Thunder Dragon 2/Gameplay

As far as arcade shooters go, Thunder Dragon 2 is relatively simple, with uncomplicated scoring and secrets and a straightforward ranking system. Enemy bullets are harder to see than in most shmups, due to blinking white and blue and being set to a lower sprite layer, which means they will often be hidden by the numerous explosions on the stage. Many of the enemies shoot targeted shots, so movement is necessary and a high premium is put on stage memorization for both scoring the surviving.

Scoring
You will earn points by killing enemies, with harder ships giving you a better score. Additionally, collecting medals will help you to boost your score. There are four medals ranging from 500 points to 50,000 points. Some medals can be uncovered by shooting at certain portions of the stage and others are left behind after taking out enemies or groups of enemies. The 50k medals require the most complex actions, and depend in large part on how quickly you can defeat the stage.

At the beginning of each stage are letters which are worth points and if you destroy them all you normally receive a bomb. The exception is on the first stage where you get a 50k medal. All medals except for the purple bars are at a set worth, but a medal chain can be created with the purple bars. The chain will increase up to 10k medals and won't be broken by missing a medal. The chain will, however, be broken if you die.

There is no health bar for the planes; they take only one hit to perish. You start with three lives and there are no extends in the game. Using a continue will reset the score to zero.