Playing very much like the highly regarded Thunderforce IV, Gate of Thunder represented a turning point for the PC Engine/TG-16 CD-ROM format. So long the recipient of sub-par ports and lackluster titles, the system was given a much-needed shot in the arm with this stunning shooter. Hudson and NEC promoted the game heavily when it was published in the US, bundling it with the hardware and famously declaring that Sega was ‘running scared’ because such quality games were starting to appear on a rival CD-based machine.
After sitting through the fantastic animated introduction sequence you’re thrust into one of the most intense and enjoyable blasters ever produced for NEC’s console, or any other machine for that matter. The graphics are nothing short of breathtaking; at times they even eclipse those found in Thunderforce IV (arguably the benchmark for visual splendor on the Megadrive/Genesis) and often surpassing the best the SNES has to offer (this is from what is essentially an 8-bit console, remember!)
The gameplay is fairly standard stuff – there’s nothing here that will shock or surprise veterans of the genre – but it’s the way everything to put together that truly impresses. Not a second of screen time is wasted – every encounter is challenging and demanding whilst retaining an element of fairness. You never blame the game for your mess-ups. The weapon system is balanced perfectly, too.
Add to this a fantastic hard rock soundtrack, some brilliant boss designs and loads of top-quality cut scenes and you have a shooter that is quite simply essential. Lords of Thunder (AKA: Winds of Thunder) was released soon after and is seen as the semi-sequel to GoT, even though it has a completely different setting. Debate still rages as to which is the best out of the two, but for the time being at least you can discover why people make so much fuss about this superlative title. Highly recommended.
1. KeeperBvK
22 Sep 2007, 00:01 GMT
Yay, great news. Now it's time to announce Winds of Thunder and I'd be happy. ^^
2. michinmuri
26 Sep 2007, 20:43 GMT
very very good shooter. right up there with blazing lazers, the star soldier bunch, and r-type. I'm glad they're bringing in the cd and super cd games. these games will show people who didn't get the turbo/duo back iu nthe day what they were missing, and also what the duo could have done to the market had they marketed it better/had better prices. alos, just wait for the sequel, Lords of Thunder. That game is mind blowing, especially the music. I can't wait to play all of the old games again.
3. Ashdude
08 Oct 2007, 06:55 GMT
I can remember back in the day, I found it hard to believe that the TG-16 could run a shooter that could compete with the likes of Thunder Force III or Gaiares. But not only did Gate of Thunder take them on, it stomped them in the dirt! Out of all of the 16-bit shooters, Gate of Thunder is only topped by its own sequel, Lords of Thunder!
4. Delay
11 Oct 2007, 13:48 GMT
I wonder if the bonus games (Bonk 1 and 2, Bomberman) will be included...
5. Odonadon
12 Oct 2007, 20:27 GMT
Gate of Thunder is one of the best shooters - period. For any system. I prefer it to Lords of Thunder/Winds of Thunder any day of the week. The music will blow you away. It's important for those who don't know, that the music playing in the video clip is actual in-game music.
6. Mii be you
12 Oct 2007, 22:36 GMT
Hudson announced that this game will come out this monday.
7. morphballer
14 Oct 2007, 00:21 GMT
SOLD!! I've got 800 points ready to go on monday for my first TG-16 purchase EVER!
8. Delay
14 Oct 2007, 17:43 GMT
Great,
if it does, can somebody tell me if the bonus games (Bonk 1 and 2, Bomberman) of the original (cd) were included?
9. Drake
14 Oct 2007, 19:16 GMT
Ha, obviously they're not going to include three free games with it, are they? I'm pretty sure GoT got an individual release later as well (Maybe not in all regions), this is probably just that version.
10. michinmuri
15 Oct 2007, 14:16 GMT
Awesome! It's downloaded today. If you like a shooter, don't pass it up. This game is worth posting twice about. Just wait til they bust out Y's I + II. I'll never shut up.
11. Sentay
15 Oct 2007, 15:54 GMT
Wow looks fun, but I wonder if like next week we will have Lords Of Thunder?
