Thunder Blade

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1987 video game

title: "Thunder Blade" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1987-video-games", "amiga-games", "amstrad-cpc-games", "arcade-video-games", "atari-st-games", "commodore-64-games", "dos-games", "crash-smash!-award-winners", "golden-joystick-award-for-game-of-the-year-winners", "helicopter-video-games", "msx-games", "nintendo-3ds-eshop-games", "sega-arcade-games", "sega-video-game-franchises", "master-system-games", "rail-shooters", "scrolling-shooters", "single-player-video-games", "turbografx-16-games", "u.s.-gold-games", "video-games-developed-in-japan", "virtual-console-games", "x68000-games", "zx-spectrum-games"] description: "1987 video game" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Blade" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1987 video game ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox video game"]

FieldValue
titleThunder Blade
imageThunder Blade poster.png
captionJapanese arcade flyer
developerSega R&D1
publisher
composerKoichi Namiki
platforms{{collapsible list
titleArcade
released{{collapsible list
titleDecember 18, 1987
Arcade{{vgreleaseJP
genreRail shooter, scrolling shooter
modesSingle-player
arcade systemSega X Board
::

|title = Thunder Blade |image = Thunder Blade poster.png |caption = Japanese arcade flyer |developer = Sega R&D1 |publisher = |designer = |composer = Koichi Namiki |engine = |platforms = {{collapsible list| | title = Arcade|Master System, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS, MSX, X68000, PC Engine, Nintendo 3DS}} |released = {{collapsible list| | title = December 18, 1987 | Arcade Master System Amiga, Atari ST, C64 CPC, ZX Spectrum MS-DOS PC Engine Nintendo 3DS |genre = Rail shooter, scrolling shooter |modes = Single-player |arcade system = Sega X Board

is a 1987 rail shooter video game developed and published by Sega for arcades. Players control a helicopter to destroy enemy vehicles. The game was released as a stand-up arcade cabinet with force feedback, as the joystick vibrates. A helicopter-shaped sit-down model was released, replacing the force feedback with a cockpit seat that moves in tandem with the joystick. It is a motion simulator cabinet, like the previous Sega Super Scaler games Space Harrier (1985) and After Burner (1987). The game's plot and setting were inspired by the 1983 film Blue Thunder.

Versions were released for the Master System, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, PC Engine, X68000, and ZX Spectrum. The Nintendo 3DS remake was released as a 3D Classic in Japan on August 20, 2014, in North America and Europe on May 14, 2015, and in Australia on July 2 of the same year. The sequel, Super Thunder Blade, was released exclusively for the Sega Genesis.

Gameplay

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/ARC_Thunder_Blade.png" caption="Arcade version"] ::

The player controls a helicopter gunship using its chain gun and missiles to destroy enemy tanks, helicopters, and other vehicles and structures, to save their home country. Each level is in either a top-down or third-person perspective view.

The player is given 2 "lives" as continues, used if they are killed in a level. Clearing a level allows the player to return, bypassing the levels before it.

The 3D classic release allows joystick emulation and gyroscopic controls.

Development

The plot and setting were inspired by the 1983 film Blue Thunder, from which a digitized frame became the title screen.

Reception

| ARC = true | AMI = true | AST = true | C64 = true | PC = true | SMS = true | ZX = true | CRASH_ZX = 91% | CVG_ARC = Positive | CVG_AST = 66% | CVG_SMS = 80% | CVG_ZX = 82% | SUser_ZX = 87% | TGM_AMI = 85% | TGM_AST = 84% | TGM_C64 = 65% | TGM_PC = 54% (CPC) | TGM_ZX = 87% | YSinclair_ZX = 9/10 | rev1 = Commodore User | rev1_ARC = 9/10 | award1Pub = Golden Joystick Awards | award1 = Console Game of the Year (Master System) In Japan, Game Machine listed Thunder Blade as the fourth most successful upright arcade unit of January 1988. It went on to become Japan's ninth highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1988.

The arcade game was well received by critics. Clare Edgeley of Computer and Video Games called it "a helicopter simulation with several innovative features". She said it was "a brilliant game" with "superb" graphics and gameplay. Your Sinclair stated that "Thunder Blade is probably the game which took most of your money in the arcades this summer, probably one of the most eagerly awaited coin-op conversions".

At the 1988–1989 Golden Joystick Awards, the Master System version won the award for Console Game of the Year. The ZX Spectrum version also received a Crash Smash award from Crash magazine.

Notes

References

References

  1. "Thunder Blade (Registration Number PA0000353392)".
  2. Akagi, Masumi. (October 13, 2006). "セガ社 (Sega); Sega; G". Amusement News Agency.
  3. "Software List". [[Sega.
  4. (November 1988). "Availability Update".
  5. "2 Mega Cartridges". [[Mastertronic]].
  6. (April 1989). "Availability Update". [[Computer Entertainer]].
  7. (January 1990). "Availability Update". [[Computer Entertainer]].
  8. "PC Engine Software List 1990".
  9. (28 July 2017). "Thunder Blade".
  10. (18 May 2015). "3D Thunder Blade Review (3DS eShop)". Hookshot Media.
  11. {{KLOV game. 10094. Thunder Blade
  12. (June 6, 2013). "Sega's Wonderful Simulation Games Over The Years". Arcade Heroes.
  13. (August 7, 2014). "3D Thunder Blade hitting the Japanese 3DS eShop on August 20".
  14. (May 12, 2015). "SEGA 3D Classics – 3D Thunder Blade – Part 1". SEGA.
  15. (July 3, 2015). "3D Out Run, Thunder Blade And Fantasy Zone I & II Now Available On The eShop In Australia".
  16. (July 28, 2017). "Thunder Blade".
  17. "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer".
  18. "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer".
  19. (October 15, 1988). "Mean Machines".
  20. (November 1990). "Guide: Sega".
  21. "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer".
  22. "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer".
  23. "Thunder Blade".
  24. (February 26, 1988). "Arcades".
  25. (January 15, 1988). "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". [[:ja:アミューズメント通信社.
  26. (15 January 1989). "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '88 ''/ "Game of the Year '88" By Game Machine''". [[:ja:アミューズメント通信社.
  27. (February 1988). "Arcade Action".
  28. (June 1989). "Golden Joystick Awards 1989". [[Future Publishing]].

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1987-video-gamesamiga-gamesamstrad-cpc-gamesarcade-video-gamesatari-st-gamescommodore-64-gamesdos-gamescrash-smash!-award-winnersgolden-joystick-award-for-game-of-the-year-winnershelicopter-video-gamesmsx-gamesnintendo-3ds-eshop-gamessega-arcade-gamessega-video-game-franchisesmaster-system-gamesrail-shootersscrolling-shooterssingle-player-video-gamesturbografx-16-gamesu.s.-gold-gamesvideo-games-developed-in-japanvirtual-console-gamesx68000-gameszx-spectrum-games