.pdf, page 82 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 006.pdf_p82" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:MegaTech_UK_01.pdf_p81-13] 13.0 ^13.1 MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 81

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_01.pdf_p86_.2886-88.29-14] Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 86-88 (86)

[:File:SegaPro_UK_06.pdf_p30-15] 15.0 ^15.1 Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 30

[16] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 242

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1990-02.pdf_p72-17] Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1990" (JP; 1990-01-08), page 72

[:File:CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf_p77-18] Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 77

[:File:TheCompleteGuideToSega_UK.pdf_p50-19] The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 50

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_000.pdf_p36-20] Consoles +, "Tilt Hors-Serie" (FR; 1991-07-xx), page 36

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p135-21] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 135

[22] Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 224

[:File:EGM_US_004.pdf_p13-23] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1989" (US; 1989-xx-xx), page 13

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p107-24] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 107

[25] Famitsu, "" (JP; 1989-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:GameMania_UK_05.pdf_p80-26] Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80

[:File:MDAG_UK_05.pdf_p95-27] Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1989-11.pdf_p49-28] Mega Drive Fan, "November 1989" (JP; 1989-10-07), page 49

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_01.pdf_p86-29] Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 86

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p142-30] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142

[:File:Megazone_AU_18.pdf_p30-31] Megazone, "October/November 1991" (AU; 1991-xx-xx), page 30

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1990-01.pdf_p86-32] Power Play, "1/90" (DE; 1989-12-15), page 86

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p54-33] Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p68-34] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p86-35] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86

[:File:Tilt_FR_081.pdf_p100-36] Tilt, "Septembre 1990" (FR; 1990-0x-xx), page 100

[37] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27

[:File:Zero_UK_04.pdf_p82-38] Zero, "February 1990" (UK; 19xx-xx-xx), page 82

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Thunder Force II

From Sega Retro

Contents

Story

Gameplay

History

Release

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Mega-Tech version

Mega Drive version

References