[Coury] Amazing video for an amazing game. Believe me, I see all that precise keyframing on the sprites and absolutely feel your pain. Masterfully done - the definitive video on this game.

Something modern gamers and modern game devs need to learn Complex game-play doesn't always mean better game-play

Not only is it one of the greatest 16 bit shoot 'em ups of all time but technosoft were actually one of the few companies who cared enough about their games to make sure it was optimised to run in 50hz in europe. Great video man.

PAUSE , UP , RIGHT , A , DOWN , RIGHT , A , C , LEFT , UP , B , UP..... that was the cheat to get FULL weapons!

Thunder Force IV, holy hell what a game. Imo the best 16-bit shooter, with Musha, Raiden II and perhaps R-Type 3 and Space Megaforce standing tall beside it. This is seriously (for lack of better words) the coolest hardcore game I think I've ever played. Something about the color palette and the sprite art style combined with metal soundtrack is just so damn menacing that 3D graphics just don't measure up. It pains me to never see this achievement on "Top Ten Genesis lists" or greatest of all time lists, everything from the games music, graphics, and frenetic gripping gameplay scream all time classic. So many Gen games never get the attention they deserve. Thanks for giving it some!

Technosoft were incredible! This still looks/sounds and plays better than games years after on more powerful systems. 👍

I first played TF4 on my model 1 Genesis back in the day, and I remember a friend of mine told me I was supposed to play it using earphones, because I would be stunned when I listened to its music. I was dumbfounded, I could not believe the Genesis was able to pull that off! But, better yet, the stage designs, the graphics and sound effects were the best I had ever seen in a shmup. I am a shmup fan, I have played a plethora of games of this genre - even the overrated Axelay, and none ever had the same impact on me as TF4. Even the 3D Thunder Force games pale in comparison.

I love how everyone just unanimously agrees that this game is absolute gold.

Thunder Force IV is the best ... I remember how challenging it was to finish it on Maniac difficulty when i played it on my Mega drive back in 1994 .. good times

The production quality in this video is actually astounding. There are youtube channels with millions of views that can't touch this level of editing!

I remember seeing it for sale at a software etc. back in 92 and I couldn't believe it had been released. The Genesis just has something special about it and this game was a big reason for it. The developers put a lot into this game and it shows, wow. I sometimes wish for the simpler and in some ways better gaming era of the 90s. I'll never forget that great era.

This game inspired my young self in so many ways. Without Thunder Force IV I wouldn't have gotten into metal. Without Thunder Force IV I wouldn't have gotten into anime. Without Thunder Force IV I wouldn't be who I am today. It truly is art to last the ages.

Brilliant episode! Really insightful, fun to watch and very well produced! Especially all the differences between the various difficulty modes was awesome! Till 6 minutes in, I was like.. when is sonic going to get a lift from the Rynex.. haha (which you teased on twitter a while ago!). Again amazing work!

Man excellent video production! I wanna get to this level some day to be honest heh! TFIV is honestly the best of its kind, no question.

Amazing video! A worthy tribute to the finest 16 Bit shooter. I remember buying it back in 1992 and being blown away by it when I played for the first time. Still play it over 20 years later.

Probably the best video editing I've seen on a retro game KZfaq video.

WHen I WAS a lad, I used to paint the covers of the genesis boxes (my console was MEGA DRIVE II). Thunder Force was no expection, as I was fed up with trying to beat the game on maniac mode (always dead until the sea levels after obtaining the thunder sword). 30 years later I still recall the magical BGM that blew my mind and formed my taste towards heavy blasting beats and synth ^^ . Great video, well established and presented, much better than other channels!

Hands down the best. So well designed, they even took advantage of the lag in the gameplay. Paralex Scrolling was fantastic & so many beautiful layers. The sound was so much better then Thunder Force Gold on Saturn.

Just found your channel a couple days ago. I share your passion, Thunder Force always had a large place in my childhood and I'm often playing it again, specially TF3 and TF4. Beatifully done!

The best video review I've seen about one of my favourite all-time shmup. Thumbs up!

I have just bought Thunderforce IV and discovered your amazing channel while searching for content related to this monumental shmup. Keep up the excellent work! 🤟

Man I couldn't agree more. The shmup (or shooter, as we called it then) was my favorite genre as a kid. I had an SNES, but my best friend had a Genesis, and we played as many shmups as we could get our hands on. Thunder Force III was one of our favorites, and like you said in the video, we had no idea Lightening Force was the sequel. I think we must've missed that issue of EGM or something. I didn't get to play TFIV until late in the 90s with a Genesis emulator, and I was blown away. My opinion of best 16-bit shmup instantly switched from Axelay to Thunder Force IV, and I just don't see how anyone could argue any different. TFIV is such a tour de force. Perhaps if Axelay had two more super creative stages and weapons, but as it is, TFIV is just the best there is.

