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Line 6: Fortunately, there were ways to [[Heart Container\|increase]] and [[Heal Thyself\|replenish]] Thexder's energy reserves - primarily by killing the right enemies. Originally released for the [[PC -88]], ''Thexder'' became a smash hit and Game Arts responded by porting it to other computers, including the [[MSX]]. [[Square Enix\|Squaresoft]] took note, licensing ''Thexder'' for ports to other systems, including the [[NES\|Famicom]]; [[Sierra\|Sierra On-Line]] also took an interest, and was responsible for the rest of the world finding out about this [[Widget Series\|pleasantly unique Japanese game]]. (Sierra even advertised ''Thexder'' as an "arcade game," which it never properly was.) Four years after the original release, Game Arts returned to their debut title with ''[[Oddly-Named Sequel 2: Electric Boogaloo\|Fire Hawk: Thexder the Second Contact]]'', expanding on the original game's story ([[All There in the Manual\|not that there was much of one]]) and improving the character's choice of weapons, while simultaneously upping the ante with more missions, more enemies, and plenty of [[Boss Battle\|bosses]] along the way. Sierra On-Line also distributed this sequel. Given ''Thexder'''s popularity, Sierra On-Line decided to make their own spin-off for Windows 95, informally called "Thexder 95," without Game Arts's involvement. With the rise of [[Retraux\|retro remakes]], though, Square Enix shepherded the [[~~R Emake~~Remake]] ''Thexder Neo'' to market as a downloadable game for the [[PlayStation Portable\|PSP]], resurrecting Thexder for a new generation of gamers to discover. ---- {{tropelist}} ~~The ''Thexder'' games provide examples of:~~ * [[All There in the Manual]] -: The original ''Thexder'' put you at the start of the first level's labyrinth and never explained who you were or what you were supposed to do, unless you looked at the manual, and there was scant explanation as to "why" (none at all in the American PC release). Only when ''Fire Hawk'' came out did the story behind Thexder's mission get explained. The US release also included a complete walkthrough of the game's first level, with pictures/names of (almost) every enemy appearing in the game. ''Fire Hawk'''s manual also included brief descriptions of each mission area, including equally brief descriptions of each boss. * [[Attack Its Weak Point]] -: Every single boss in ''Fire Hawk'' could only be damaged by hitting a specific spot. Most of them were obvious. [[Guide Dang It\|At least one wasn't.]] * [[Boss Battle]] -: The original game occasionally presented the player with a group of enemies encased in stationary fortifications, challenging the player to figure out the best way to destroy or disable the enemies in order to pass. ''Actual'' bosses were introduced in ''Fire Hawk''. ** Zereo also added precisely one boss (a final boss) to ''Thexder Neo''. * [[Cast ~~From~~from Hit Points]] -: Firing the laser or activating the shield costs energy. Given that getting hit costs ''more'' energy, wise use of the shield is a necessity; unwise use would leave you too low on power to survive. In ''Fire Hawk'', even ''moving'' required energy, though such a small amount that it was rarely noticeable. ''Thexder 95'' was the exception, the unfortunate side effect being that it was possible to run out of ammunition for any weapon including the default laser. * [[Chest Monster]] -: Mission 5 in ''Fire Hawk'' featured enemies disguised as Energy Generators; they could be distinguished by your homing missiles identifying them as targets. An area in Mission 6 has a section with ''a lot'' of enemies disguised as ordinary walls, and you're specifically warned to be careful when you use your laser lest you wake them up. Again, they can be identified by switching to your homing missiles and watching for targetting icons. ** Also note that even stationary, energy-restoring enemies are still ''enemies'', and will inflict [[Collision Damage]] if you land on top of them. There are even a few energy-restoring enemies that move around (rather quickly, too). * [[Collision Damage]] -: The only way to receive damage in the original, as enemies didn't begin firing actual projectiles until ''Fire Hawk'', and even then they were a strict minority, if not a boss outright. * [[Copy Protection]] -: The US release of ''Fire Hawk'' required players to input a specific word from the manual when starting a game.▼ * [[Cut and Paste Environments]]: In the PC original, levels 9 and 11 were ''exactly the same'' save for which enemy sprites were used. The second set of cavern levels (13 through 15) had similar layouts to the first set (5 through 7), but with some retooling to increase their difficulty. * [[Deflector Shields]] -: Thexder's (and Fire Hawk's) only defense if anything gets close enough to cause damage. Its [[Some Kind of Force Field\|exact nature]] is never explained.▼ ▲* [[Copy Protection]] - The US release of ''Fire Hawk'' required players to input a specific word from the manual when starting a game. * [[Difficulty Spike]] -: Level 1 was populated with swarms of [[One-Hit-Point Wonder]] Red Tribars, and other enemies fought in small groups at a time. Level 2 ambushed the player with a swarm of ''two dozen'' enemies in a wide open space.▼ ▲* [[Deflector Shields]] - Thexder's (and Fire Hawk's) only defense if anything gets close enough to cause damage. Its [[Some Kind of Force Field\|exact nature]] is never explained. * [[Downer Ending]] - : {{spoiler\|According to ''Fire Hawk'', both Thexder and its pilot were destroyed.}}.