<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
(	O
released	O
as	O
Winds	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
1993	O
horizontally	O
scrolling	O
shooter	O
developed	O
by	O
Red	O
Company	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Turbo	O
Technologies	O
and	O
Hudson	O
Soft	O
for	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
unofficial	O
follow-up	O
to	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
was	O
created	O
by	O
Red	O
Raimon	O
,	O
a	O
group	O
within	O
Red	O
consisting	O
of	O
former	O
Technosoft	O
staff	O
which	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
Thunder	B-Application
Force	I-Application
series	O
,	O
whose	O
members	O
would	O
later	O
form	O
the	O
game	O
development	O
company	O
CAProduction	O
,	O
originally	O
planned	O
as	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
before	O
becoming	O
an	O
original	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
First	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
,	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
by	O
Hudson	O
Soft	O
and	O
Eleven	O
in	O
1995	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
since	O
been	O
re-released	O
through	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
download	O
services	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
of	O
being	O
included	O
on	O
the	O
PC	B-Device
Engine	I-Device
Mini	I-Device
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
praised	O
its	O
stylish	O
and	O
sharp	O
visuals	O
for	O
showcasing	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx	B-General_Concept
,	O
large	O
and	O
detailed	O
bosses	O
,	O
ability	O
to	O
choose	O
between	O
stages	O
,	O
lack	O
of	O
slowdown	O
and	O
flickering	O
,	O
frantic	O
pacing	O
and	O
hard	O
rock	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
difficulty	O
were	O
met	O
with	O
mixed	O
response	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
port	O
received	O
mixed	O
reception	O
from	O
reviewers	O
for	O
being	O
inferior	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
washed	O
out	O
colors	O
,	O
audio	O
balancing	O
issues	O
,	O
low	O
difficulty	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
,	O
instances	O
of	O
sprite	O
flickering	O
and	O
lack	O
of	O
fine-tuning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
commentary	O
have	O
been	O
positive	O
and	O
is	O
considered	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
important	O
shooting	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
is	O
a	O
fantasy-themed	O
scrolling	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
game	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
the	O
knight	O
Landis	O
,	O
donning	O
the	O
armor	O
of	O
his	O
ancestor	O
Drak	O
on	O
a	O
confrontation	O
against	O
Zaggart	O
of	O
Garuda	O
Empire	O
,	O
who	O
resurrected	O
the	O
evil	O
god	O
Deoric	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
six	O
dark	O
generals	O
across	O
the	O
land	O
of	O
Mistral	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
structure	O
is	O
different	O
compared	O
with	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
;	O
When	O
starting	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
choose	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
six	O
stages	O
in	O
a	O
manner	O
similar	O
to	O
Thunder	B-Application
Force	I-Application
III	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
last	O
stage	O
being	O
unlocked	O
after	O
all	O
six	O
stages	O
are	O
cleared	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Getting	O
hit	O
by	O
enemy	O
fire	O
or	O
colliding	O
against	O
solid	O
stage	O
obstacles	O
decreases	O
Landis	O
 '	O
health	O
and	O
firepower	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
game	B-Application
is	I-Application
over	I-Application
once	O
his	O
health	O
bar	O
is	O
depleted	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
player	O
has	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
select	O
another	O
stage	O
or	O
keep	O
playing	O
using	O
limited	O
continues	O
,	O
while	O
more	O
continues	O
can	O
be	O
purchased	O
via	O
the	O
shop	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Red	O
Raimon	O
(	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
Red	O
Kaminarimon	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
group	O
within	O
Red	O
responsible	O
for	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
,	O
consisting	O
of	O
former	O
Technosoft	O
staff	O
which	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
Thunder	B-Application
Force	I-Application
series	O
(	O
particularly	O
Thunder	B-Device
Force	I-Device
II	I-Device
and	O
Thunder	B-Application
Force	I-Application
III	O
)	O
but	O
left	O
the	O
company	O
in	O
1991	O
and	O
would	O
later	O
form	O
the	O
game	O
development	O
company	O
CAProduction	O
in	O
1993	O
,	O
with	O
Kazunori	O
Nakazawa	O
serving	O
as	O
planner	O
and	O
character	O
designer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
originally	O
planned	O
as	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
before	O
becoming	O
an	O
original	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Satoshi	O
Miyashita	O
(	O
under	O
the	O
alias	O
"	O
Groove	O
King	O
"	O
)	O
from	O
T	O
's	O
Music	O
,	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
musicians	O
and	O
sound	O
engineers	O
founded	O
in	O
1990	O
,	O
which	O
also	O
scored	O
the	O
music	O
for	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Final	O
Fight	O
CD	O
,	O
