- For the Western home computer versions, see Thunder Blade (home computers)'.
Thunder Blade (サンダーブレード) is a 1987 arcade shoot 'em up game designed for Sega X Board hardware. It is heavily inspired by the Blue Thunder franchise of the early 1980s.
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).
History
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, TurboGrafx-16 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.
Production credits
PC Engine version
- Executive Producer: Makoto Sakio
- Producer: Toshio Tabeta
- Director: Takashi Ozama
- Programmer: God Hand
- Graphics: Nori-P Hide
- Sound: Funky
- Assistant: Quite Person, C. Willow
- Special Thanks To: K. Matsuda, Tacs Tax and other staff
- © Sega 1988
- Reprogrammed Game © NEC Avenue, Ltd. 1990
Source: In-game credits
Magazine articles
- Main article: Thunder Blade/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
PDF
X Board US flyer
PDF
X Board EU flyer (deluxe)
PDF
X Board EU flyer (upright)
Master System print advert in
Electronic Game Player (US) #4: "September/October 1988" (1988-xx-xx)
also published in:
Master System print advert in
Tilt (FR) #60: "Jeux et Micro Guide 1989" (1988-11-16)
Photo gallery
Physical scans
X Board version
Sega Retro Average
|
Publication
|
Version
|
Score
|
|
|
X Board, US (deluxe)
|
|
Manual
|
X Board, US (upright)
|
|
Manual
|
Master System version
Sega Retro Average
|
Publication
|
Score
|
Source
|
ACE (UK)
|
64
|
№16, p76[8]
|
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
|
79
|
№1, p74[9]
|
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
|
80
|
№4, p109[10]
|
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
|
80
|
№1, p62[11]
|
Computer & Video Games (UK)
|
80
|
№85, p131[12]
|
The Games Machine (UK)
|
76
|
[4]
|
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
|
80
|
№1, p136[13]
|
Micromanía (ES)
|
70
|
№2/20
|
S: The Sega Magazine (UK)
|
86
|
№11, p24
|
Sega Power (UK)
|
60
|
№23, p60
|
Sega Pro (UK)
|
70
|
№6, p30[14]
|
Soft Today (DK)
|
100
|
№1, p20[15]
|
|
Master System, US
|
Cover
|
|
Master System, EU
|
Cover
|
Manual
|
Master System, EU ® variant
|
Cover
|
|
Master System, EU "No Limits" variant
|
Cover
|
|
Master System, JP
|
|
Cart
|
Master System, BR
|
Cover
|
Cart Manual
|
Master System, KR
|
Cover
|
Cart
|
PC Engine version
PC Engine, JP
|
|
Card
|
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
- ↑ https://sega-interactive.co.jp/special/history/title/thunderblade.html
- ↑ File:CVG UK 077.pdf, page 90
- ↑ File:ACE UK 16.pdf, page 167
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Games Machine, "December 1988" (UK; 1988-11-17), page 39
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "1989 Buyer's Guide" (US; 1989-xx-xx), page 57
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1989" (US; 1989-0x-xx), page 49
- ↑ File:PowerPlay DE 005.pdf, page 100
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:ACE UK 16.pdf, page 76 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ File:CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf, page 74
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 File:CGtC UK 04.pdf, page 109 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 11.0 11.1 File:TheCompleteGuideToSega UK.pdf, page 62 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 12.0 12.1 File:CVG UK 085.pdf, page 131 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 13.0 13.1 File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf, page 136 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 14.0 14.1 File:SegaPro UK 06.pdf, page 30 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 15.0 15.1 File:SoftToday DK 01.pdf, page 20 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 311
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 74
- ↑ Computer Action, "Juli/August 89" (DK; 1989-0x-xx), page 34
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 146
- ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1988-xx-xx), page 1
- ↑ Génération 4, "Décembre 1988" (FR; 1988-1x-xx), page 58
- ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Enero 1990" (ES; 19xx-xx-xx), page 27
- ↑ S: The Sega Magazine, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-06), page 24
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 60
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
- ↑ Software Gids, "Nov./Dec. 1990" (NL; 1990-11-xx), page 41
- ↑ File:CVG UK 112.pdf, page 77
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 File:Generation4 FR 030.pdf, page 89 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 29.0 29.1 File:Raze UK 05.pdf, page 79 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-16), page 93
- ↑ Joystick, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 98
- ↑ Power Play, "3/91" (DE; 1991-02-15), page 150