Rolling Thunder 2

Rolling Thunder 2 is a run and gun arcade game developed and released by Namco for the Namco System 2 hardware in 1990. The game is the sequel to 1986’s Rolling Thunder, retaining the same gameplay of its predecessor but adding cooperative gameplay for two players and improved graphics. Unlike the original, which was based in 1968, Rolling Thunder 2 features a more contemporary setting to go along with its more futuristic design, as well as an optionally playable female character. Set in the 1990s, the Geldra organization, thought to had been destroyed during the first game, returns and is destroying several of the world’s satellites in outer space. As in the original Rolling Thunder, the players must take control of a member of the WCPO’s Rolling Thunder task force. Two players can now play simultaneously, with Player 1 as female agent Leila and Player 2 as male agent Albatross. Even though they possess different external appearances, including different handguns, the two characters have identical abilities. As with the original game, both Leila and Albatross can only take two physical hits from the enemies – and a hit from a bullet or other projectile such as a laser will result in an immediate death for them. The graphics are noticeably improved over the previous game and have a decidedly more futuristic look to go along with the game’s modern setting; the game’s main enemy characters, the Maskers, who were previously designed to look like hooded terrorists are now cyborgs. Likewise, the game has more varied stage designs, with the first four stages taking place in a seaside resort in Florida, and the last four stages in a pyramid in Egypt – both locations are actually camouflaged Geldra bases.