Retro Player Enthusiast Guide 0 20-page Preview Digital Edition

Limited Edition 20 Page Preview

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A Massive Impact, Inc. Publication

Spring 2018, Issue 0 1st Printing, PROTOYPE

Publishers Martin Alessi & Shelly Alessi Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director Martin Alessi Executive Editor / Strategy Consultant Pete Hahn Managing Editor Jason Kaplan Senior Editors Todd Friedman Tim Wilkus Associate Editor Nathan Alessi Copy Editor Jenny Kaplan Art Director / 3D Artist Allen Forbes Video Capture Guru Pete Hahn Sprite Production Artist Matt Henzel (www.videogameobsession.com) Creative Consultant Doc Mack (www.gallopingghostarcade.com) Legal Counsel Erich G. Monzon

__________________________ Š Copyright 2018, Massive Impact, Inc. All rights reserved. Retro Player is a registered trademark of Massive Impact, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without express written permission of Massive Impact, Inc. Trademark and copyright for all other products and characters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright owners.

For permisson to reuse material from our publication or to use our logo contact martin@retroplayer.tv

Retro Player 3

TECHNICAL INFO Publisher: Hot-B Games/Sega Developer: Technosoft Systems: Genesis (Mega Drive) Players: Single-player Release Date: 10/1990 NA Cart Size: 4 Megabit (512K) Number of Levels: 8 Genre: Shmup Difficulty: Average

MASTER YOUR AWESOME ARSENAL OF WEAPONS! TWIN SHOT

HIGH POWER LASER

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 4

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 16

BACK FIRE

An intergalactic war has raged for over a century. The ORN Empire is still terrorizing the galaxy and it’s up to you to pilot the prototype ship FIRE LEO-03 a.k.a. Styx into the heart of their defenses and destroy them once and for all! You must locate and disable five cloaking systems hidden on five planets in order to find and face Cerberus, the protector of the ORN Base. Once inside the base, you must blast the ORN Emperor and its bio-computer Cha OS into oblivion!

Thunder Force III is a side-scrolling shooter or shmup originally developed by Technosoft for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Genesis. It is one of the most beloved and highly reviewed shooters on any console during the 16-bit era.

It features eight, action-packed stages and some of the most memorable boss battles in video game history!

Martin Alessi & Pete Hahn

SECRET CODE UNLOCKS ALL WEAPONS! Pause the game after the level starts and press: UP ten times, B once, then DOWN twice. Afterwards press B to add each weapon in order. Press A to get

ADVANCED BACK FIRE

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 4

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 6

MORE POWER UPS

ULTRASONIC WAVE GUN

can remove a

WAVE

LANCER

(WITH CLAW)

WAVE

(WITH CLAW)

CLAW

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 4

SHIELD

CHOOSE WHICH PLANET TO ATTACK FIRST

ADJUST YOUR SPEED AND LOOK FOR POWER UPS!

PROTECTS YOUR SHIP

FIRE

AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILES

FIRE

(WITH CLAW)

ONE-UP EXTRA LIFE

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 12

You can adjust the speed of your ship at any time with the press of a button. To power up, destroy the red power up carriers found throughout each level.

HUNTER

Claw options.

If you press C you

LANCER

FRONT & BACK GUN

SEVER

(WITH CLAW)

FORCE FIELD/WEAPON ENHANCE

In our premiere enthusiast guide we give an in-depth look at the weapons systems of this incredible shooter. We also give you a breakdown on how to master the game’s levels, find hidden power-ups and exclusive strategies on defeating the bosses at the end of each stage.

We hope you truly enjoy this guide as much as we enjoyed creating it for you!

SEVER

BASIC TWIN GUN

GUIDED MISSILES

HUNTER

(WITH CLAW)

1000 PT. BONUS

weapon, but who would really want to do that?

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE = 2 4 Retro Player

Retro Player 5

PLANET STRATEGY:

HYDRA

1. FIND THE HIDDEN SEVER At the beginning of the level after the Claw and Fire power ups are dropped, there is a hidden Sever behind the trees and vines at the top of the screen.

If you equip yourself with this weapon early on than the rest of the level and the boss will be no problem at all.

4. SURVIVE THE MISSILE trap There are two ways to deal with the Green Missiles trap.

If you have Sever, fly to the bottom of the screen and concentrate all firepower on the bottom row as they are worth 500 points each. As you fly closer, you will trigger a launch, switch to Lancer and fly to the far right while blasting away. The other way is to stay to the far left until the front of your ship is aligned with the first missile, then fly far right as they launch behind you.

2. FLOWERS & CARRIERS Stay to the left and middle, let the flowers grow then blast them and their pollen for extra points.

The Carriers shoot homing missiles at you but they are easily destroyed. Allow them to fire as many missiles at you as possible for maximum points.

