Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar
Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar on?
- Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, Nintendo Switch.
- When did Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar release?
- Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar was first released on July 24, 1992.
About Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar
Known as Thunder Force IV outside of North America. You must lead the battle against the evil Lohun Empire. Their computer system is poised to destroy your Galaxy Federation's defenses. Lead the attack on their heavily defended military planet. Knock out the planet's command center to pave the way for the invasion force. Take the fight underwater to destroy massive marine battlecruisers. Launch magnetically-charged photon blasts at alien bio-machines. Twist through the labyrinthine structure of the enemy's Bio-Base. There you'll meet your final objective, the destructive regenerating computer. Cut loose with the Thunder Sword, your most powerful energy beam, as you battle this ultimate weapon!
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, Nintendo Switch
- Developer
- Technosoft
- Publisher
- Technosoft
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1993 | $57 | $110 | — | 11 reviews | Medium |
Also released on: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Sega Saturn · Nintendo Switch. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $33 | $85 | $161 |
| Japanese release (Thunder Force IV) | $70 | $128 | $151 |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about 2 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $3.49 in Oct 2007, $61 five years ago, and $57 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $4.00 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $3.66 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $9.38 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $9.49 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $16.99 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $16.98 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $17.99 | $38 |
| Jan 2015 | $19.99 | $42 |
| Jan 2016 | $27 | $59 |
| Jan 2017 | $30 | $65 |
| Jan 2018 | $29 | $70 |
| Jan 2019 | $34 | $58 |
| Jan 2020 | $38 | $84 |
| Jan 2021 | $49 | $91 |
| Jan 2022 | $60 | $138 |
| Jan 2023 | $67 | $113 |
| Jan 2024 | $47 | $108 |
| Jan 2025 | $55 | $121 |
| Jan 2026 | $55 | $142 |
| Oct 2026 | $57 | $110 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | January 1993 | 1143 | 010086011432 | 171-5978B |
| Europe / PAL | 10 December 1992 | 670-2770-50 | — | 171-5978B |
| Japan | 24 July 1992 | T-18063 | 4907095000396 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1993
- Authenticity
- Med
One of the best-looking Genesis shooters, and a cart priced well above the middle among US carts.
Thunder Force IV was developed by Technosoft and came out in Japan on 24 July 1992, in Europe on 10 December 1992 and in North America in January 1993, where Sega published it as Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar. It is a horizontally scrolling shooter that also uses large vertical playing fields, and the fourth Thunder Force and the third on the Mega Drive.
Mean Machines called it the best shoot 'em up you can get on the Mega Drive but one that suffers from a complete lack of originality. Mega Drive Advanced Gaming praised its parallax as the most stunning ever seen on the 16-bit Sega, and IGN later ranked it the fourth best classic shoot 'em up.
How it was made
Only the sound department came from the staff of Thunder Force II and III; the rest of the team had ported the pinball game Devil's Crush to the Mega Drive. The sound team, led by Naosuke Arai, were heavy metal fans and worked to get an electric-guitar sound from the Mega Drive's FM synthesizer.
What the press said at the time
| Sega Force Issue 10 | October 1992 | 87% |
| GamePro Issue 49 | August 1993 | Graphics 5.0, Sound 4.0, Control 4.5, FunFactor 5.0 |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 89% |
| MegaTech Issue 17 | May 1993 | 94% |
| MegaTech Issue 18 | June 1993 | MT RATING: 94% |
| Mega Action Issue 1 | June 1993 | 92% |
| Mega Action Issue 2 | July 1993 | 92% |
| MegaTech Issue 23 | November 1993 | 94% |
| Sega Pro Issue 26 | December 1993 | 92% |
| MegaTech Issue 26 | February 1994 | 94% |
| MegaTech Issue 27 | March 1994 | 94% |
“Thunderforce IV is definitely one of the most challenging and visually appealing blasters yet seen on the Megadrive”
“The action's fast 'n' furious, the graphics are gorgeous (Nuff said!! —Ed) and the sound's kickin'. Buy it.”
“Technically amazing, but the only amazing thing about the game underneath is how bog-standrd it ail is. Aero Blasters and Hellfire stomp all over it, with big boots on.”
“A thrilling search-and-destroy mission takes you through 10 stages of blazing action on a distant planet. Fantastic graphics make this one of the best Genesis shooters this year.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Mean Machines said the sequel was just as good as the third game, with more worlds and even more spectacular graphics, though the gameplay did not seem very different.
Critics praised the graphics, including vertical and parallax scrolling, though some thought the gameplay beneath was relatively average.
Also on other platforms
Sega Saturn · Nintendo Switch
- Sega Saturn. The Saturn version, in the Thunder Force: Gold Pack 2 compilation (November 29, 1996 in Japan), removes sluggish frame rate, adds an easier mode, and adds the Thunder Force III fighter as a secret ship.
Before you buy
Among US carts this is one of the pricier ones, and the risk tier is Medium, so ask for a photo of the board and compare it with the board listed on this page. The European cart usually costs less than the US one, while the Japanese cart (Thunder Force IV) usually costs a bit more and has a different cartridge shape.
Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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