OK, so I've decided to post my thoughts about retro games in the retro threads, like a certain user on here. I'll also post a video if I can find one. First I'll start with the 1986 Namco classic, Rolling Thunder.

This game is a run and gun (sort of) where you play as a secret agent trying to save a girl. Whenever I first played this game on Namco Museum: Battle Collection, I was like, "Holy crap this game is hard!". It is a pretty difficult game. You can only take one or two hits which sucks. One unique feature about the game is the fact you can jump from floor to floor, and hiding in doors. I found that a unique concept and it adds an amount of strategy to the game. Even though the only powerup is a machine gun, it's effective if you use it effectively. You can get pretty good too if you memorize the stages in certain places. I also like the secret agent themed music. I think it fits the game very well and it's really good too. I just like this game, despite the difficulty.
Here's a video:
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Rolling Thunder is hard, but it's good nonetheless. I wonder how the sequel is (haven't downloaded it yet)?

I've never played the sequel. Tried it on _ayouknowwhat but it refused to work.

Rolling Thunder is impossible. Even with invincibility enabled in the 50th Anniversary Collection, I can never make it past level 4. Damn fire people knocking me into the lava pit!

Still a good game though. And the sequel's even better.

@StarBoy91 If you like the first game, just like @Ricardo91, I would recommend downloading Mega Drive Rolling Thunder 2 on Virtual Console. I prefer it to the first arcade game, which I also play mostly on Namco Museum: 50th Anniversary (GameCube).
http://retro.nintendolife.com/reviews/2009/09/namco_museum_50th_anniversary_retro
The second has super funky tunes and nice visual variety in its backgrounds. It benefits from having outdoor sections with a holiday resort's sun soaked blue skies and palm trees, but you soon move into enemy territory with mansions, science-type areas, Neo-Geldra's base and even an Egyptian pyramids based level. The weapons are much more inventive, with a flamethrower early on and a cool level in which the player hides in scenery doors to avoid deadly laser shots and then times their return fire, with their own nifty laser gun. The enemies are varied too, with panthers, Neo-Geldra goons and a boss robot. You can select between two characters, Albatross returns, but there is new lady called Leila to control. I always play as Albatross, so I'm not sure if they control differently, I'm guessing that they play in exactly the same way.
It is still tough, but either the second game is easier in general, or I was simply more motivated by the prettier graphics, because I progressed much further in number 2. To be fair it does have icons to collect which replenish your energy bar and it also has passwords to assist with your progress. Consider downloading it, mate.

I prefer the original to the sequel, but they're both great games. I've never managed to make it past level 3 in Rolling Thunder, but that doesn't stop me from playing it and enjoying it! Definitely one of my favourite Namco arcade games and action arcade games full stop.

Rolling Thunder series rocks. Wicked hard -- the cabinets sucked down quarters like mad from those who appreciated the biting difficulty. My friend Carl had one of the games for the Genny back in college (i think it must have been #2; did they release the original on Gen?), and we played the hell out of that. Somehow, my friend always seemed to become a master at the game when he was drinking, which you'd not expect given the twitch-ness often required. I'd get killed left and right, and he'd be dodging bullets like Neo. Funny times.

No, from what I looked up, the MegaDrive only had Rolling Thunder 2 & 3.

That's what i thought. Pretty sure it was 2. For some reason all we played for like the whole Spring semester was Rolling Thunder 2, the Incredible Hulk game and the Taz game. Weird. Probably had at least a little something to do with his closet herb garden. =)

Great, but tough game. I remembered playing it on the Nes and the arcade. Rolling Thunder for the Nes was one of the games my younger brother and I bought during our first year owning the Nes. I was able to go past the fire pits a couple times, but I did find the level being tough.

Wasn't the Nintendo version of Rolling Thunder only released in Japan?

It's not that. It was one of Tengen's unofficial games.

Oh. That makes sense.