Is it POSSIBLE "Lightening Force" wasn't misspelled?

[MrOldSchoolCool]

I've been looking into this and I'm thinking there's at least a chance the title was purposely spelled the way it was.

There's no overwhelming evidence that can prove it was spelled correctly, but here's some food for thought:

-The title curiously had the subtitle "Quest for the Darkstar" added to it. Could the LIGHTening have something to do with the DARK? Trying to make things lighter by destroying the darkstar? Seems like a stretch, and the "F" in force has a lightning bolt in it.
So, lightning at least had SOMETHING to do with how they wanted to market this game.

However, take a look at the definitions according to dictionary.com (based on random house dictionary)

lighten1
[lahyt-n]
Spell Syllables
verb (used without object)
1.
to become lighter or less dark; brighten:
The sky lightened after the storm.
2.
to brighten or light up, as the eyes or features:
Her face lightened when she heard the good news.
3.
to flash as or like lightning (often used impersonally with it as subject):
It thundered and lightened for hours.
4.
Archaic. to shine, gleam, or be bright:
steel blades lightening in the sun.
verb (used with object)
5.
to give light to; illuminate:
A full moon lightened the road.
6.
to brighten (the eyes, features, etc.):
A large smile lightened his face.
7.
to make lighter or less dark:
Add white to lighten the paint.
8.
Obsolete. enlighten.
9.
Obsolete. to flash or emit like lightning (usually followed by out, forth, or down):
eyes that lightened forth implacable hatred.

Pay particular attention to #s 3 and 9.
I don't know. I feel like there's at least a CHANCE they spelled it how the intended, and it's not just 100% assumed that they goofed like everybody says.
Sure, Sega of America did some stupid stuff in terms of not localizing certain games or having questionable artwork... but to flat out spell the name of a fairly big game wrong?

[MrOldSchoolCool]

I also found this on the same page. Look at #3

lighten1
/ˈlaɪtən/
verb
1.
to become or make light
2.
(intransitive) to shine; glow
3.
(intransitive) (of lightning) to flash
4.
(transitive) an archaic word for enlighten

[TransatlanticFoe]

It is definitely not how you spell "Thunder Force IV".

It does not bear speculating what was going through the mind of whomever decided on the title change. Here in PAL land we got it as Thunder Force IV... and we got II but not III (although III works and the cart seems to contain a PAL optimised version).

[egg_sanwich]

It's possible it was intentional, but it doesn't make it less awkward.

[bigbadboaz]

Whatever convoluted intentions they may have had, it required absolutely zero foresight to understand that anyone seeing the box would assume they couldn't fucking spell.

[Jeneki]

Enlightening Force: when playing the game takes your mind to a higher level of consciousness; a zen like state where bullets merely flow around you.

[MommysBestGames]

Is it bad that my favorite game ever has a stupid title?
Yeah, pretty bad.

I guess it's along the lines of how weird it is to speak to other grown men who play games and we talk about how we play games on our "Wii". Still a really terrible name. But the Wii had some good games on it, so there we go.

I do like that you looked into this though, MrOldSchoolCool.
I get that #3 is a real definition, but it's also awful.
The truth is, whoever thought *that* was a good word to invent.. they're the one's that screwed up for all of us in the US!
If they hadn't picked a word so close to lightning.. maybe my dreamiest game wouldn't sound so dumb.

[Shepardus]

[Kiken]

It is definitely not how you spell "Thunder Force IV".

It does not bear speculating what was going through the mind of whomever decided on the title change. Here in PAL land we got it as Thunder Force IV... and we got II but not III (although III works and the cart seems to contain a PAL optimised version).

Actually, there is an official PAL release of TFIII. It was only distributed in Germany and had a stupid low print run. No doubt easier to stick with either of the NTSC releases as they're both pretty common games.

[MrOldSchoolCool]

I understand how stupid Sega of America is for spelling it the way they did, but we've all angrily heard and said this a million times before. I wanted to try to take a look at what they might have possibly been thinking.

