Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Thunder & Lightning is a puzzle-action game developed by Visco and published by Romstar for the NES in 1990. It is a port of SETA’s arcade game from the same year and the third and final title to feature Mr. Chin, following his earlier appearances on the MSX and Game Boy. At its core, Thunder & Lightning is clearly inspired by Breakout and Arkanoid, but its strange protagonist, colorful presentation, varied hazards and useful power-ups give it enough personality to stand on its own.
Rating: 7.5/10
The story is suitably bizarre. Mr. Chin, driven by his endless search for exotic food, angers the mysterious Thunderwarrior and is imprisoned behind the “30 Walls of Regret.” To escape the Chamber of Doom, he must clear all 30 stages by smashing every required block.
Gameplay is immediately familiar. Mr. Chin runs left and right along the bottom of the screen while holding a paddle above his head. A ball bounces around the playfield, and the goal is to keep it in motion while destroying the blocks above. Miss the ball and you lose a life.
What makes Thunder & Lightning more interesting than a basic Breakout clone is the amount of activity taking place on the screen. Stages introduce moving enemies and environmental hazards that interfere with both Mr. Chin and the ball. Vases can release octopuses that latch onto him and slow his movement, turtles can create additional blocks, and other creatures can disrupt otherwise predictable rebounds. Thunderwarrior himself occasionally appears on a cloud and unleashes lightning across the playfield.
A generous selection of power-ups helps balance the chaos. Mr. Chin can extend his paddle, slow the ball, catch and manually release it, split it into multiple balls or gain more destructive attacks. Some stages become much easier with the right item, although collecting a new power-up can also replace an ability you would rather keep.
The controls work surprisingly well considering the NES lacks the analog paddle controller normally associated with games like Arkanoid. Mr. Chin moves quickly and accurately with the D-pad, and the ball physics are predictable enough that careful positioning lets you influence rebound angles. It never feels quite as smooth as a true rotary controller, but it remains responsive and enjoyable.
Visually, Thunder & Lightning is bright and cheerful rather than technically spectacular. The changing backgrounds, animated enemies and goofy Mr. Chin sprite give the game considerably more character than many other brick-breakers. Blocks use simple shadow effects to create depth, while the playfield stays clear enough that the ball is usually easy to follow.
The soundtrack is also distinctive, with energetic melodies and prominent sampled sounds that immediately give the game personality. Unfortunately, there is not enough musical variety to support a complete run through all 30 stages, so the same themes can become repetitive.
Difficulty is where Thunder & Lightning becomes much less forgiving. The first half is manageable, but the challenge increases sharply later on as the ball speeds up, layouts become more awkward and enemies interfere more aggressively. The NES version also provides no continues or password system, so losing all your lives means returning to the beginning.
That harsh structure can be frustrating after a long run, but it also makes completing the game feel like a genuine arcade-style achievement. Thunder & Lightning never escapes the shadow of Arkanoid, yet it is a surprisingly polished and entertaining alternative. Its quirky theme, responsive controls, varied hazards and useful power-ups make it one of the better block-breaking games on the NES, especially for players who enjoy a demanding challenge.
Thunder & Lightning is a puzzle-action game developed by Visco and published by Romstar for the NES in 1990. It is a port of SETA’s arcade game from the same year and the third and final title to feature Mr. Chin, following his earlier appearances on the MSX and Game Boy. At its core, Thunder & Lightning is clearly inspired by Breakout and Arkanoid, but its strange protagonist, colorful presentation, varied hazards and useful power-ups give it enough personality to stand on its own.
Rating: 7.5/10
The story is suitably bizarre. Mr. Chin, driven by his endless search for exotic food, angers the mysterious Thunderwarrior and is imprisoned behind the “30 Walls of Regret.” To escape the Chamber of Doom, he must clear all 30 stages by smashing every required block.
Gameplay is immediately familiar. Mr. Chin runs left and right along the bottom of the screen while holding a paddle above his head. A ball bounces around the playfield, and the goal is to keep it in motion while destroying the blocks above. Miss the ball and you lose a life.
What makes Thunder & Lightning more interesting than a basic Breakout clone is the amount of activity taking place on the screen. Stages introduce moving enemies and environmental hazards that interfere with both Mr. Chin and the ball. Vases can release octopuses that latch onto him and slow his movement, turtles can create additional blocks, and other creatures can disrupt otherwise predictable rebounds. Thunderwarrior himself occasionally appears on a cloud and unleashes lightning across the playfield.
A generous selection of power-ups helps balance the chaos. Mr. Chin can extend his paddle, slow the ball, catch and manually release it, split it into multiple balls or gain more destructive attacks. Some stages become much easier with the right item, although collecting a new power-up can also replace an ability you would rather keep.
The controls work surprisingly well considering the NES lacks the analog paddle controller normally associated with games like Arkanoid. Mr. Chin moves quickly and accurately with the D-pad, and the ball physics are predictable enough that careful positioning lets you influence rebound angles. It never feels quite as smooth as a true rotary controller, but it remains responsive and enjoyable.
Visually, Thunder & Lightning is bright and cheerful rather than technically spectacular. The changing backgrounds, animated enemies and goofy Mr. Chin sprite give the game considerably more character than many other brick-breakers. Blocks use simple shadow effects to create depth, while the playfield stays clear enough that the ball is usually easy to follow.
The soundtrack is also distinctive, with energetic melodies and prominent sampled sounds that immediately give the game personality. Unfortunately, there is not enough musical variety to support a complete run through all 30 stages, so the same themes can become repetitive.
Difficulty is where Thunder & Lightning becomes much less forgiving. The first half is manageable, but the challenge increases sharply later on as the ball speeds up, layouts become more awkward and enemies interfere more aggressively. The NES version also provides no continues or password system, so losing all your lives means returning to the beginning.
That harsh structure can be frustrating after a long run, but it also makes completing the game feel like a genuine arcade-style achievement. Thunder & Lightning never escapes the shadow of Arkanoid, yet it is a surprisingly polished and entertaining alternative. Its quirky theme, responsive controls, varied hazards and useful power-ups make it one of the better block-breaking games on the NES, especially for players who enjoy a demanding challenge.