Ginga	B-Application
Fukei	I-Application
Densetsu	I-Application
Sapphire	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
Sentimental	O
Graffiti	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
was	O
first	O
published	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
by	O
Turbo	O
Technologies	O
in	O
March	O
1993	O
for	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
later	O
in	O
Japan	O
by	O
Hudson	O
Soft	O
on	O
April	O
23	O
for	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
Super	O
CD-ROM²	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
Winds	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
title	O
received	O
a	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
port	O
developed	O
by	O
Hudson	O
Soft	O
and	O
Eleven	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
first	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
March	O
28	O
,	O
1995	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
in	O
Europe	O
on	O
June	O
of	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
version	O
has	O
been	O
re-released	O
several	O
times	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
re-released	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
on	O
February	O
7	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
then	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
February	O
11	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
June	O
10	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
re-released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
Archives	O
"	O
line	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
August	O
18	O
,	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
re-released	O
through	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
as	O
well	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
October	O
21	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
November	O
9	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
included	O
in	O
both	O
the	O
Japanese	O
and	O
western	O
variants	O
of	O
the	O
PC	B-Device
Engine	I-Device
Mini	I-Device
console	O
in	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
garnered	O
acclaim	O
from	O
critics	O
since	O
its	O
release	O
on	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
,	O
most	O
of	O
which	O
reviewed	O
it	O
as	O
an	O
import	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Public	O
reception	O
was	O
also	O
positive	O
:	O
readers	O
of	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
Fan	O
voted	O
to	O
give	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
23.76	O
out	O
of	O
30	O
score	O
,	O
ranking	O
at	O
the	O
number	O
53	O
spot	O
in	O
a	O
poll	O
,	O
indicating	O
a	O
large	O
popular	O
following	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Zero	O
Magazines	O
four	O
reviewers	O
highly	O
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
metal	O
soundtrack	O
but	O
they	O
felt	O
that	O
gameplay	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
fierce	O
as	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Likewise	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
four	O
reviewers	O
highly	O
commended	O
the	O
stylish	O
and	O
sharp	O
visuals	O
,	O
large	O
bosses	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
though	O
Martin	O
Alessi	O
in	O
particular	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
gameplay	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
technical	O
as	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
VideoGames	O
&	O
Computer	O
Entertainments	O
Clayton	O
Walnum	O
gave	O
positive	O
remarks	O
to	O
the	O
visuals	O
for	O
showcasing	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx	B-General_Concept
,	O
large	O
and	O
detailed	O
bosses	O
,	O
lack	O
of	O
slowdown	O
,	O
frantic	O
pacing	O
and	O
music	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
is	O
the	O
perfect	O
game	O
for	O
players	O
with	O
fast	O
reflexes	O
and	O
strong	O
controller	O
hands.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameFans	O
four	O
reviewers	O
regarded	O
it	O
as	O
superior	O
to	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
and	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
shooters	O
on	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Megablasts	O
Richard	O
Löwenstein	O
praised	O
the	O
overall	O
audiovisual	O
presentation	O
,	O
gameplay	O
and	O
controls	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
feels	O
faster	O
and	O
more	O
playable	O
than	O
arcades	O
shooters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Joypads	O
Jean-François	O
Morisse	O
and	O
Alain	O
Huyghues-Lacour	O
echoed	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
thoughts	O
as	O
Consoles	O
Plus	O
,	O
commending	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
pushing	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
Super	O
CD-ROM²	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
visuals	O
and	O
sprites	O
,	O
sound	O
design	O
and	O
controls	O
but	O
they	O
criticized	O
certain	O
aspects	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
easy	O
boss	O
encounters	O
,	O
difficulty	O
and	O
flashing	O
when	O
enemies	O
are	O
hit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	O
Funs	O
Martin	O
Weidner	O
and	O
Stefan	O
Hellert	O
felt	O
that	O
it	O
surpassed	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
,	O
giving	O
positive	O
remarks	O
to	O
the	O
rock-based	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
varied	O
