Rolling Thunder Longplay (Arcade) [60 FPS]
99Developed and published by Namco in 1986
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For today's video, we'll be checking out another classic 80's arcade classic, this time from Namco. Originally released into the arcades in 1986, the game would prove to be extremely popular, receiving conversions for many home computers and consoles of the day.
The player controls Albatross, a secret agent working for the Wold Crime Police Organisation (WCPO). A fellow agent, by the name of Leila Blitz, has been captured and taken hostage by the shadowy criminal organisation, Geldra. Albatross must infiltrate the New York headquarters of this mysterious syndicate and rescue Leila.
The game is a side-scrolling action game set across different areas within the Geldra hideout. From stately houses, to secret caves and underground bunkers, there are plenty of pitfalls and perils to look out for, as well as a never-ending procession of henchman looking to take you down.
Each level is divided into an upper and lower platform, which the player can jump between at will. A series of doors are set into the background of the level, which Albatross can use to hide from approaching enemies. Some of these doors have signs next to them, sign-posting an armoury where Albatross can refill ammunition for his handgun, or collect a handy sub machine gun for extra fire power.
As for the enemies, most of the goons seem to wear covers over their heads, giving them a sinister, if somewhat comedic appearance. Much less funny are the weapons these goons are carrying, including guns, grenades, as well as a mean right hook. Many of them will take cover behind crates and cover, denying you an easy take down, so you'll often need to make use of verticality to assist you by jumping to the higher platform to avoid them, or to provide a better vector of attack. Later in the game, you'll encounter more bizarre foes, such as human torches that multiple when shot, weird troll-like things, and every shadow boss' favourite pet, panthers!
Making matters even more tense is the ever-present timer, constantly ticking away in the bottom right of the screen. Should the timer reach zero, the mission is declared a failure and it's game over.
The game boasts some decent graphics for the time, particularly the character sprites. These are well animated, boasting realistic walking, jumping and idle animations.
Sound is also pretty good, featuring some catchy music and a few digitised sound effects for good measure. In truth, it's not the sort of music you'd be able to hear over the din of your typical arcade, seeing as it's more contemplative and slower paced; playing it in isolation is a good opportunity to get to listen to it properly.
It's fair to say that Rolling Thunder is one tough mother of a game and you'll need to spend a many coins if you hope to beat it. From the legions of bad guys, to jumping over deadly pits of lava, you're barely a stone's throw from death at any given time and you'll definitely need to bring your A-game to claim victory.
Although this remained the only coin-op release, Namco went on to develop two sequels for the Sega Mega Drive console, both of which were pretty good (check my channel for Rolling Thunder 2). It would also provide inspiration for Sega's classic, Shinobi, a game that bears many similarities in terms of gameplay design.
If you're looking for a fun and challenging platform game that keeps on your toes, then Rolling Thunder is definitely a title worthy of your attention, as are it's console-based sequels - be sure to check them out!
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