Thunder Blade is a 1987 helicopter shoot-’em-up released in arcades by Sega. You pilot a heavily armed attack helicopter through enemy territory, alternating between a classic top-down perspective and a fast-paced 3D behind-the-craft view that showcases Sega’s impressive Super Scaler technology. You must destroy waves of enemy aircraft and ground forces to reach and defeat the boss at the end of each stage.
How to Play
Press Shift to insert a coin and Enter to start. Use the arrow keys to fly your helicopter, Z to fire your machine guns at airborne targets, and X to drop missiles on ground units like tanks and ships.
Tips
- In the 3D stages, prioritise dodging incoming fire over destroying every enemy; the screen can quickly fill with projectiles if you stay in one spot.
- Learn where ground targets spawn in the top-down sections and drop missiles pre-emptively, before they have a chance to fire at you.
- Your helicopter is a large target. Use wide, sweeping movements to herd enemy bullets away from your intended path.
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