Also, I hope it doesn't ruin people's enjoyment of the game. The issue was the marketing team in the US, not the developers who actually made the game. I would be really curious to see what they think about the US title of the game.

[BIL]

Regarding the name change itself - given the foot-shooting stupidity of abandoned brand recognition, I almost wonder if it was a legal issue (ala StarFox using the same title in US, but Lylat Wars in Europe).

https://i.imgur.com/oaKC1CA.png?1

Actually, never mind. Irem did this.

[TransatlanticFoe]

It is definitely not how you spell "Thunder Force IV".

It does not bear speculating what was going through the mind of whomever decided on the title change. Here in PAL land we got it as Thunder Force IV... and we got II but not III (although III works and the cart seems to contain a PAL optimised version).

Actually, there is an official PAL release of TFIII. It was only distributed in Germany and had a stupid low print run. No doubt easier to stick with either of the NTSC releases as they're both pretty common games.

I've not seen any evidence it's anything but the Genesis release (same packaging and all) that was redistributed officially in Germany though. The PAL style artwork you can find online is confirmed as a reproduction.

[Deadliar]

i.imgur.com/oaKC1CA.png

Finally TF6's final boss has an explanation.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I recall seeing a lone used copy of the Genesis game of Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar at my local Kay-Bee-Toys (when they were still in business back in those days) at the used games bargain bin located at the front of the store back in February of 2000 and bought it along with a new Sega Genesis 3 console (this particular Genesis console variant was made/distributed/sold by Majesco themselves). That very same day, went down to another local used video game shop called Video Game Swappers and bought a used Genesis Arcade Power Stick (the one with the three push buttons scheme) so I could play it properly with an arcade stick. Years later, got a free Japanese Mega Drive version of Thunder Force IV and like how cool the artwork and stylized fonts used for the actual title itself. It's nice to be able to play either version indeed.

It's, obviously, an spelling error on Sega of America's marketing division with the Genesis NTSC release of Lightening Force. This simple misspelling doesn't detract from the awesome game play & game mechanics featured in it though + having a proper arcade stick to play either version of TF IV or LF:QftD is priceless.

Eventually, I managed to snag a JPN MD complete set of Thunder Force III and a barebones Genesis cart of Thunder Force II to add to my Genesis/MD shmup collection.

Regarding the name change itself - given the foot-shooting stupidity of abandoned brand recognition, I almost wonder if it was a legal issue (ala StarFox using the same title in US, but Lylat Wars in Europe).

https://i.imgur.com/oaKC1CA.png?1

Actually, never mind. Irem did this.

This same of logic of name changes of Air Buster/Aero Blasters for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and the NEC PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 consoles respectively was a legal issue that was present for both the JPN and USA video game console releases indeed. Same STG game but with two different game titles for sale/distribution nevertheless.

Same could be said with Taito's Ray Force/Galactic Attack (actual title used for the US region Sega Saturn console platform)/Layer Section/Gun Lock and with it's sequel of Layer Section II/Ray Storm as well. Sure, the Taito FX-1B powered arcade pcb was released under the Ray Storm moniker whereas on the Japanese SS platform, it was under the name of Layer Section II.

Factoid time: American game publisher, Working Designs, originally wanted the exclusive rights to publish Taito's Ray Force for the American region PSX gaming console but was beaten to the punch by Sega of America themselves by a mere few weeks for the American region Sega Saturn platform. So upon WD learning that Taito was considering doing a Ray Storm port on the PSX, WD got the exclusive rights to publish/distribute/sell RS in North America back in 1997 under it's new game division label, Spaz. Of course, that didn't stop copies of Layer Section II from being sold on the game shelves of Electronics Boutique amongst other SS shmup titles being sold as well to the tune of $79.99 USD each (when they used to sell new Japanese Saturn game import titles alongside with the obligatory SS ST-Key carts to be able to play 'em properly on an USA region Saturn console back in the mid-1990s). Strange but true.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[FRO]

