Thunder Zone (Desert Assault) effectively co-op only?

[Obiwanshinobi]

Unlike Data East's graphically modest implementations of pretty cool gameplay ideas (Boogie Wings, Chelnov, Wolf Fang), Thunder Zone mounts quite a sensory assault upon beholder, arcade style. The carnage and demolition going on here can be compared to Irem's Geo Storm released 3 years later, but I can't think of another 1991 run & gun this slick (gotta appreciate the animations). How cool is that? No idea as I didn't get to play it in co-op mode. Does anybody even bother playing it alone? To me it feels like a quarter muncher. There seems to be no proper 1 player run footage on YouTube. I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth playing this way.

[Domino]

Play Thunder Zone (JP) and not Desert Assault. At least with Thunder Zone you have a bonus game which gives you extra bombs. You can beat Desert Assault without the bonus game I found it to be harder than the JP Thunder Zone.

[Ed Oscuro]

Unlike Data East's graphically modest implementations of pretty cool gameplay ideas (Boogie Wings, Chelnov, Wolf Fang)

Boogie Wings, Wolf Fang, Dragon Gun and Nitro Ball are all more or less from the same generation of Data East games (1990-1994, mainly Rohga or DECO32 hardware), which I found to be the pinnacle of their productions, artistically. Nice art style, and some great use of psuedo-3D like in Dragon Gun and Edward Randy. Not much in the way of other raster effects though. Still, they always seemed well beyond "modest" to me, graphically. Chelnov is part of the Karnov, Robocop (1), and Heavy Barrel generation of games from the late 80s (but Chelnov was re-released with much spiffier graphics on the Mega Drive / Genesis around the time of the Boogie Wings generation of arcade games). Speaking of graphically modest implementations of pretty cool gameplay ideas, let's not forget Midnight Resistance (coming about midway between Chelnov and Joe & Mac). I ought to play through Desert Assault again sometime, but I feel I still will prefer Nitro Ball by far.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Oh, I like the art of the ones I mentioned, but they lack this je ne sais quoi that makes, say, R-Type's graphics still so mind-blowing this many years down the line. In Flying Shark, Raiden and Assault (not even a pretty game) you have those detailed explosions and demolition of stuff. In Ninja Spirit/Saigo no Nindou you have not only great artistic direction and music, but also the fabulously detailed backdrops. Those funky Data East games fall a bit plain in comparison. (That being said, i like the Chelonv's animation.)
Thunder Zone, on the other hand, sports the presentation second to none around that time (as far as I can tell) - arcade bang and whizz you couldn't get at home - but seems to be a case of "style over substance". Which is a disappointment coming from Data East.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Accidentally a write up on Data East run & guns appeared on HCG101 the other day.