Blog:Thunder Spirits Are Go

Thunder Spirits Are Go

by CRV (talk) | Originally posted December 31, 2021

It didn't start or end on the Mega Drive/Genesis, but the Thunder Force series will forever be entwined with the legacy of Sega's 16-bit home console, widely considered among the best shooters on the system. Yet here it is on the Super Famicom/Super NES.

I'm not sure when or how I first played Thunder Spirits, whether it was an actual cartridge or through emulation. But I remember being put off by it; it just seemed like a bad port of Thunder Force III. I think others felt the same way, which is a big reason why the game has a less than sterling reputation today.

In actuality, Thunder Spirits is based on Thunder Force AC, the arcade version of Thunder Force III with a few changes made. Now that you know that, relax. It's Thunder Force, so give it a chance.

Not that there aren't any problems with the game. There's lots of slowdown, for one. Personally, I don't care for the default button placement and firing speed. (Turn on the rapid fire!) And the music and sound effects aren't as good as the Mega Drive/Genesis version's.

Let it be known: Technosoft developed Thunder Spirits themselves. They were also rumored to have done some Super Famicom pachinko games for Telenet Japan, but there is so far no evidence to suggest that is true. According to the person who runs the unofficial Thunder Force IV 25th anniversary Twitter account, someone who worked at Technosoft, Thunder Spirits was the only Super Famicom game they did, as far as said person knew.

If you can put aside its issues, Thunder Spirits still has the spirit of Thunder Force. Just sit back and enjoy, as far as we know, Technosoft's only game for any Nintendo system.

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Post updated January 1, 2022