5. LASER & MISSILE TRAP 2 Equip Fire and destroy the Blue Lasers and additional Missile Traps before they are even a problem. Don’t get distracted by the Lasers, its the exploding Missiles that are the most dangerous and must be avoided if you can’t destroy them first.

3. DESTROY THE MIDBOSS The MidBoss of Hydra features a large mechanical tail that fires yellow lasers and acts as a shield. The weak point is it’s blue eye and it protects itself from your oncoming fire rather well.

The best option is to equip Sever and concentrate on the eye while avoiding the yellow lasers it shoots from its tail.

If you have lost your weapons prior to confronting the MidBoss than Twin Shot is definitely the way to go.

Be sure to destroy the MidBoss for extra points that go toward a one-up, do not let it escape off the screen.

6 Retro Player

6. WASPS & MORE FLOWERS

7. EXTRA CLAW OR 1000 PTS.

Use the powerful Fire or Sever to quickly eliminate the giant wasps and take out a new batch of flowers that emerge.

Don’t miss the power-up carrier at the bottom of the screen right before the boss. You can get a Claw or 1000 points!

Retro Player 7

BOSS ATTACK:

GARGOYLE 1. AVOID THE FLAME THROWER When the massive Gargoyle first walks onto the screen, it spits a huge flamethrower your way. The safest spot is at the top of the screen to the far left.

When the flame touches the ground and goes flat, fly down to the middle of the screen to begin your attack.

2. DODGE THE FIREBALLS Gargoyle’s second attack is to fire four huge fireballs that span out as they approach you. It will shoot three rounds of fireballs before using the flamethrower again. The easiest place to avoid them is to fly lower on the screen and then move slightly to the right as they pass by.

3. SHOOT THE STOMACH Gargoyle is not very strong. If you have Sever or Fire you will destroy it quite easily by simply aiming at the stomach when it is safe to do so. If you take too long Gargoyle will jump and shoot another round of fireballs at you as it lands and repeats its attack pattern.

8 Retro Player

Retro Player 9

PLANET STRATEGY:

4. DESTROY THE MIDBOSS

GORGON

If you are fortunate enough to still have your Claw and the Wave, this MidBoss will be a piece of cake. Stay to the top and left of the screen and let the Wave work its magic.

Another approach is to use Sever or Fire and try to get close.

Be careful though, as the shield spheres that circle this boss all fire at you from time to time. If you have lost your weapons at this point, this enemy will probably give you some trouble. Use Twin Shot and avoid the hard-to-see fireballs and blue lasers.

1. FIND THE HIDDEN CLAW There is a hidden Claw in the rocks at the bottom of the screen at the very beginning of the stage. Press down while still flashing and invincible and fly into the rocks below. Pull up immediately once you get the Claw or bonus points or your ship will be destoyed.

2. AVOID THE LASERS and fire

5. USE FIRE TO CLEAR THE WAY After the MidBoss, switch to Fire to take out the enemies that come from above and below. Stay with the Fire weapon and avoid missiles that shoot from behind. Continue using Fire and destroy the powerful robots that emerge from the trenches below. After you are in the clear, switch your weapon to anything but Fire (preferably Wave) as you will need it for the upcoming boss battle.

Beware of the super fast laser cannons on this level, destroy them just as they appear or be ready to get out of the way. Also, watch for pillars of fire that come from below and erupt throughout the stage. There is a pattern to them that can be memorized to win!

3. GET THE WAVE AND SHIELD The powerful Wave weapon makes its appearance on this level. Get it to blast through the rocks and even fire pillars!

Aquire the Shield for some peace of mind as you approach the MidBoss and fly through the rest of Gorgon.

10 Retro Player

6. GET THE ONE-UP To get the One-Up, wait until the right fireball goes up and down twice, only then do you have brief second to fly in.

7. SPEED UP TO SURVIVE Speed up to level 3 and wait until the fireball is at the very top of the screen, then zip through the middle.

Retro Player 11

BOSS ATTACK:

TWIN VULCAN 1. take out bottom vulcan first Position your craft in the top right corner of the screen as soon as possible. When the bottom Vulcan comes onto the screen, target his radar tower on the top of his body. Use the Fire to drop missiles on its radar, while slowly moving left to follow his movement.

2. use fire for best results The best weapon to use against the Twin Vulcan is Fire. Not only does it shoot missiles straight up and down so you can easily target the radar towers, it is the second most powerful weapon in the game with an incredible destructive power rating of 12!

3. destroy the other vulcan Don’t celebrate just yet, as the other Twin Vulcan will be right behind you at this point! Quickly move to the bottom right of the screen and then to the bottom left to avoid colliding with it.

It will move all the way right, then left while at the top of the screen. When it starts its descent from the far left of the screen, get into position just above its center and use your Fire missiles to take it out as you did its twin.

