Line #6 YMMV/ThunderForce


1	* AdaptationDisplacement: Remember ''Thunder Force II'' on the Genesis / Mega Drive? Yeah, well, remember the Sharp [=X68000=] version that it's a port of?
2	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Multiple examples. [[{{AwesomeMusic/ThunderForce}} See the page]].
3	* 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.
4	* BrokenBase:
5	** ''Thunder Force VI''. Is it worthy of the series, or just [[{{Sequelitis}} another inferior installment]] due to its [[ItsShortSoItSucks short]] and [[ItsEasySoItSucks easy]] gameplay, as well as its constant homages to previous games?
6	** Also in the case of ''V'', which one is better? The original [[NoExportForYou Japanese-exclusive]] Platform/SegaSaturn version which features better graphics or the Platform/PlayStation version?
7	* CatharsisFactor: Stage 5 of ''V''. You get a new ship with powerful WaveMotionGun weapons that can be ''used infinitely'' and then proceed to enjoy one of the easiest stages in the game, blowing the Guardian's defense forces into pieces.
8	* ContestedSequel: In America, ''Thunder Force VI'' did not quite catch the high expectation its previous titles had anticipated, and is overall seen as SoOkayItsAverage. In Japan, meanwhile, it received overwhelmingly negative fan reception.
9	* EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame: Although ''V'' is [[ContestedSequel divisive]] among fans in terms of gameplay, its story is often praised as its strongest point.
10	* EvenBetterSequel: ''Thunder Force III'' was already [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel a notable improvement over Thunder Force II]], with the top down sections removed to refine the horizontal sections with improved graphics and even better music.''Thunder Force IV'' took those improvements and cranked them up to eleven, making it a crown jewel for the series.
11	* GameBreaker:
12	** In ''III'', Sever is an upgrade to the Twin Shot, firing laser bursts in front of the ship and doing massive damage to anything it touches, and can destroy bosses in ''seconds''. The only drawback is that like with all other non-default weapons, you lose it if you die with the weapon equipped (or die at all on Hard and Mania).
13	** ''IV'' has the Thunder Sword, an upgrade to the Rynex granted mid-way through the game that allows you to charge up a powerful blast of energy alongside your [=CLAWs=]. It's the most powerful weapon in the entire game, capable of decimating bosses in a few shots. It returns in ''VI'' as the Rynex-R's Twin Shot Over Weapon, power mostly intact.
14	** Free Range in ''V''. It's a conical radar that can be aimed in any direction, and zaps enemies with high-damage beams when they enter the detection range. Even the manual of the North American version describes it as the strongest weapon in the game and encourages you to use it. It was nerfed in ''VI'' to have a shorter range and less damage.
15	** In ''VI'', the only ship you can initially play as, the Phoenix, starts off with all of its weapons and never loses them, which by ''Thunder Force'' standards is pretty broken. In other words, ''the default ship is more broken than the unlockable Rynex-R.''
16	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Fans in America are a bit more forgiving with ''Thunder Force VI'' compared to Japan.
17	* HilariousInHindsight: It's already amusing enough that ''Thunder Spirits'' is a SNES port of ''Thunder Force AC'' and a second-degree port of ''Thunder Force III'', the latter two games being released on Sega hardware. Sega, Nintendo's prime competitor during MediaNotes/The16bitEraOfConsoleVideoGames, would later acquire the rights to ''Thunder Force'' after Technosoft kicked the bucket.
18	* ItsEasySoItSucks: The source of ''V'''s [[ContestedSequel divisive]] status among fans of the series. ''VI'' made the problem ''worse'' by having its default ship being a total GameBreaker.
19	* ItsShortSoItSucks: One of the main reasons ''VI'' wasn't so well received.
20	* MemeticMutation: The [[FinalBoss ORN Emperor]] from ''VI'' was a short-lived meme in Korea as mockery towards the game's art director.
21	* {{Narm}}: The intro dialogue in ''Thunder Force II''. The Genesis port erases the "I want to fly now" line, but the gravelly voice sampling renders nearly ''everything'' except "good luck" utterly incomprehensible instead.
22	--> "This is Exceliza, I want to fly now." "Roger, good luck."
23	* NightmareFuel:
24	** The mere existence of [[spoiler: [[SealedBadassInACan Rynex]]]] in ''V''. To put it simply, it is one of the most dangerous machines in the entire cosmos. Every single horrific event that transpired in the game, from [[AIIsACrapshoot Guardian going insane]] to the absolute devastation caused by the conflict, was all because [[spoiler: [[ForScience humanity decided to reverse-engineer the legendary starfighter.]]]] It really speaks volumes on how terrifying the [[spoiler:Rynex]] is, once fallen into the wrong hands. [[spoiler: Just ask Khaos.]]
25	** ''V''[='=]s FinalBoss starts off with the usual BossWarningSiren and text "ALERT! The enemy is dead ahead! [...]", only for [[spoiler:the AI voice to malfunction and the screen to be filled with "ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! [...]" with no advance warning.]]