12. aaron
15 Oct 2007, 16:05 GMT
OMG - I had no idea they were going to release the CD games (I hoped and prayed!) Now lets just hope that Ys will come soon!
13. Delay
15 Oct 2007, 17:27 GMT
Has it the standard shooter rule (One hit and all powerups are wasted)?
14. Tennant
15 Oct 2007, 18:33 GMT
I'm downloading it for the music alone.
15. Adamant
15 Oct 2007, 20:20 GMT
So the bonus games are not included, or what?
Eh, 5 stars anyway. Now to get my Wii online.
16. geoff
17 Oct 2007, 09:54 GMT
do you have to restart a section when you die or do you just jump back into the action with a new ship instantaneously?
17. Dazza
17 Oct 2007, 11:30 GMT
Geoff - you respawn rather than restarting a section.
18. Delay
17 Oct 2007, 18:56 GMT
But do you lose every item while respawning?
19. E-dawg
19 Oct 2007, 09:38 GMT
Is this game hard?
20. morphballer
19 Oct 2007, 21:30 GMT
I wouldn't say that its Lost Levels or Ninja Gaiden hard but you're not going to beat the game in one sitting.
21. Mii be you
23 Oct 2007, 21:56 GMT
Should my brother and I prefer this over Super Metroid?
22. Dazza
24 Oct 2007, 00:58 GMT
I dunno, should you? lol
23. Mii be you
26 Oct 2007, 18:31 GMT
That wasn't the response that I was hoping for, Daz.
24. Mii be you
31 Oct 2007, 21:44 GMT
It doesn't matter anyway because I got Super Metroid. I'll get another Wii points card. And if I get yet another, I'll get this, along with Sin and Punishment.
25. adamtallguy
03 Nov 2007, 15:38 GMT
Downloaded this great game friday sure is good fun like the cd music.On the intro theirs part of the music that sounds like Afterburner the arcade game.Sure is hard as nails too.
26. Hilanderous
04 Nov 2007, 22:50 GMT
I heard the music was compressed for the virtual console. Is it noticeable?
27. antster1983
05 Nov 2007, 10:23 GMT
Not really. Still sounds brilliant though! ^.^;;
28. Hilanderous
06 Nov 2007, 05:39 GMT
AWESOME! Then I'm glad CD games are making it to the VC.
29. starlac
06 Nov 2007, 16:55 GMT
@ Sense
If you die you lose your drones, seeker missiles and whatever weapon system you had equipped at the time, though if lasers are equipped when you die they revert to lv.1 power (of 3). However any other unequipped weapons you have when you die are unaffected.
I’ve so far found this to be a great, hectic game so far; hard and fair at the same time. I’ll have to spent more time with it to review it, but one thing is sure, I'm definitely going to be having fun with this one.
30. Jiggy37
01 Dec 2007, 22:32 GMT
One of only two VC shooters I've actually been able to beat (the other being Super Star Soldier), and certainly my favorite horizontal shooter to date on Virtual Console--or anywhere else, for that matter, but I haven't played too many horizontal shooters.
It's a bit of a shame that the sound effects completely overpower the otherwise-awesome music, but the weapon-switching mechanic makes this one very enjoyable game.
31. Mike
02 Dec 2007, 12:25 GMT
Looks like this will be my first TG-16 game. looking forward to playing it for the first time ^^
32. Shortshire
16 Dec 2007, 23:27 GMT
It looks awesome, I'm just in awe, nothing more to say.
33. snabald
10 Jan 2008, 16:27 GMT
Great shooter, a lot like Thunder Force IV, I am aggravated by the low volume of the music though, the pumping arcade-like soundtrack really added a lot to this game back in the day, but you can't even hear it on the VC version, I remember it being much louder.
Maybe they can release a fix for it or an updated version with louder music.
34. DEMON212
21 Jan 2008, 02:27 GMT
Best SHMUP on the VC by a mile (To date).
35. jammy_uk
23 Jan 2008, 13:34 GMT
I have to agree with DEMON above. Probably the best shmup available on the VC at the moment. Excellent graphics and audio. Difficulty is pitched just about right too.
