Super Thunder Blade

Developer: Sega    Publisher: Sega    Release: 08/14/89   Genre: Action

I have a confession to make: I’m not a big fan of games with helicopters. It is a very petty mindset, but I can’t help it. Maybe it is because I don’t think a helicopter is as cool as a sleek jet.  Maybe it was the endless Airwolf reruns I was subjected to when I was young. Or maybe it is because I really frickin hate Tiger Heli. Thanks Micronics, that was a Merry Christmas. Either way my bias is real.  I played the Master system version of Thunder Blade before the arcade original and…….yikes.  They might as well be two completely different games. My opinion of Thunder Blade had already been colored by that debacle but I was still optimistic about Super Thunder Blade. My optimism was unwarranted as even back then I knew Super Thunder Blade was no good. This is not a good game, not at all.

For the longest time I have avoided revisiting Super Thunder Blade. My memories of it from near the Genesis launch are none too pleasant. I was not the biggest fan of Thunder Blade on the Master System and this version did nothing to change my mind at the time. But I approached this replay with an open mind; maybe I was too young to appreciate it at the time. I can honestly say that no, my feelings have not changed.

Thunder Blade was ported to many systems back in the day. Sadly none of them came even close to capturing a fraction of the game’s graphical prowess. In most cases it was heavily redesigned to work around system limitations. The Genesis version of the arcade game for its time came closest but that isn’t saying much. Super Thunder Blade uses numerous sprites drawn at different sizes to simulate the arcade’s scaling. Unfortunately, it looks and runs bad.  It lacks the detail and depth of its coin op big brother and looks cheap. The framerate is incredibly bad, to a degree that I can’t believe. Its not quite Micronics level bad but boy does it get close.

The performance problems have a severe effect on the gameplay.  The controls have heavy input lag and are slow.  The delay in your actions is fatal and will result in frequent cheap deaths.  Super Thunder Blade is not a twitch-based shooter like Gaiares but it has its moments.  The sluggish make an already difficult game that much worse.  I am honestly surprised no one at Sega thought to fix this as it is blatant.  You can adapt and make it work but you should not have to go that far to enjoy a game.

Super Thunder Blade has most of the arcade game’s content but is different in some respects. Originally there were more overhead action stages than the over the shoulder variety. Super Thunder Blade presents an even split.  I prefer it this way; this version’s top down segments are its least impressive. To compensate there are mid-level bosses in its rail segments and the third level is completely brand new. Gameplay has been simplified as your shots automatically home in on enemies. It is a welcome change as the game would be a nightmare otherwise.

For as much as it has technical problems whenever they aren’t getting in the way it is possible to enjoy the game. This is an incredibly intense game, mostly for the wrong reasons, but still action heavy. The overhead segments are weak but at least someone realized it as they are brief. The real meat is in the second person view. Ducking between buildings and stalactites to return enemy fire is thrilling. The game isn’t afraid to throw a fleet of fighter jets, tanks, and massive buildings in your path simultaneously. Navigating this chaos and coming out alive produces some of its best moments. But these moments are fleeting due to the controls. There is always that damn caveat.

In Closing

This is a bad game and one best left forgotten. I can see what Sega was going for but it falls apart in the execution. With choppy graphics, laggy controls, and absurdly high difficulty I can’t imagine anyone finding any redeeming qualities in Super Thunder Blade. There is no reason to revisit this one.