26	*** The bad ending for ''V''? [[spoiler:Cenes is subject to repeat what happened to Vasteel/Rynex, only instead of ejecting from the ship, ''she is trapped in it.'' All while [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxwvNLg_WnI frantic music]] plays and the Guardian begs her to blow the ship up, despite being unable to.]]
27	*** The good ending as well. While heartwarming music plays, the Last Letter scene is still a bit spooky.
28	** Enemy/boss design in the games are often pretty NightmareFuel-y too, like the Evil Core in ''IV'''s eighth stage--a putrescent-looking ''thing'' that's served by little white flies that ''explode''. And in its final phase (where a single giant fly is carrying it around), it basically ''drools'' its attacks out.
29	** The [[FinalBoss ORN Emperor]] in VI.
30	*** The [[EasyModeMockery Easy Mode 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''.
31	** Somehow, [=C-CTNs-C=]'s [[spoiler: (a.k.a. Cenes Crawford)]] [[http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/thunderforce/images/9/9f/C-CTNs-C.png/revision/latest?cb=20141106093851 appearance]] in ''VI'' is a bit creepy to some people.
32	* OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight: All the first five instalments of the series were developed by the now-defunct Technosoft, with ''IV'' regarded as the best in the series while ''V'' being [[EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame best known for its story.]] When Sega acquired the rights to the series and developed ''VI'', [[{{Sequelitis}} however...]]
33	* PolishedPort:
34	** ''Thunder Force II MD'' had to remove an entire stage from the X68000 version[[note]]More specifically, Stages 3-1 and 4-2; what was Stage 4-1 is now 3-1, Stage 3-2 is kept, and subsequent stages are bumped down a number[[/note]] as well as some graphical effects, but it plays pretty well and buffs some of the weapons (Hunter now fires faster bullets, for example) while replacing some other weapons with more useful ones (Sidewinder was changed from "Laser clone that uses missiles instead of lasers" to a far more useful vertical shot). New music tracks were introduced too, with Stages 3-2 using the old 3-1's music and 4-2 having its own theme, rather than both of these sub-stages reusing the 1-2 and 2-2 themes.
35	** The ''SEGA AGES'' version of ''Thunder Force IV'' on Switch by Creator/{{M2}} has everything you'd expect in a console-to-another-console port (screen fitting and filter options, button configuration) and M2's usual top-notch porting standards, but adds a neat new feature: you can now have voices not interrupt the background music! And if you beat the game, you unlock the Styx from ''III'' as a playable ship. Last but not least, it has perhaps the lowest amount of input lag of any shmup on the Switch, at only three frames.
36	** ''SEGA AGES: Thunder Force AC'' is just as smoothly done, including a built-in rapid fire option and backporting two ships from ''Thunder Force IV'': the Rynex and the Mass Production Styx (the latter of which [[PromotedToPlayable is an NPC ship]] in ''IV''!). Both ''AC'' and ''IV'' are very cheap too (only 7.99 USD each), yet have nearly as many quality-of-life features as M2's much-vaunted ''M2 [=ShotTriggers=]'' releases.
37	** The [=PlayStation=] port of ''V'' is considered quite competent in spite of missing effects.
38	* ScrappyMechanic:
39	** In ''III'' (on Normal and below) and ''IV'' onwards, getting killed takes away the weapon you have equipped, unless it's the Twin Shot or Back Shot. In practice, this means you'll frequently be using the weapon you ''least'' need when you're in situations where you feel like you have a reasonable chance of taking a hit.
40	** ''AC'' has no autofire, expecting players to [[ButtonMashing rapidly tap]] the fire button to fire as fast as in the Genesis version with autofire turned on. This can be worked around if you're playing on an emulator with an autofire function (either in the emulator or on a controller that has it), or in the home ports (all of which have it), but if you're playing on arcade hardware you'll have to wire an autofire button onto your cabinet, assuming you own it or otherwise have permission from the arcade operator. ''Spirits'' also has it off by default and requires a cheat code to use.
41	* ScrappyWeapon:
42	** Sidewinder in the original ''Thunder Force II''. It's just a stream of missiles that fire straight ahead. Why this when the Twin Shot and its upgraded version, the Laser, exist? Fortunately it was RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap in the Mega Drive / Genesis port, where it was retooled into shots that fire up and down, making it useful for taking out enemies on the floor and ceiling.
43	** Blade in ''IV''. Normally, when you shoot an enemy, blue explosions indicate no damage and red explosions indicate damage. However, when hitting enemies with the Blade, ''all'' hit explosions are red, meaning you can fire nonstop at a boss and not realize you've been doing no damage to it all along until you're wondering "WhyWontYouDie" 5 minutes later. At least its base counterpart, the [[BoringButPractical Twin Shot]], doesn't have this problem. Even worse, when the Rynex was backported into the ''SEGA AGES'' port of ''Thunder Force AC'', the Blade kept this behavior, as if M2 expected players to view "I can't tell if my weapon is doing damage" with fond nostalgia.
