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Unlicensed Mega Drive games are actually quite common outside the U.S., and many come from Taiwan. Over the last few years, many have surfaced in some form or another, allowing western gamers to finally get a chance at playing them. Among them was this shmup by Gamtec, which is worth a glance, despite its sweet look and derivative gameplay.
Contrary to what many people think, Thunderbolt II is not a bootleg. It comes from the same unlicensed background as titles such as Beggar Prince and games released by Tengen and Accolade. It also only came out in Taiwan, which makes it extremely rare. But is it good? Read on and find out!
Long after the 16-bit era has ended, gamers in the west are finally beginning to enjoy these titles through emulation and the efforts of companies such as Super Fighter Team. One beat-’em-up that conjures forth images of Capcom’s Knights of the Round is Never Ending Soft’s Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan (known to many outside Taiwan as Water Margin: Beneath the Clouds) is a two-player experience that most definitely should have been localized.
Long believed to be a bootleg, Yang Jia Jiang (known as Yang Warrior Family outside of China), is most likely a legitimate, unlicensed release. Details on the game’s development and distribution are scarce, as they are with most Chinese Mega Drive titles, but we can at least still review it for public consumption. Read our full review and see if this one is worth hunting down. Be warned though; there are a ton of pirate versions that are not the same, so care is needed to find an original copy.
Like puzzle games? Think you’ve played them all? Well, I’ll bet you haven’t tried out this little puzzler from C&E Inc. (makers of Beggar Prince). Originating in Taiwan and never officially released elsewhere, Magic Bubble is a fun game that’s worth tracking down for the small amount it commands on eBay. Just in case you’re still on the fence, we’ve got a full review to help you decide.