We store cookies, you can get more info from our privacy policy.

Virtual Console Mondays: October 15 and October 22, 2007

Gate of Thunder

by Brendan Gallagher - October 27, 2007, 12:28 pm EDT

Click here for a video preview

Originally released in the U.S. as a pack-in for the launch of the Turbo Duo, Gate of Thunder is an above average side-scrolling shooter with excellent production values. You play as a Hawk, the pilot of Hunting Dog, a police space ship. A supply ship drops in periodically to deliver power ups and weapons upgrades for Hawk. Having great graphics for its time, Gate of Thunder takes the player through seven levels of diverse designs, each with its own set of unique enemy ships and obstacles. The music is what really sets Gates of Thunder apart, though, with a synth-rock soundtrack sampled directly to CD.

Gates of Thunder is the first CD game from the TurboGrafx16 library, and I’m happy to report that I found no glitches or downgrades from the original, which bodes well for future VC releases from TG16 CD titles. Bookending the top-notch visuals and music production are exciting opening and ending animated sequences. (Though they are animated in a very crude sense; this was made for an 8-bit CPU, after all.) I especially like the final scene of the game and the accompanying music track as the credits begin to roll.

Gameplay is fairly standard for side-scrolling shooters, with predictable patterns of attack from the enemy ships and a few environmental obstacles thrown in. Nevertheless, the gameplay is never repetitive, and the variety of enemy attacks and boss and mini-boss encounters keeps the action exciting. Control is handled just fine using the Wii Remote in classic position. Make sure, though, not to overlook the Minus Button on the controller, which cycles through 3 speed settings of the ship. The default is a bit too sensitive for maneuvering in tight spaces. Fans of the side-scrolling shooter and aficionados of classic games will definitely find challenge in the hard and devil difficulty levels. Casual players might want to save their Wii points for later, as they may not find the value from the $8 price.

Got a news tip? Send it in!
Advertisement