- March 23, 2020
- SEEP
Thunderflash
Thunderflash might not win any awards for originaility, but as a callback to the arcade classics of yesteryear, it’s not meant to. Overall, it’s a fun way to waste a few hours shooting things with a friend.
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Thunderflash is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game. It was developed by SEEP and was released on March 23, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.
Thunderflash is a "love letter" addressed to the arcade games of the 80's. It is a Run 'n gun inspired from gems like Ikari Warriors, Commando and Heavy Barrel.
- Captures the look and feel of classic 80s arcade run and gun games, providing nostalgic fun.
- Nice pixelated graphics and 80s style synthesized soundtrack that enhance the retro atmosphere.
- Variety of levels including top-down shooting, side-scrolling, and shmup sections, plus a survival mode for replayability.
- Gameplay is slow and sometimes frustrating due to narrow lines of fire, low firing rate, and awkward controls without twin-stick support.
- Boss fights are underwhelming and sometimes inconsistent in design and difficulty.
- Some levels and sections (like jetpack and ladder) feel repetitive and overstaying their welcome, leading to pacing issues.
- graphics10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
The graphics are a mix of nostalgic, arcade-style visuals reminiscent of the late 1980s with vibrant, colorful pixel art and smooth scrolling effects, enhanced by advanced hardware capabilities displaying a full 512-color palette. While the overall design is praised for its charm and quality, some boss designs appear inconsistent and unusually polished compared to the rest. The game successfully combines retro aesthetics with modern graphical effects, providing a visually pleasing experience.
“The graphics are very nice and the music is really good.”
“The graphics can display the whole 512 colours palette at once.”
“The beautiful graphics illuminate majestically the phosphor of my Trinitron monitor, late into the darkest of the night.”
“It's not like they didn't try: besides those bosses, the graphics look like it could be from some arcade made in 1987 or so to cash in on Ikari Warriors, 4:3 aspect ratio included, and there are appreciable attempts at mixing things up with shmup sections.”
“Bosses too are nothing special, with the final two being oddly easier than the earlier ones; some also look way too different and better than the rest of the graphics, to the point of making me suspicious of where they could have been lifted from.”
“The graphics look like they rely heavily on outdated techniques, resulting in a stale visual experience that doesn't impress by modern standards.”
Thunderflash (Nintendo Switch)
Thunderflash might not win any awards for originaility, but as a callback to the arcade classics of yesteryear, it’s not meant to. Overall, it’s a fun way to waste a few hours shooting things with a friend.
65%Thunderflash
Thunderflash teleports you back to the best parts of the 80s action scene. Absurd storylines, ridiculous music, and odd fashion can all be seen in this game. A fast-paced and short title that will not challenge you too much. An easy 1000 Gamerscore or platinum trophy, and some replay value in its survival mode. + Nice pixelated graphics. + 80s synthesised audio. + Good sound effects. + Some replay value. + Good value for money. - Inaccurate controls. - You can walk through each stage without firing a weapon. (Reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Also available on PC, Android, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.)
60%nindiespotlight.com Review
65%
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Frequently Asked Questions
Thunderflash is a arcade shooter game.
Thunderflash is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.
Thunderflash was released on March 23, 2020.
Thunderflash was developed by SEEP.
Thunderflash has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its story.
Thunderflash is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.
Similar games include Mission 1985, Neon Inferno, Circuit Breakers, Mighty Goose, Bleed and others.