▼ ▲* [[Difficulty Spike]] - Level 1 was populated with swarms of [[One-Hit-Point Wonder]] Red Tribars, and other enemies fought in small groups at a time. Level 2 ambushed the player with a swarm of ''two dozen'' enemies in a wide open space. * [[Endless Game]] -: The U.S. release of the first game wrapped back to level 2 after finishing the final level, continuing until the player either gave up or died.▼ ▲* [[Downer Ending]] - {{spoiler\|According to ''Fire Hawk'', both Thexder and its pilot were destroyed.}} * [[Frickin' Laser Beams]] -: Thexder's only weapon, and Fire Hawk's main one. One of very few games to give the ''player'' the laser (and an ''instantaneous'' laser, as opposed to a [[Painfully-Slow Projectile]]).▼ ▲* [[Endless Game]] - The U.S. release of the first game wrapped back to level 2 after finishing the final level, continuing until the player either gave up or died. * [[Heart Container]] -: In ''Thexder,'', destroying certain enemies and finishing a level would raise your maximum energy reserves. ''Fire Hawk'' played this more literally, requiring you to find "Energy Generators" which did the same thing.▼ ▲* [[Frickin' Laser Beams]] - Thexder's only weapon, and Fire Hawk's main one. One of very few games to give the ''player'' the laser (and an ''instantaneous'' laser, as opposed to a [[Painfully-Slow Projectile]]). * [[Kill It with Fire]] -: ''Fire Hawk'''s napalm bombs were the strongest special weapon, able to eradicate almost any ground-based enemy in a single blast.▼ ▲* [[Heart Container]] - In ''Thexder,'' destroying certain enemies and finishing a level would raise your maximum energy reserves. ''Fire Hawk'' played this more literally, requiring you to find "Energy Generators" which did the same thing. * [[Mecha-Mooks]] -: Virtually all enemies were mechanical in some form.▼ ▲* [[Kill It with Fire]] - ''Fire Hawk'''s napalm bombs were the strongest special weapon, able to eradicate almost any ground-based enemy in a single blast. * [[Nintendo Hard]] -: [[Nostalgia Filter\|Oddly enough]], it's remembered ''fondly'' for this, despite that the original featured no save points, extra lives or continues.▼ ▲* [[Mecha-Mooks]] - Virtually all enemies were mechanical in some form. * [[Nostalgia Level]] -: The opening of ~~mission~~Mission 2 in ''Fire Hawk''.▼ ▲* [[Nintendo Hard]] - [[Nostalgia Filter\|Oddly enough]], it's remembered ''fondly'' for this, despite that the original featured no save points, extra lives or continues. * [[Public Domain Soundtrack]] -: ''Thexder'' is famous for its inclusion of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". ''Thexder Neo'' pays homage to this, if you know where to look.▼ ▲* [[Nostalgia Level]] - The opening of mission 2 in ''Fire Hawk''. * [[Reactor Boss]] -: ''Thexder'' may have been the first of these; ''Thexder Neo'' made it [[Load-Bearing Boss\|explicit]], twenty-four years later. ''Fire Hawk'' gave you a couple (every mission related to either crippling Nediam's systems or clearing the way ahead).▼ ▲* [[Public Domain Soundtrack]] - ''Thexder'' is famous for its inclusion of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". ''Thexder Neo'' pays homage to this, if you know where to look. * [[~~R Emake~~Remake]] -: ''Thexder Neo'', a 2.5D recreation of the original with polygon graphics and a completely redesigned Thexder ... and a few subtle changes to the difficulty curve.▼ ▲* [[Reactor Boss]] - ''Thexder'' may have been the first of these; ''Thexder Neo'' made it [[Load-Bearing Boss\|explicit]], twenty-four years later. ''Fire Hawk'' gave you a couple (every mission related to either crippling Nediam's systems or clearing the way ahead). * [[Tragic Monster]] - : {{spoiler\|Nediam}}.▼ ▲* [[R Emake]] - ''Thexder Neo'', a 2.5D recreation of the original with polygon graphics and a completely redesigned Thexder ... and a few subtle changes to the difficulty curve. * [[Transforming Mecha]] -: The original (and remade) Thexder and Fire Hawk could change between mech (humanoid) and cruiser (flying) modes at will. (Thexder 95 didn't let you transform until later in the game, although it added a land-cruiser mode.).▼ ▲* [[Tragic Monster]] - {{spoiler\|Nediam}} * [[Trial and Error Gameplay]] -: The original ''Thexder'' had no continues, so you were on your own to remember which enemies would restore energy, where to find them, and how to gun down enemies without taking too much harm in the process. ''Fire Hawk'' and ''Thexder Neo'''s easy mode were more forgiving.▼ ▲* [[Transforming Mecha]] - The original (and remade) Thexder and Fire Hawk could change between mech (humanoid) and cruiser (flying) modes at will. (Thexder 95 didn't let you transform until later in the game, although it added a land-cruiser mode.) * [[Video Game Flight]] -: With no restrictions. This is balanced by some claustrophobic level designs, wide open areas filled with ''swarms'' of enemies, and the auto-aiming function restricted to humanoid form. (Hint: ''Don't fly into wide open areas''. '''''EVER!''''')▼ ▲* [[Trial and Error Gameplay]] - The original ''Thexder'' had no continues, so you were on your own to remember which enemies would restore energy, where to find them, and how to gun down enemies without taking too much harm in the process. ''Fire Hawk'' and ''Thexder Neo'''s easy mode were more forgiving. ▲* [[Video Game Flight]] - With no restrictions. This is balanced by some claustrophobic level designs, wide open areas filled with ''swarms'' of enemies, and the auto-aiming function restricted to humanoid form. (Hint: ''Don't fly into wide open areas''. '''''EVER!''''') {{reflist}} Line 51: [[Category:IBM Personal Computer]] [[Category:Action Game]] [[Category:Thexder]]▼ [[Category:Video Game]] [[Category:PC-88]] ▲[[Category:~~Thexder~~{{PAGENAME}}]]