Thunder Zone squad commandos
The elite soldiers controlled by the players, sent behind enemy lines to complete assault missions.
Documented for this version
Joystick | Move the soldier |
|---|---|
Shot | Fire the equipped weapon |
Jump | Jump |
Arcade button labels and cabinet layouts can vary by revision.
The game supports up to four simultaneous players on compatible cabinets.
How it plays
The game uses a side-view perspective across mostly horizontal stages. Players move, jump, fire in multiple directions, and use close attacks while progressing from one combat zone to the next.
Stages contain ordinary soldiers, vehicles, hazards, and boss encounters. Cooperative players can cover different angles and revive or protect one another depending on the cabinet rules. Progression is stage-based rather than character-stat based; survival, weapon use, and continued credits determine advancement.
Plan your run
Keep moving instead of standing in open areas, especially when vehicles or groups of soldiers enter from both sides. Fire diagonally or vertically to clear threats before they reach melee range.
Save powerful attacks for dense enemy formations and bosses. In multiplayer, divide attention between screen edges and avoid clustering together when explosives or large enemies appear.
Meet the cast
The elite soldiers controlled by the players, sent behind enemy lines to complete assault missions.
Before you begin
Learn enemy entry points and keep a clear escape route.
Use jumping and directional fire to handle threats above or below you.
In cooperative play, spread out enough to cover both sides without blocking one another.
Thunder Zone is a 1991 arcade action game developed and published by Data East. It combines side-scrolling run-and-gun shooting with close-range combat as soldiers fight through a modern military conflict. The game supports cooperative play for up to four people, making crowd control and coordinated movement central to its appeal. Players advance through linear stages, defeating infantry, armored vehicles, helicopters, and larger bosses while managing limited lives and special attacks. Its presentation uses large sprites, explosive set pieces, and a deliberately hectic pace associated with late-arcade action games. Thunder Zone received attention primarily for its four-player format and energetic combat, and it was also released in some markets under the title Desert Assault.
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