3-D Thunder Ceptor II continues Thunder Ceptor (1986), Taito's ship shooter that used sprite scaling to fake depth, in the same lineage as Space Harrier but with a colder, more spatial tone. The sequel repeats the formula: enemy waves that grow larger as they approach and a constant stream of fire toward the back of the screen.
It's a more technical than memorable piece, representative of the era when Japanese manufacturers competed through hardware tricks to fake 3D before real polygons arrived. Worth checking out today as a curiosity from that transition.
If you liked this one
