Does anybody remember a shoot'em'up like this one? (name?)

[Rising_Phoenix]

Hello,

Many years ago I used to play a shoot'em'up that despite my efforts I have been unable to locate. I would like to know if anybody knows the game's name. I will describe it as follows:

The game is a standard shoot'em'up for one or two players. Vertical scroller, one of it's features I remember are the power-ups: when an enemy drops a power-up, it would show a number from 1 to 4 (rotating among them), and each number being a different weapon. If I recall correctly, 2 was a flamer, for example.

I used to play the game as a kid so I am certain it is pre-2000s and remember the player vehicles as being aerial ones, red/blue (do not remember which was P1/P2 and which vehicles to be exact, apologies).

I would sincerely appretiate it if somebody does remember the name of the game.

My regards.

[Herr Schatten]

It would be helpful if you could give us a hint, which system you played this on. Was it in the arcade, on a console, or on a home computer?

The numbered weapons make it sound like it could be something from Compile, but they usually have way more than 4 different weapons..

[Rising_Phoenix]

Hello, thank you for replying:

It was an arcade machine, I would say the graphics go in line with 16-bit moreso than 8-bit, but my memory is vague on this point.

The number of powerups was however 1-2-3-4, that part I do remember clearly. I may also add one of those powerups shot lasers diagonaly.

[Hagane]

Looking through MAME with psikyo_ball we found a Comad game called Air Attack that seems to be very similar to what you mention.

But considering that Comad rips off other games in every one of their titles it may be "based" on a previous game. Anyways check it out and see if it's the one you are looking for.

EDIT: indeed, seems like the game you are looking for is Thunder Dragon, Air Attack is a rip off of that game.

[mjclark]

Blazing Lazers?
Behold the numbered powerups:

[stryc9]

Blazing Lazers?

I didn't think Blazing Lazers was for arcade.

[mjclark]

Blazing Lazers?

I didn't think Blazing Lazers was for arcade.

Doh! You're right, it's PC-E only innit?

[Mortificator]

Kind of. MAMEdev says "In 1989 United Amusement (a large operator of arcades in the US at that time) developed a JAMMA interface for the PC-Engine with NEC's blessing. NEC pulled funding for the project before mass production began, and it never took off." Blazing Lazers is one of the titles listed for it, so there was probably a short window where the OP could indeed have seen that game in an arcade.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It was back in early 1990, that a local arcade joint had gotten in a TurboGrafx-16 Jamma conversion kit (sold by United Amusement) with Blazing Lazers up & running enclosed in a Dynamo upright cab setup. I know since I played it a few times myself. So yes, it was released in the USA for arcade distros as a small production run (despite the wrong info listed above from Mamedev).

For more info on this rare TG-16 Jamma PCB, check out the February 1990 issue of Video Games & Computer Entertainment. The odd thing about this arcade hardware setup was, you'd only get to play for a limited amount of time before the game freezes up & insert another quarter to continue.

A typical TG-16 jamma conversion kit would come with said PCB, full sized control panel setup, the necessary wiring, and even an full sized marquee that was backlit. The color scheme was the same color motif that NEC used with it's TG-16 home gaming console for that unmistakable eye-catchy neon color fad/vibe going in the late 1980-early 1990s.

Despite what's mentioned in the VG&CE article on the "prototype" TG-16 Jamma PCB, the actual production PCBs had dual compatibility with both USA region Turbo Chip Hu-Cards & the original Japanese Hu-cards, making it a unique "super" PC Engine hardware setup without the need for a Hu-card converter setup. My guess is that NEC of Japan probably was thinking of having a production run of TG-16 Jamma PCBs sent to Japan for game center distribution as well but it was never implemented (hence it's exclusive distribution for American arcades only).

UA did produce all the necessary arcade paperworks & promotional artwork for several other Turbo Chip game releases (other than the initial game title releases planned) for arcade distribution later on in 1990. My local arcade hangout (The Game Station Arcade based out of Modesto, CA), strangely enough, was the only one to have gotten one in as I didn't see it anywhere else.

Chalk it up to another one of those cool but rarely seen, played or heard of arcade PCB platforms that fizzled out. Surely, it was an expensive joint venture between NEC of Japan & UA nevertheless. Is considered the holy grail of TG-16 gaming with it's limited foray in the arcade PCB world.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Rising_Phoenix]

Hello again, and thank you everyone for your replies.

However,

Looking through MAME with psikyo_ball we found a Comad game called Air Attack that seems to be very similar to what you mention.

But considering that Comad rips off other games in every one of their titles it may be "based" on a previous game. Anyways check it out and see if it's the one you are looking for.

EDIT: indeed, seems like the game you are looking for is Thunder Dragon, Air Attack is a rip off of that game.

my most sincere thanks. I tried to search wikipedia an only Air Attack has an article, so I conducted a search for Thunder Dragon.

I inmediately noticed this:


First off, the ships hold some resemblance to my vague memories -- but the power ups are exactly
the same.

I have searched this game for years because, not only it was my first shot'em'up -- it was also one of the first videogames I used to play as a kid.

Once again, thank you sir.