Gate of Thunder
ゲート オブ サンダー1992Gate of Thunder
ゲート オブ サンダーA science fiction shooter with seven stages and a firewall weapon.
Gate of Thunder is a science fiction shooter made by the Red Raimon group. It was the first shooter made for the Super CD-ROM² format, and it was also the first Thunder game on that format.
| RELEASED IN JAPAN | 21 February 1992 |
|---|---|
| NORTH AMERICA | 10 October 1992, as a TurboGrafx-CD title |
| DEVELOPER | Red Company's Red Raimon group |
| PUBLISHER | Hudson Soft |
| STAGES | Seven |
| VIRTUAL CONSOLE | 2007, the first CD game on the service |
You fly the Hunting Dog through seven stages, and the stages scroll without stopping until a boss appears. Colored units give you three weapons: laser, waves and earthquake. Each weapon powers up once.
Max out every weapon and an extra unit creates a firewall that destroys enemies and bullets. Two satellite options block shots. Your ally, the Wild Cat, deploys extra units such as homing missiles and a shield. You can set your speed in three levels.
Space cop Hawk pilots the Hunting Dog, while Esty flies the Wild Cat support ship. Together they must stop General Don Jingi and his Obellon armada from taking the Starlight energy source on the planet Aries.
The team had worked on the Thunder Force series at Technosoft. It left in 1991 and later formed CAProduction in 1993, and the game was shown at COMDEX in 1992.
Critics praised the graphics and the rock soundtrack. PC Engine Fan readers gave it 24.38 out of 30, ranking 31st. The PlayStation Network release followed in Japan in 2010, and some later critics found the gameplay simple.
IGN Italia calls it one of the most important PC Engine shooters. Its place in the Thunder series makes it a natural starting point for new players.
- The weapon system reminds reviewers of Thunder Force III.
- On the TurboDuo it came bundled on one disc with Bonk's Adventure.
- For its 1997 list, Electronic Gaming Monthly picked it over its sequel, because it is longer.
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