backgrounds	O
across	O
each	O
stage	O
,	O
large	O
bosses	O
,	O
lack	O
of	O
slowdown	O
and	O
flickering	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
on	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
received	O
a	O
mixture	O
of	O
opinions	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
four	O
reviewers	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
dramatically	O
inferior	O
to	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
version	O
,	O
and	O
commenting	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
become	O
outdated	O
since	O
the	O
aforementioned	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
version	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameFans	O
three	O
reviewers	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
still	O
a	O
good	O
shooter	O
on	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
but	O
criticized	O
the	O
washed	O
out	O
colors	O
,	O
re-recorded	O
cutscenes	O
and	O
easier	O
difficulty	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
TurboGrafx	B-General_Concept
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePros	O
The	O
Unknown	O
Gamer	O
remarked	O
that	O
though	O
its	O
colors	O
are	O
n't	O
as	O
sharp	O
and	O
bright	O
as	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
version	O
's	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
version	O
is	O
nonetheless	O
"	O
a	O
fairly	O
close	O
port	O
"	O
and	O
helps	O
fill	O
a	O
niche	O
on	O
a	O
system	O
with	O
very	O
few	O
traditional	O
shooters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
Generation	O
felt	O
it	O
was	O
similar	O
to	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Worlds	I-Application
and	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
its	O
moments	O
,	O
but	O
you	O
've	O
seen	O
them	O
,	O
and	O
played	O
them	O
through	O
hundreds	O
of	O
times	O
before	O
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VideoGames	O
Geoff	O
Higgins	O
regarded	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
welcomed	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
library	O
but	O
criticized	O
its	O
low	O
difficulty	O
level	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MAN	O
!	O
ACs	O
Martin	O
Gaksch	O
expressed	O
his	O
preference	O
for	O
a	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
conversion	O
of	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
but	O
nevertheless	O
,	O
he	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
graphical	O
design	O
,	O
rock	O
music	O
and	O
varied	O
action	O
but	O
criticized	O
its	O
audio	O
balancing	O
issues	O
and	O
low	O
difficulty	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	O
Fun	O
Martin	O
Weidner	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
visuals	O
were	O
much	O
pale	O
in	O
comparison	O
to	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
original	O
,	O
criticizing	O
the	O
instances	O
where	O
sprite	O
flickering	O
occurred	O
and	O
lack	O
of	O
fine-tuning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Regardless	O
,	O
Sol	O
commended	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
slowdown	O
and	O
flickering	O
,	O
hard	O
rock	O
soundtrack	O
and	O
playability	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
Without	O
being	O
a	O
masterpiece	O
,	O
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
is	O
probably	O
the	O
best	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Mega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
console	O
since	O
the	O
consecration	O
of	O
Silpheed	B-Device
,	O
back	O
in	O
the	O
fall	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
1993.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
reviews	O
for	O
Lords	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
have	O
been	O
equally	O
positive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
Italias	O
Andrea	O
Corritore	O
identified	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
important	O
shooting	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
,	O
alongside	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
,	O
Ginga	B-Application
Fukei	I-Application
Densetsu	I-Application
Sapphire	I-Application
and	O
Rayxanber	B-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
reissue	O
of	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
version	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
Lifes	O
Damien	O
McFerran	O
deemed	O
it	O
even	O
better	O
than	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamers	O
Dan	O
Whitehead	O
highlighted	O
its	O
soundtrack	O
as	O
with	O
Gate	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGNs	O
Lucas	O
M	O
.	O
Thomas	O
called	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
shooter	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
,	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
proves	O
to	O
still	O
be	O
just	O
as	O
compelling	O
and	O
energetic	O
"	O
15	O
years	O
"	O
since	O
its	O
original	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hardcore	O
Gaming	O
101s	O
Eric	O
Johnathan	O
Smith	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
soundtrack	O
felt	O
"	O
less	O
raw	O
"	O
than	O
the	O
TurboDuo	B-General_Concept
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Japanese	O
book	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
Complete	O
Guide	O
1987-1999	O
praised	O
the	O
speedy	O
scrolling	O
and	O
expressed	O
surprise	O
about	O
the	O
multiple	O
scrolling	O
backgrounds	O
.	O
</s>