Defeating the Twin Vulcan in this way should only take a few seconds. If you don’t have Fire then use Back Fire.

12 Retro Player

PLANET STRATEGY:

SEIREN

1. FIND THE HIDDEN ONE-UP Early in the stage there is a hidden One-Up in the small crag to the right of the exploding mine and laser cannon. Use Wave to destroy the enemies and reveal the One-Up. Be careful, if the mine explodes, the aftershock can destroy your ship and waste a life.

2. USE WAVE and HUNTER Wave and Hunter are the best weapons for this level. Many threats can be taken out from behind the background before they become a danger. Wave is more powerful but you will have be more careful of attacks from behind. Hunter seeks out the enemies, but is very weak.

3. FIND THE HIDDEN CLAW At about a minute into the level there is a hidden Claw near the bottom of the screen. If you are using Wave you will easily reveal it and get either a Claw or 1000 bonus points. Watch for the air bubbles rising up from the depths!

14 Retro Player

4. BEWARE OF BUBBLES Throughout this beautiful underwater level there are clusters of air bubbles that will push your ship upwards.

This could potentially cause you to crash into dangerous coral and rocks, enemies, or even shots fired at you. Be sure to tap DOWN when your ship is flying through a cluster of bubbles in order to counteract their effects. These rather harmless looking bubbles are especially troublesome when fighting the MidBoss or when flying through tight quarters later in the stage.

5. DESTROY THE MIDBOSS The most effective way to destroy this Midboss is to use the Sever and focus on firing at the small orange eye in the middle of the ship. This enemy fires a lot of firepower at you so you must be quick and dodge his shots all while attacking aggressively. Be ready to tap DOWN when the bubbles rise from the bottom of the screen. One false move and you could be pushed right into the line of fire!

6. SWITCH TO WAVE, GET THE SHIELD AND FINISH THE LEVEL After the MidBoss is destroyed, switch to Wave and prepare to get a Shield towards the bottom of the screen.

With the Wave equipped and a Shield to protect you, there should be no problem finishing the level and reaching the Boss.

Retro Player 15

BOSS ATTACK:

KING FISH 1. AVOID THE RINGS OF FIRE The King Fish will come on strong with a constant barrage of circular rings of fire as well as small waves directly from its eye. The more you damage the Boss, the faster it shoots the rings out. The shots from the eye travel very quickly and can catch you off guard.

2. USE WAVE FOR BEST RESULTS A safer way to deal with King Fish is to use the Wave weapon; when powered up with the Claw, Wave will be wide enough to hit King Fish almost anywhere he moves. You can safely focus on dodging the fire rings and let the weapon do the rest!

3. SHOOT THE EYE TO WIN The King Fish is truly a tricky enemy.

When it closes its eye it is protected from your attacks. While Sever is the most powerful weapon in the game and will kill the Boss the quickest, it puts you right in the line of fire and the King Fish is relentless to say the least.

Using the Wave is recommended but for an alternative strategy try equipping Hunter enhanced with Claw.

The Hunter will seek out the eye every time it opens and you can then focus on avoiding the fire circles and the waves fired from the Boss’s eye.

16 Retro Player

Retro Player 17

FIVE MORE CHALLENGING LEVELS TO MASTER! LEVEL 4: HAIDES Haides is a planet made of massive walls of rocks and pillars of stone that move as you fly through. You must know when and where to fly in order to survive. You will encounter the aggressive G-Lobster at the end of the level.

The best weapon to broil this killer crustacean is the Sever.

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LEVEL 5: ELLIS Ellis is as beautiful as it is full of danger.

Not only are there enemies galore, there are natural hazards such as huge ice shards that will crush your ship on contact. Hunter is the weapon of choice for this level as well as for taking down the Mobile Fort that awaits you at the top of the mountain.

LEVEL 6: CERBERUS The huge enemy ship known as Cerberus is both the level and the boss at the same time! Use a combination of Hunter, Fire and Wave to easily defeat its defenses. Switch to Fire as you enter the inner chamber to the reactor and you’ll destroy the ship before it even has a chance to fire.

640+ Games on the floor

LEVEL 7: ORN BASE Enter the enemy’s base and face one of the toughest challenges of the game!

Use Hunter throughout the level and switch to Sever for the Midboss Barriers. There are tons of power ups hidden throughout so keep your eyes peeled.

Use Sever up close on the final barrier while avoiding the four sentries.

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LEVEL 8: ORN CORE You finally made it to the enemy’s lair!

This short level consists of two intense boss fights. Equip the Sever and destroy the first boss which protects itself with rotating arms. Switch to Wave for the final boss and watch out as Cha OS detaches from it’s base and unleashes all it’s firepower at you.

18 Retro Player

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