I like your video so much that I use to see it every time I'm playing this fantastic game!

This is a great review! You can tell so much effort has gone into this. Keep up the good work :)

Fuck yeah!, the best shooter of 16bit era.

I'm glad you're making videos again!

A great video covering a masterpiece - the metal soundtrack covers sound amazing, thanks for making this - awesome content.

Wow this was so well done, amazing job.

Blimey this brings back good memories, took me ages but I finished it. One of the best games I ever played......soo much fun! Great video guys!

If you guys are fans of Thunder Force IV, sincerely look into Devil Engine (2019) It's fucking amazing, and the devs made it as a loveletter to Thunder Force.

I'm currently developing a homebrew shmup for the NES, and I have to admit this game has influenced me to a great extent.

This was fantastic, nice work!

You tell me that intro doesn't want to make you smash things.....Unbelievable game.

Nicely made video, really pleasant to see all the effort you've put into editing and detoured sprites of the game.

I am not a fan of this game, but the amount of effort put into the making of this video - is beyond staggering. It definitely took me by surprise. Respect.

ThunderForce IV is fucking metal, absolute. One of my favourite games ever with a mind blowing OST.

Definitely want to play this game. BTW awesome hair! lol Great soundtrack to match the gameplay.

Great review , I love the Thunder Force series.

Great work, can't wait for the next one!

My favourite game ever. This video reminded me it took me quite a few attempts to beat that Daser boss.

Great work, congratulations!

Great video! This game looks really fun! Never played it myself though!

Love the review! Thank you for making such a great video!!!!

Bloody brilliant. Well worth the wait, friend!!

I was thinking about making a video review of this game then I saw this and knew there was zero point. Incredible work man! KZfaq did me VERY well today. The transition at 7:54. How in the hell haha

great review with tons of trivia i have not known subbed keep up the awesome work

Just found your channel, this is my first watch here. Amazing vid. Subbed!!

I just discovered this channel and holy shit is it good! Amazing editing and content.

Super awesome video about my fav shooter ever! Kudos, it was very well crafted and deep! You have a new follower indeed!

I frickin love this show. Please keep on !

I really learned a lot from this video. The effects are top-notch as always. The variety is excellent! If you ever need a Shmup metal cover.. hit me up. Darius Twin Stage 1 may or may not be on my list.

Nice review! Very impressive production values and great green-screen effects. I need to aspire to this kind of video quality! I love thunder force IV, such a nice looking game.

Superb production! Just finished TFIV on normal mode the first time some days ago - after fearing it for 25 years ^^' The Desert Boss is definitly the worst! Props for making it through that maniac mode and thanks for the great vid. By the way: in 50hz it runs slower but with less slowdowns than in fast 60hz. Even checked a japanese version in comparism to be sure.

Loved this game back in the day.

Awesome video!

Arguably my favourite game of all time, this one...

Still the best Thunder Force video out there

There is also 'Shield' power up in Ruin stage ! It hidden on the top ruin part ! Take 'snake' gun and shoot constantly close the top part of the stage and you will find it there even before fighting the pre-boss robot with gun ! 🤘🤩 Hope it helped )

Great video really enjoyed thanks! Huge shoot-em-up fan and this is one of my faves. I'm not the greatest at them by any means so this game kicks my arse lol

Wow - nicely done. Subbed!

Holy shit this is some amazing editing

Fantastic look at an amazing game!

The sound and music on this game are UNREAL. A complete masterpiece.

Great vid, subbed!

Great review man. Subscribed! I play TFIV on my Thunder Force Gold Pack 2 for my Saturn. Best way to play the game in my opinion. No lag, nor any interruptions in the background music, at all. 😎👍

Oh my god! The KZfaq algorithm has magic powers. I'm just finishing producing a cover from the credits songs that I will release tomorrow and your video showed up in my feed. Great info and entertainment video.

It is sad that modern Shmups more into bullet hell than "adventure" Shmups like this one. More over, the 6th really killed this series fo real x_x

How people perceive the final boss is a good barometer for how much they paid attention to the story. *YOU* are the final boss, they're scared and running for their lives, while you exact revenge set to one of the heaviest 16 bit songs ever.

your videos really really rock!

Ok,so i was really guilty of overlooking this game despite the fanbase,i had it briefly in a bundle of gen shmups and it left in another trade years back.Anyway i watched this video cause i thought man what a bold statement the title was,long story short,i bought on switch yesterday and just finished what has catapulted into maybe my top 10 of all time,amazing level design,cool enemies and as you learn the game you really start feeling like a badass once your efficent w weapons.Just a masterpiece and i owe you a huge Thank You!!Oh and that music is epic as hell

Thunder force is truly the greatest game in gaming history even touhou fans bow to this game’s amazing soundtrack and gameplay

Agree! Moves well and graphics are great...