36. Nigel
07 Feb 2008, 15:09 GMT
This game is awesome and crazy and hard. I really like it!
37. Manicfatty
15 Feb 2008, 18:46 GMT
This is an incredible game. Hard as hell, but damn fun. Now let's have the Thunderforce games...and M.U.S.H.A., and Gaiares!
38. aaronlow
08 Mar 2008, 03:23 GMT
This a great game, however there were several changes to the sound. The sound effects are louder on VC than in TGCD, and the awesome music is much quieter than the original game. I can barely hear the music, and I have to pause the game to hear it well. I hope nintendo can fix this. I don't want to buy any other CD titles until I here that this is fixed.
39. MasterMario
16 Mar 2008, 21:00 GMT
Should I download this, even though I already have Soldier Blade?
40. Dazza
16 Mar 2008, 21:32 GMT
@MM - I would say so. Horizontally scrolling shmups play very differently to vertically scrolling ones. Much different pace. Both are equally good games and deserve to be played by shmup fans.
41. fco.
27 Mar 2008, 20:49 GMT
What do you guys say? This one or Axelay?
42. Sharecrow
06 Apr 2008, 19:23 GMT
I have to say that this looks really, really cool. I'll get to it sometime (hopefully soon).
43. GEOFF
14 Apr 2008, 14:57 GMT
Great music yeah? I'd like to agree if I could here it.I have turn the sound right up and the sound FX are so loud my neighbours think they're under attack by Al-CIAda.
44. TRON
27 Apr 2008, 06:55 GMT
One of the best ever, download now.
45. Jon
11 May 2008, 12:33 GMT
Good game but not as good as Soldier Blade.
46. lordbowser
11 May 2008, 14:58 GMT
Really solid game. The music is fantastic, controls nicely, and it adds a strategic element of what weapon to use and where it is most effective. My only complaint is the first boss is laughably easy.
47. Eltigro
12 May 2008, 04:23 GMT
Currently my favorite game on the Wii. Not just VC, but the Wii.
I've played this game probably every day since I downloaded it. I never had the CD attachment for my TurboGrafx (wanted it, but couldn't afford it) but this was one of the games I wanted to play.
48. GEOFF
14 May 2008, 13:10 GMT
I've said this once and I'll say it again as I still can't believe it.This is the only game I've ever played were the sound FX drown out the music.You can not here it!!!! Which is a travesty because it is very good.Hudson FIX FIX
49. KeeperBvK
23 May 2008, 19:44 GMT
Is it really just 600 points as stated in the review? Shouldn't it be 800?
50. Dazza
23 May 2008, 19:47 GMT
Oops! It is 800, don't know what happened there!
51. koresh1959
28 May 2008, 10:07 GMT
I absolutely loved Lords of Thunder so last night I finally decided to download this. The music is not as good and drowned out anyway, the controls aren't as responsive and feel too heavy, and the difficulty is high but not in a good way—I found it a lot less fair than LoT. I'll put a few more hours into it but at the moment I wish I hadn't downloaded it. Maybe I'm mad for not loving it? Who knows.
52. gnadenlos
14 Jul 2008, 16:50 GMT
It's not unfair or hard. I managed to solve the first four levels within 2-3 hours of play. I'm really glad I bought it. (5/5)
53. johnny5555
15 Jul 2008, 05:30 GMT
As Koresh says, if you are looking at getting this game because you bought LoT, save your money. It's not near as good.
54. Dormin87
04 Aug 2008, 15:52 GMT
Sure it may be a higher price than other TurboGrafx games available, but it was 800 points well spent. An absolutely awesome shmup.
55. Mickeymac
06 Aug 2008, 09:21 GMT
I'll make sure to get this first then. It looks pretty good to me, and it seems to be very different from Lords of Thunder, so I'll probably see it as great in it's own right.
I have to ask though, what is up with the box art?
56. Mr. Cheez
07 Aug 2008, 03:25 GMT
^I'm kinda wondering the same thing.
This game looks pretty good, and it's got one one rockin' soundtrack, but I think I'll just get Lords of Thunder instead, since that game lets you play as a flying knight. Suh-weet!
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