44	* SequelDifficultyDrop: ''Thunder Force III'' is much easier than ''II'', even on the highest difficulty.
45	* SequelDifficultySpike: But Technosoft made up for it with ''IV'', which is far more difficult than either ''II'' or ''III''.
46	* 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), and even fewer have played it.
47	* {{Sequelitis}}: ''VI'' was released 10 years after ''V'', and came to be a big disappointment among fans, with only six short stages, a radically different soundtrack, excessive homages to past games, weapons as broken as ''V''[='=]s, and a new weapon mechanic in which you start with every weapon and never lose any of them.
48	* SignatureScene: For ''Thunder Force V'', it's Stage 5, in which the player gains access to the Brigandine module and then proceeds to ''demolish'' the Sword Fleet, culminating in a ClimaxBoss fight with [[spoiler:[[DuelingPlayerCharacters the Rynex / Vasteel Original]] from ''Thunder Force IV'']].
49	* SpiritualSuccessor: Following the completion of ''III'', some of its developers would depart Technostoft for Red Company where they would make ''Gate of Thunder'', another sci-fi horizontal shmup whose commonalities with ''Thunder Force'' include a rocking soundtrack, real-time weapon switching and rotatable attack drones. It would be followed by ''Lords of Thunder'', which switched to a fantasy theme but retains some obvious ''Thunder Force'' DNA.
50	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Barring the 6th installment, the series composers [[AuthorAppeal sure love their heavy metal]].
51	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTQIiIKummw "Metal Squad"]], the stage 8 theme from ''IV'', is a close soundalike of Loudness's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBxBQCzoisw "Soldier of Fortune"]], right down to the solo.
52	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VzLxWBho-8 "Lightning Strikes Again"]], the opening theme from ''IV'', is based on Dokken's song named--get ready for it--[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKF5R8doqDE "Lightning Strikes Again"]].
53	** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UidsHAbwE_U "Love Dream"]], the Maniac difficulty ending theme in ''IV'', is nicked straight from Music/LedZeppelin's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkF3oxziUI4 "Stairway to Heaven"]].
54	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nud4FpIeNqo "Beginning of War"]], the intro theme to ''V'' and the Gauntlet's leitmotif, takes its riffs from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25h8mwE5ZOI "Live Wire"]] by Mötley Crüe.
55	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYbztuII3iY "Ruined Green"]], the stage 1 theme from ''VI'' when playing as the Phoenix, sounds very similar [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDuTidfmaI4 "Geometric City"]] from ''[[VideoGame/RaySeries RayStorm]]''.
56	** Compare [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qx69cCE7Vs Full Speed]], the stage 5 theme from ''VI'' when playing as the Rynex-R, to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLc1msji0_w "Burning Heat"]] from ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}''.
57	* TearJerker: The ending of ''V'', set to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdOlDGUtAZY "Last Letter"]], which reveals that Guardian was GoodAllAlong, and that to ensure the tragedy of Vasteel won't repeat itself again, Vambrace, along with Cenes, will have to be completely destroyed, and it's all capped off with Guardian's last words:
58	--> '''Guardian''': [Soldier/Human], May fortune be with you...
59	* ThatOneLevel:
60	** In ''II'', Stage 4-1 ([=X68K=]) / 3-1 (MD) is a cavern where you have to carefully navigate through mazes of red walls to get from one base to the next. The difficulty is especially pronounced in the MD version, as the old Stage 3-1 was removed, causing this stage to take its place and thus lacking a more intermediate stage where you can prepare for this one; up until this point, the DeadlyWalls were mainly sky fences, skyscrapers, or random tunnels of destructible walls in the open air, but here you are expected to carefully fly through the tunnels at such a high speed. The space where you find the final base is the most aggravating, as it's covered in destructible wall that you have to shoot through ''while'' dodging enemy fire at the same time.
61	** Haides is the hardest of the initial five stages of ''III'', featuring moving walls that can trap you and a high speed section out of nowhere. It is, however, the only stage out of that first five that has all of the weapon upgrades. Therefore it's recommended by many players to start on Haides to get it out of the way and quickly get all of the weapons.
62	* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: ''Spirits'' gets criticism for replacing Stage 6's Cerberus with an entirely new capital ship as well as changing the music completely.
63	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: At the beginning of ''VI'', the ORN Empire has found its way to Earth despite Cenes Crawford's [[spoiler:and the Guardian's]] best efforts, Earth forces have revived the Sword Fleet just in time to make a stand at their homeworld's orbit, and their most advanced weapon, the RVR-00 Phoenix fighter with Brigadine booster, is about to deal the first blow...... and all we get from that story angle is a mere cutscene.
64	* ToughActToFollow: ''IV'' is considered to be the apex of the series. ''V'' and especially ''VI'' had a tough time being as equal as that game.
65	* UnderusedGameMechanic: ''V'' features a "Direct" control option that assigns each of the five weapons to its own button, alongside the traditional option of "cycle through weapon list" buttons. Direct weapon switching was sadly not kept for ''VI''.

Context YMMV / ThunderForce