I've been streaming Lightening Force the last couple weeks, and posited the same question myself. When you get the Thunder Sword, use of that weapon does "lighten" the sky, does it not? and copious use of it would make you a "lightening force" to be reckoned with. It could as easily be Engrish, as Techno Soft could have translated it themselves, but I've wondered if Sega changed it because Techno Soft published III in the US by themselves, after Sega published II, so it could be that Sega picked up IV to publish in the West, but Techno Soft still had rights to the name, so they changed it to Lightening Force. This is all conjecture, though; I don't have any documentation to back it up. But it makes for an interesting hypothesis.

[eebrozgi]

We live in the timeline of "Deathtiny"

[louisg]

I've been streaming Lightening Force the last couple weeks, and posited the same question myself. When you get the Thunder Sword, use of that weapon does "lighten" the sky, does it not? and copious use of it would make you a "lightening force" to be reckoned with. It could as easily be Engrish, as Techno Soft could have translated it themselves, but I've wondered if Sega changed it because Techno Soft published III in the US by themselves, after Sega published II, so it could be that Sega picked up IV to publish in the West, but Techno Soft still had rights to the name, so they changed it to Lightening Force. This is all conjecture, though; I don't have any documentation to back it up. But it makes for an interesting hypothesis.

It does seem weirdly like Technosoft vs. Tecnosoft, too!

[professor ganson]

I think the phrase "lightening force" makes a bit more sense than "lightning force." A lightening force is something (like the sun or bleach) with the power of lightening. What is a lightning force?

[Sumez]

What is a thunder force?

[louisg]

What is a thunder force?

It's \m/

[LSU]

Fox Force V ..?

[Ixmucane2]

Lighting Force: Attack of the Lamp Squadron.

Seriously, English spelling is as important to Showa game developers as neckties are to sheep.

[DMC]

Thread title reads like a rhetorical question from Ancient Aliens, so I am slightly disappointed with the lack of conspiracy theories here.

[gray117]

It's possible it was intentional, but it doesn't make it less awkward.

If Sega of Japan had renamed it sure - potentially intentional like they looked up the words/atmosphere they wanted and arrived at lightening. And I can imagine that perhaps there were some alternative titles around at some time.

But, the fact is that it was Sega of America that ultimately chose the alternative title. Now, whether they created it, or simply received it as an alternative - they fcked up...

You might see how someone thought they were going bigger/grander with the title as lighting force blah blah, and/or hoped to distance it from the other titles in the series - either for a fresh start or because back then people didn't necessarily feel good about sequels being more of the same (honestly that was a thing back then - probably until Final Fantasy 7 proved that to be invalid) ... In any case, it would not have been Sega of America's intention to have purposefully introduced a potential bit of awkwardness...

What's really interesting imho is what happened at Europe.... normally if America did a change, Europe followed their lead - cover art, title, etc... Did someone at Europe notice the mistake and stay quiet? Or did America catch it but it was too late, and advised Europe to stick with the Japanese cover art and title? More attention was given to the PAL release than normal, the fact that Europe stuck with the Thunder Force title and Japan key art won't have just been just convenience...

... Awkward, but it is kind of fun too; as one of those curios from a certain point in time.

[Despatche]

They tried to change the name because they correctly realized that lightning is better than thunder, seemingly ran into copyright issues, and decided to do something stupid. Fun's over, folks.

[evil_ash_xero]

I was always pissed off, because I didn't know there even was a sequel to III. That was one of my favorite Gen shmups. If I had heard that a Thunder Force IV was out, I would have taken notice. Instead, this title probably just slipped by, and I didn't play it until it came out on Saturn.

[xxx128]

Maybe they had a severe case of Samurai SHO-down.

[Deadliar]

Thread title reads like a rhetorical question from Ancient Aliens, so I am slightly disappointed with the lack of conspiracy theories here.

Gaia Seed is Metal Black 2