To be honest, when I saw the name "Plane War: Thunder and Lightning", my first reaction was "another reskinned aircraft game"😅. But after playing it for two days, I have to admit - although this game is not a world-shattering masterpiece, it is indeed a bit interesting among similar mobile games.
Without bragging, let's talk about its advantages first. The biggest highlight of this game is the operating feel, which really brings back the crisp and sharp hitting feeling of the arcade "Thunderbolt". The screen vibration when the bullet hits the enemy plane and the graininess of the explosion special effects all remind me of the days when I put coins in the arcade. Moreover, it does not have any messy krypton gold system such as physical strength, card drawing, and equipment enhancement. It starts with an initial fighter and fights all the way to the end, relying solely on operation to pass the level. This is simply a breath of fresh air in the mobile game environment of 2025🌿.
But the shortcomings are also obvious. First of all, the game content is too little. There are only dozens of levels in total, and there are only six or seven types of enemies: small red planes, big blue planes, bosses that can release tracking bombs, and occasionally two meteorites... I started to get tired of it after playing around the 15th level. Compared with similar games such as "Thunder Fighter OL" or "Galaxy on Fire", they have weapon upgrades, wingmen matching, and even plot branches, while "Thunderbolt" is just a road to death, without even a prop shop. To say that it is a "masterclass classic arcade game" is actually more like a tribute to the "Thunderbolt" series, rather than really surpassing it.
In addition, I checked the name of the developer "Beijing Kuaibokos". It is a small company that makes casual games. It has released several flying shooting mobile games before, and their reputation is average. This game is free with no in-app purchases, and it seems to be monetized purely by advertising - yes, a 30-second ad plays every three minutes of play, and the ad closing button is as small as a grain of rice😤. Fortunately, the ads can be skipped and are not mandatory to watch, but the frequency does affect the immersion.
Talking about similar games, let me mention them by the way. In the current mobile game shooting category, the ones that are really good are "Thunder Fighter" (old manufacturer), "Arrogant Eagle" (transplant) and "Star Breakout" (hardcore oriented). Compared with them, "Thunder and Lightning" wins in simplicity and nostalgia, but loses in depth and richness. If you are an old player born in the 70s or 80s and just want to find the feeling of childhood in a fragmented time, this game is worth a try; but if you are looking for excitement, cultivation or social interaction, forget it.
Finally, it may be a bit strange to post game recommendations in this selfie dating section 🤔, but good games are worth sharing. If you are tired of playing those fancy online games, you might as well try this "return to nature" arcade shooting. But remember to bring headphones, the ads are quite loud 😂.