25| Rolling Thunder 3

Released: May 19th, 1993

Available On: Sega Genesis

The third installment of the Rolling Thunder series is often seen as the black sheep of the franchise for multiple reasons. The first is that it is a console game first and foremost. Unlike the first two games, Rolling Thunder 3 was made exclusively for the Sega Genesis. The second is that the game has never been re-released. You can't even find the game on any modern digital distribution service, including the Wii Virtual Console. The third and most bizarre reason is that the game didn't have a world-wide release. In an opposite world type fashion, the game was never released in Japan, as it never left American shores. However, the deal breaker for most was that the game is only single player, as it doesn't allow the classic cooperative gameplay that Rolling Thunder is known for. Due to these reasons the game has widely been shunned by fans of the series. This is displayed even today as despite it having so many marks for it to be a collector's item, the game sells for modest prices on second hand sites.

Personally, I felt that the criticism the game gets is undeserved. Sure if you enjoy coop mode then I can see how the title would be a disappointment. But if you are like me and play most of these types of games alone, the entry is a huge improvement over the previous titles in the series. For starters, the player doesn't die after getting hit only once, they now have three life marks to deplete. There is also a checkpoint system, so when the player does die, they don't have to start from the beginning of the level. These are both welcomed changes as the previous games were a little too punishing all things considered.

However, the core gameplay has also been altered. The famed timer is completely absent, and instead the game has a sniper that pops up and starts shooting at the player if they take too long. There is also an additional button that switches between the character's primary weapon and secondary weapon. The primary weapon obviously being the trusty pistol while the secondary weapon being something with a bit more firepower with a bit less ammo. At the beginning of each level the player is able to select any weapon they want, ranging from automatic rifles to shotguns to rocket launchers. This leads for some nice experimentation during combat. Finally, the protagonist is not only able to jump and shoot, but also is able to shoot diagonally. In short, the combat has received a complete overhaul.

All of these changes aren't without some drawbacks. The most obvious one is that the game is significantly easier than its predecessors. While the game isn't exactly a walk in the park, it is still easier than it should be. It seems that Namco had a difficult time trying to balance the difficulty in these games, with the predecessors being too arduous, while this title being too manageable. That said, I would say that the third entry gets closer to the "sweet spot" when it comes to difficulty, even if it still manages to land quite off the mark.

It is very apparent that this game was crafted to be a single player experience from the get go. Not only due to the obvious gameplay changes, but the presentation as well. The story plays a much bigger part in this game, meaning that instead of being a single shot still prior each level there are cutscenes. The cutscenes are very well done with big characters covering the entire screen, zoomed in objects, neat lighting effects, and even actual animation. It's clear that Namco didn't skimp on the presentation. Even in-game this technical wizardry is apparent. Most notably are the brief instances of voice acting, such as the sniper announcement, amongst other things. Unfortunately, all of this effort does feel a bit wasted as the story is pretty generic and dull, but to be fair it is an early '90s style arcade game.

Design wise, the game is traditional Rolling Thunder for the most part. It does take a lot more liberties in level design. Rather than most levels being vertical, they are instead mostly horizontal so the landscape is a bit more Mario-like rather than being reminiscent of Elevator Action. There are also more vehicle stages that involve the player dodging obstacles and taking out enemies. The most iconic of these is the motorcycle stage in the desert. It's even the art for the front cover.

One thing to add is that unlike the previous titles, the game actually manages to pull of the techno-noir soundtrack. The music fits the game's style and tone perfectly as it rarely diverts from it. It took Namco three tries, but they finally accomplished their futuristic noir atmosphere. It helps that the music is also pretty catchy as well.

There are two types of black sheep. The first are those that are ostracized because they legitimately lack quality and due to this turn off on lookers. The second type are those that are merely misunderstood. They have just as much, if not more, quality than their sisters, but are just too unique or different to attract on lookers who were expecting something else. The latter type is the situation I feel Rolling Thunder 3 is in. Fans of the series were expecting another arcade style coop game. What they got was a crafted single player experience merged with arcade gameplay. And while the end result may be similar, it was just different enough for some players to be disappointed by their expectations. That said, when looking at Rolling Thunder 3 in a different light, it arguably the best game in the series, and a must have for the Sega Genesis.