Thunder Force III
Thunder Force III — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Thunder Force III on?
- Thunder Force III was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Arcade, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Saturn, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch.
- When did Thunder Force III release?
- Thunder Force III was first released on June 8, 1990.
About Thunder Force III
Thunder Force III is a scrolling shooter game developed by Technosoft. It is the third chapter in the Thunder Force series. It was released in 1990 in Japan, Europe and the United States for the Sega Genesis. During the same year, it was retooled into an arcade game named Thunder Force AC. In 1991, Thunder Force AC was ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System under the title Thunder Spirits.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Arcade, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Saturn, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch
- Developer
- Technosoft
- Publisher
- Tec Toy
- 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 | 1990 | $48 | $129 | — | 8 reviews | Low |
Also released on: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Arcade · Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Saturn · Nintendo 3DS · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese release | $39 | $88 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about once 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 $10.99 in Apr 2008, $47 five years ago, and $48 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2009 | $31 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $8.90 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $13.95 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $11.26 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $14.97 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $18.99 | $35 |
| Jan 2015 | $22 | $48 |
| Jan 2016 | $25 | $50 |
| Jan 2017 | $30 | $54 |
| Jan 2018 | $30 | $66 |
| Jan 2019 | $29 | $63 |
| Jan 2020 | $36 | $79 |
| Jan 2021 | $41 | $82 |
| Jan 2022 | $52 | $119 |
| Jan 2023 | $48 | $137 |
| Jan 2024 | $35 | $89 |
| Jan 2025 | $39 | $94 |
| Jan 2026 | $46 | $100 |
| Oct 2026 | $48 | $129 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1990 | 093455100067 |
| Japan | 8 June 1990 | 4907095000358 |
- Region
- JP+NA
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Low
A shooter often ranked among the best on the Genesis, and a pricey cart.
Technosoft developed and published this horizontal shooter, which reached Japan on 8 June 1990 and North America in October 1990. Mean Machines Sega praised its parallax-scrolling backdrops and sprites, and said the sound and gameplay were great as well.
Mega placed it 17th in its 1992 list of the top Mega Drive games, and Electronic Gaming Monthly called it the best shooter on the Genesis.
What the press said at the time
| The Games Machine Issue 33 | August 1990 | 85% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 89% |
| MegaTech Issue 17 | May 1993 | 89% |
| MegaTech Issue 18 | June 1993 | MT RATING: 89% |
| MegaTech Issue 19 | July 1993 | 89% |
| Sega Pro Issue 26 | December 1993 | 89% |
| MegaTech Issue 26 | February 1994 | 89% |
| MegaTech Issue 27 | March 1994 | 89% |
“Thunder Force III is one of the most professional, arcade -I ike console games I've ever seen. … The best shoot-em- up on the Mega Drive.”
“People out lor the best blast on the Megadrive should go for one or the other of the games I mentioned earlier, but if you can't get your hands on either, Thunderforce III is a worthwhile substitute, packing a powerful punch in the shoot ’em up stakes.”
“The Rynex fighter is back in a six-level graphical tour-de-force. The graphics are truly marvellous, with parallax-scrolling backdrops and some great sprites. The sound isn't bad, either. Put those together with the great gameplay and you've got a superb shoot 'em up which is highly recommended.”
“© Brilliant graphics, sound and gameplay. A very addictive blast. Recently superseded by Thunderforce IV.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
The Genesis game was the original: its success led to the arcade version Thunder Force AC.
In 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly listed the Genesis game as the 59th best console game of all time and the best shooter on the Genesis.
Also on other platforms
Arcade · Super NES · Sega Saturn · Nintendo 3DS · Nintendo Switch
| Super NES | Toshiba EMI |
- Arcade. Thunder Force AC, on Sega System C-2 hardware, is almost graphically identical to the Mega Drive game, borrowing enemies and stages from Thunder Force II and adding some original content.
- Super NES. The Super NES port, Thunder Spirits, does away with level selection, changes several levels, and has a modified soundtrack.
- Sega Saturn. Thunder Force III was re-released in 1996 in Thunder Force Gold Pack 1 for the Sega Saturn.
Before you buy
Among US carts this is one of the dearer ones, well above the median. The Japanese Mega Drive cart usually costs less than the US one, loose and complete, and has a different cartridge shape. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Thunder Force III screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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