Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder had pure 60s spy-movie style: a secret agent, a criminal organization with a hidden lair, and a kidnapped partner. Namco released it in 1986, and its slower pace, where you take cover and make every shot count, set it apart from the run-and-gun crowd.

It was brutally tough, and in most arcades only a few players could get far, which made watching someone on a good run a real event.

History

You play Albatross, an agent of a special unit called Rolling Thunder, out to rescue his partner Leila from the clutches of the Geldra organization.

Its use of doors for hiding and reloading influenced other side-scrolling action games of the late 80s. The story continued in Rolling Thunder 2.

How to play

Work your way through multiple floors, jumping between upper and lower levels. Geldra's hooded thugs pour out of the doors, and you can duck into doorways yourself to dodge their fire.

Ammo is limited, and some doors hide extra bullets or a machine gun. One bullet takes a life, so move carefully and fire at the right moment.

Fun facts

• The hero agent is code-named Albatross.
• The hooded enemies change color depending on how tough they are and how they attack.
• The sequel was Rolling Thunder 2.

In the arcade

Rolling Thunder is coming soon to UsuArcade. It's on our wishlist, and you can vote with I Want to Play It to bring it in sooner.

In the meantime, the arcade has Shinobi, another action classic with hostages and ninja enemies, E-SWAT if armored cops are your thing, and Green Beret to keep storming enemy bases.

FAQ