Such a great review. I started playing this one last night on the normal difficulty. I wiped out shamefully at the stage 7 boss. Much practice will be needed.

Great shmup indeed. This is one of my favorites for the Genesis/Mega Drive and one of my favorite 4th generation shmups, along with Gradius III, Space Megaforce and Blazing Lazers. And it has the best soundtrack I've heard on Genesis!

Dope editing! I subbed!

I often say that Thunder Force IV is the best horizontal shooter of the 16-bit era while Super Aleste is the best vertical one but of course there are plenty of other great ones e.g. Thunder Force III, Lords of Thunder, R-Type III, Eliminate Down or the oldskool classic Slap Fight MD! Anyway great video mate, enjoyed it a lot, especially (since I already know most details about this game) the last part versus Fomalhaut (Daser boss) ;> Thunder Force IV is just amazing. Fantastic pixel art and music, superb gameplay with interesting boss fights and is an overall incredible achievement considering the relative small size - 8 meg - of the cartridge, pure Tecno Soft wizardry! Respect.

Still my favourite shumup ever!!!

Cool video dude!🙂👍

Bosses adapted to your ship. Whenever you reached the Desert boss with a full weapons loadout, the guy became pretty unplayable. Same can be said from the Sentinel. Glorious

Very good job overall, the clearing as well as this video.

I still have this in my collection, the track on stage 8 is the best.

Great stuff!

Thunder force is a game i grew up with My blood is napalm, my heart beats with a power of a V8, my hands - THE CLAWS of THUNDA

How do you not have more subscribers? Your channel is incredible!

OK man, I finally got to sit down to my TV to watch this thing, cuz I was holding out...... Dude, you gotta make more videos. The animations and visual effects were out of this world! Really love what you did with the bosses at the end. Man, this video makes me want to pop it in right now! I also loved the little history lesson at the beginning. I have both Lightening Force and the PAL version of TF IV, but didn't really know if there were any differences or not. I can't believe how much the PAL version is going for. I bought it for $8 about eight years ago. Killer video, man! I hope we don't hafta wait too long for the next one. I'll check out your 1CC run here, soon.

Killer vid.

Agreed. I think it's my favorite SHMUP period.

The framemeister really does wonders

My dad re married 17 years ago and I gained a 12 year old step brother, I lent him my Megadrive along with this game, TMNT hyperstone heist, SOR 2, Road Rash 2, Robocop V Terminator and a few other classics, a year later he somehow "lost them" I'm still waiting for my dad to repay me and they aren't getting any cheaper.

The Lightening Force font looks from a medieval-themed beat 'm up from 1989. On the other hand, I never had a Sega Mega Drive so I would've been happy with any of the versions (and a console). Fortunately I can play it now on The Sega Mega Drive Mini and I can use save states BUT only for recording my highscores. If you cannot pass the first four levels (on normal), beating highscores makes the game even more fun.

hands down!

That Sonic animation was GREAT!

LOVE this game. A masterpiece.

Thunderforce IV is really something special. Graphics and Music are obviously mind blowing but what I liked most about the game is the gameplay. The game is freaking hard if you play it on Maniac, but there is not a single situation in the whole game in which it is unavoidable to get hit. But despite the fact that I played this game like a maniac for 4 years I still managed it only 1 time to beat this game on Maniac without losing a single life.

This was seriously well done, please do one on MUSHA next!! Those 2 are by far the best 16 bit shmups

Going to give you a big tip on both your trouble boss, Fomalhaut, and the rest of the game. For Fomalhaut, aim for the "Bib" under the head, if you focus enough firepower with Blade on it quick enough, you can blow the shield off and force it to respawn a new shield which you can instantly refocus again and blow the bib off completely before it can start moving around making it a cakewalk the rest of the fight. As for a tip for the rest of the game there's two types of damages, ineffective damage and effective damage. You can tell when you're doing ineffective damage when your explosions from twin shot are blue. When the explosions are red you're dealing effective damage and you're hitting the weak point. Play around with bosses and sprinkle them with twin shot to find the weak points and then you know what to focus on, on your next run through. Once you get the charge shot it makes bosses a joke when you're hitting their weak points directly with it. Hope this sparks you to play again and try it out.

Thanks for this.

i fuckin love this game

I think the vast majority agree that this is "the shumap"... I also think, the difficulty is well balanced and you don't need to keep using bombs to get past the bosses like in aero fighters or truxtron, the graphics are beautiful, a real tour by bosses and giant ships. Not to mention that his damage indicator is one of the best: the enemy doesn't change color, or uses life bar, in most cases the ship starts tearing and destroying the enemy in parts. It was an exquisite job to finish the series in the golden age of games.

Watching again. Nice use and recognition of the bonus music. The best one is number 9 IMO.