Thexder
Encyclopedia
is a classic action-arcade game
from Game Arts
, released on a number of platforms throughout the late 1980's and 1990.
platform in Japan, the game quickly became a huge hit selling over 500,000 copies. Later that same year, Game Arts licensed Thexder to Square
in order to develop a conversion for the Nintendo Entertainment System
(NES) game console. In 1987, Game Arts also developed a Thexder conversion for the MSX
platform.
The NEC PC8801 platform was only popular in Japan and, despite home market success, Thexder garnered little attention abroad initially. With the conversion for the MSX
(the best selling platform in Brazil and many east European countries) it became an international hit. The game was subsequently licensed to Sierra Entertainment
for release in the United States. In 1987, Sierra ported the game to multiple platforms including the IBM PC
, 128k Tandy Color Computer 3, Commodore Amiga
, Apple II
, Apple IIGS
, Apple Macintosh, and Tandy
T-1000 computer. Thexder continued its track record of success and became a best-seller for Sierra.
The two Game Arts developers responsible for creating Thexder were Hibiki Godai and Satoshi Uesaka. In 1986, they developed another action-arcade game called Silpheed
and in 1989 they wrote a Thexder sequel named Fire Hawk: Thexder The Second Contact. As with the original, FireHawk sold extremely well in Japan and the United States. Today, Thexder is still remembered by many as a classic action-arcade game.
#176 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.
Thexder 2:
Thexder 95:
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
from Game Arts
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
, released on a number of platforms throughout the late 1980's and 1990.
Background
In the game, the player is a fighter robot, but is able to transform into a jet. Originally released in 1985 for the NEC PC-8801NEC PC-8801
The NEC PC-8801 was an early Zilog Z80-based computer exclusively released in Japan, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88"....
platform in Japan, the game quickly became a huge hit selling over 500,000 copies. Later that same year, Game Arts licensed Thexder to Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
in order to develop a conversion for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(NES) game console. In 1987, Game Arts also developed a Thexder conversion for the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
platform.
The NEC PC8801 platform was only popular in Japan and, despite home market success, Thexder garnered little attention abroad initially. With the conversion for the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
(the best selling platform in Brazil and many east European countries) it became an international hit. The game was subsequently licensed to Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
for release in the United States. In 1987, Sierra ported the game to multiple platforms including the IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
, 128k Tandy Color Computer 3, Commodore Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
, Apple IIGS
Apple IIGS
The Apple , the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The "GS" in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced graphics and sound capabilities, both of which greatly surpassed previous models of the line...
, Apple Macintosh, and Tandy
Tandy
Tandy is the title of a short story by Sherwood Anderson.Tandy is also a name which can refer to:-Tandy Corporation:* Tandy Corporation - a leather supply company which subsequently became the RadioShack Corporation...
T-1000 computer. Thexder continued its track record of success and became a best-seller for Sierra.
The two Game Arts developers responsible for creating Thexder were Hibiki Godai and Satoshi Uesaka. In 1986, they developed another action-arcade game called Silpheed
Silpheed
is a video game series developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. It made its debut on the Japanese PC-8801 in 1986, and was ported to the Fujitsu FM-7 and MS-DOS formats soon after. It was later remade for the Mega-CD and has a sequel called Silpheed: The Lost Planet for the...
and in 1989 they wrote a Thexder sequel named Fire Hawk: Thexder The Second Contact. As with the original, FireHawk sold extremely well in Japan and the United States. Today, Thexder is still remembered by many as a classic action-arcade game.
Other games in the series
Reception
The Macintosh & PC/MS-DOS versions of the game was reviewed in 1991 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#176 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.
External links
Thexder:Thexder 2:
Thexder 95: