Previous Next

Just stop me if you've heard this before... in this arcade game you are in command of the Thunderhawk, and you are the planet's last line of defence against the fiendish Glaxons who are swooping down on your home planet in the 'almost indestructible' Birdcraft.

To succeed in your task and to make the world safe for democracy and xenophobic, alien-destroying software manufacturers, you have to fight through five waves of attacking craft before attempting to destroy the command ship, which is impervious to assault anywhere except its centre,

Points are scored on the basis of 100 for each enemy vessel shot before it breaks out of the ranks and 500 for the faster, free-moving aliens, with the occasional mystery bonus.

It's not the fastest version of Phoenix I've seen, but the comparatively large size of your defending vessel means that it's all too easy to lose one of your five lives before you've even found the controls.

The Kempston joystick option does make control easier, however. The use of colour is somewhat limited, although movement is smooth enough and the sound is virtually non-existent.

Overall, I found Thunderhawk to be a rather drab and unexciting game. But hardened Phoenix addicts should get a kick out of it.