The Thunder Force franchise was a series of shooters on the SEGA Genesis, Saturn and later PS2 systems known for its high difficulty, iconic music, and relatively complex gameplay compared to its contemporaries. While weaving between bullets and destroying enemies, the player is expected to switch weapons and adjust ship speed while reacting to situational hazards.
RELATED: Hundreds of Sealed SNES Games Found in Storage Facility
Independent developer Terarin recently announced a new game that takes heavy inspiration from the Thunder Force series. The game, Terra Flame, is already confirmed to have eight levels and a caravan mode for competition purposes. The horizontal scrolling, weapon switching, and speed control are very similar to mechanics present in Thunder Force, but the game also includes Terarin’s signature boss defeat timers and collectible point pickups seen in previous games. Throughout the entire trailer, the Thunder Force inspiration is evident, but the added mechanics and more TurboGrafx-CD inspired music help give Terra Flame its own flair beyond being a simple clone.
The Thunder Force series itself is fondly remembered by SEGA Genesis owners, but despite this, not many attempts at a similar formula exist in the modern genre space. Innovation still exists in the genre, as demonstrated by original IPs like Jamestown+, but many of the classic series that made the genre what it is today are long dead; Konami’s Gradius has not seen a mainline release for almost twenty years, Technosoft’s Thunder Force’s last release was in 2008, and Treasure’s Radiant Silvergun is still not available on any current-gen platform.
Despite the stagnation of many classic franchises, scrolling shooters are experiencing a resurgence recently via PlatinumGames’ revival of the Cresta series and YOTSUBANE’s Crimzon Clover World EXplosion releasing to positive acclaim. Terarin’s place in the modern shooter space is already well-established with the ImageStriker series and RagingBlasters, so Terra Flame will be yet another addition to the developer’s long lineup.
Despite the comeback scrolling shooters are in the midst of, the many dead franchises appear to be staying dead, as there are not even rumors of a new Gradius or Thunder Force game. While a stagnant franchise may frustrate fans, it also highlights the important role independent developers have in keeping niche genres alive through new and innovative games.
Terra Flame will release on Steam in July 2022.
MORE: Sonic Team Should Bring Back NiGHTS and Billy Hatcher
