Description

Thunder Blade on the Sega Master System adapts Sega’s arcade gunship showcase into a punchy, mixed-perspective shooter. Missions alternate between overhead stages and forward-view attack runs, keeping tempo high as armor convoys, gunboats, and turrets flood the screen. The helicopter’s loadout focuses on cannons and rockets, with careful altitude shifts and lane positioning crucial during scaling “into-the-screen” sections. Stage layouts favor snap reactions and route memory, culminating in screen-filling bosses that push weapon timing and safe zones. Visuals emphasize chunky vehicles and explosive feedback, while the soundtrack sells a militarized, late-’80s arcade mood. Short, demanding, and built for replays, Thunder Blade delivers a compact, varied shooter loop that showcases the Master System’s taste for big-ticket arcade conversions.