One of the better Genesis shoot'em ups out there

I enjoyed the Thunderforce series on the Genesis. Really, I enjoyed Thunderforce III, so when I saw Lightening Force at a pawn shop years back, I thought the it had a connection with the Thunder series so I picked it up. It is actually the fourth game in the series and I would say the best despite being a lesser known title.

Lightening Force had some of the best graphics available on the Genesis. The worlds were methodically detailed and the special effects of the weapons available were incredible. The music gave it a space opera feel, much like the Gradius series on the NES and SNES. Of the all the Thunderforce games on the Genesis, Lightening Force had the most refined game play. The ship didn't feel like moving a bathtub like in Thunderforce II and it didn't feel twitchy like in Thunderforce III. Compared to the Gradius series, the weapon selection is a little sparce, but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment.

For a game that I heard next to nothing about and happen to see at a pawn shop, Lightening Force was a diamond in the rough. Anyone who loves the old school shoot'em ups of that era would be missing out if they never played this game. I am definately glad I had the good fortune to find this game well before Ebay made finding obscure games much easier.

One of the best shmups of all time!

The sequel to the stellar Thunder Force III that was unfortunately named (and mispelled) "Lightening Force" for its release in the United States.

That doesn't really change the quality of this game however. It's got some of the best graphics on the Sega Genesis and the action is fast and furious. It's also several times harder than Thunder Force III but thanks to a secret 99 lives trick anyone should be able to get through the whole game if they want to.

I can't stress enough how great this game is if you love old school side-scrolling spaceship shooters. It's not just one of the best 16-bit shmups, it's one of the best of all time.

Lightning strikes

This game was released to most of the world as Thunder Force 4. I'm not sure why they decided to call it Lightening Force in North America, and then misspell "Lightning" to boot.

The goofy title aside, Lightening Force is pure old-school shooting bliss. It's intense, tough and has excellent music (although the music isn't nearly as good as Thunder Force 3's). It's also one of the best-looking shooters on the Genesis/Mega Drive.

This is one of the definitive shooters of the 16-bit era. Highly recommended.

Lightening Force/Thunder Force 4

This game is an absolute must for any Sega Genesis/Megadrive fan, especially those of the shmup genre. Lightening Force, or Thunder Force 4 for those outside the USA, is a game in which your lone space craft outfitted with various 'switch on the fly' weaponry takes on a seemingly endless horde of enemies. This game is one that helped define the fast paced horizontal variety of shmup in the 90's, and alongside it's predecessors form a trio of historic home console arcade perfection.

Nicest Space Ship shooter on the Genesis

If you want to play a Space ship shooter on the genesis, then the first game you must play is Lightening Force. It is the culmination of all Space ship shooters on the Genesis. The graphics are top notch, very well detailed with vibrant colors, the music is amazing (especially the intro music,) and the gameplay is tight. An amazing shooter, a must buy for any Genesis owner.