Thexder 2

"Fire Hawk: Thexder The Second Contact" was a game from Game Arts and released in 1989 on MSX2 and 1990 on DOS. It retained the same concept as the original Thexder, and added many improvements.

Improvements

The Fire Hawk robot had the same design as the Thexder: the main laser, shield, and ability to transform into a jet. It also had upgrades to allow it to launch guided missiles, and use special weapons found throughout the game. Obtaining special weapons caused a weapon carrier droid to be deployed, and if positioned correctly, would act as a shield against enemies.

Special weapons included:
*Flasher (damages anything on screen)
*Stopper (froze enemies for a short time)
*ECM (prevented enemies from shooting for a short time)
*Dart Missile (powerful but non-guided missile)
*Napalm Bomb (attacked ground-based enemies)
*Fuel Cell (restore energy)

Graphics were improved from the original game, and game play was divided into sub-levels, with the fourth sub-level containing a "boss" enemy. It was also possible to restart later games at the beginning of a level previously visited.

"Fire Hawk: Thexder The Second Contact" was made by Game Arts, and distributed by Sierra Entertainment in North America.