History YMMV / ThunderForce

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTQIiIKummw "Metal Squad"]], the stage 8 theme from ''Thunder Force IV'', is a close soundalike of Loudness's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B92FJPZkfdc "Soldier of Fortune"]], right down to the solo.

* ContestedSequel: ''Thunder Force V'' and ''VI''

* MemeticMutation: The [[FinalBoss ORN Emperor]] from ''Thunder Force VI'' was a short-lived meme in Korea.

* BrokenBase: ''Thunder Force VI''. Is it worthy of the series, or just another [[{{Sequelitis}} another inferior installment]] due to its [[ItsShortSoItSucks short]] and [[ItsEasySoItSucks easy]] gameplay, as well as its constant homages to previous games of the series?

* BadassDecay : The ORN Faust in ''IV'' was impervious to ''all'' of Rynex's weaponries, even [[spoiler: ''possessing it'' in the end]]; in VI it's vulnerable even to Rynex's supposedly-less-powerful mass-produced incarnation, and multiple of them wind up permanently destroyed by Earth and Galaxy Federation forces.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome : Multiple examples. [[{{AwesomeMusic/ThunderForce}} See the page]].

*** The ending as well. It consists of a dark screen of flashing images and the eyes of the ORN Emperor while ominous chanting in the background is heard as ORN Faust calls for Earth's unconditional surrender using a darker version of The Guardian's speech from V.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: A mere cutscene is hardly anywhere near adequate in resolving the "ORN invasion of Earth" angle in ''Thunder Force VI''.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: The good ending for ''Thunder Force V'': [[spoiler: "Soldier/Human... May Fortune be with you"]]

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: The Boss fight against the Gargoyle in ''IV'' and all of Stage 5 in ''V''.

* BadassDecay : ORN Faust was impervious to ''all'' of Rynex's weaponries, even [[spoiler: ''possessing it'' in the end]]; in VI it's vulnerable even to Rynex's supposedly-less-powerful mass-produced incarnation, and multiple of them wind up permanently destroyed by Earth and Galaxy Federation forces.

* BadassDecay : ORN Faust ''survived'' Rynex's weaponries, and even [[spoiler: ''possessed it'' in the end]]; in VI it's vulnerable even to Rynex's supposedly-less-powerful mass-produced incarnation, and winds up permanently destroyed.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: A mere cutscene is hardly anywhere near adequate in resolving the ORN invasion of Earth in ''Thunder Force VI''.

* BadassDecay : ORN Faust is impervious to Rynex's weaponries (and half a dozen of Styx's ganging up on it at its debut) in IV; in VI it's vulnerable even to Rynex's supposedly-less-powerful mass-produced incarnation.

** Enemy/boss design in the games are often pretty NightmareFuel-y too, like that rotting ''thing'' carried by exploding flies in IV

* SequelDisplacement: Few gamers have heard of the original ''Thunder Force'' (it doesn't help that it was released in 1983 on an obscure [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] computer platform), even fewer have played it, and there are '''NO''' videos of it on [=YouTube=]!

* ExcusePlot: Most of the series, though it starts getting elaborated upon starting with ''IV''

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: The bad ending of Thunder Force V, paired with nightmarish music.

* NightmareFuel: ''Thunder Force V''[='=]s bad ending: [[spoiler:Cenes is subject to repeat what happened to [[strike:Rynex]] Vasteel, only instead of ejecting from the ship, ''she is trapped in it.'']]

*** Enemy/boss design in the games are often pretty NightmareFuel-y too, like that rotting ''thing'' carried by exploding flies in IV
**** Or the [[FinalBoss ORN Emperor]] in VI.

* StopHavingFunGuys: To every fan, "I can't beat ''Thunder Force III'' on one credit" translates to "I should consider quit playing shmups."

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome : Multiple examples. [[{{CrowningMusic/ThunderForce}} See the page]].

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome : Multiple examples. See the page: {{CrowningMusic/ThunderForce}}.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome : Many tracks; mostly composed by Hyakutaro Tsukumo. "Metal Squad", "Steel of Destiny" and "The Justice Ray Part 2" stand out.
** Let's not forget Legendary Wings from TF V, with its clever call back to "Back to the Fire" from TF III.
** ''Thunder Force VI''[='=]s soundtrack, on the other hand, was put together by three different composers, all of which have worked on past soundtracks for other shmups like ''[[RaySeries Ray Force]]'', ''{{Gradius}}'', and ''Raiden''. We do still have good songs in there though, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7qRTscDmgQ Cherub Purple's theme]].

* CharacterDerailment: Sega's development team for ''VI'' didn't quite catch onto the fact that the names of many bosses in ''V'' are [[ShoutOut allusions to rock bands]].

** Enemy/boss design in the games are often pretty NightmareFuel-y too, like that rotting ''thing'' carried by exploding flies in IV
*** Or the [[FinalBoss ORN Emperor]] in VI.