[1] A year later, it was ported to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game console and released in Japan (under the name Thunder Force II MD), Europe, and the United States.

Each stage begins in the top-view perspective, where the player has to locate the cores of a certain number of major enemy bases and destroy them.

Building upon its predecessor, Thunder Force II introduced a weapon system that would become the staple for the rest of the series.

Thunder Force II also introduced the CRAW add-ons; small pods which revolve around the ship.

The function of the CRAWs is to block weak incoming bullets, and to provide extra firepower by firing single, normal shots.

ACE magazine listed it in 1989 as one of the top three games available for the Mega Drive at the time, along with Altered Beast and Space Harrier II.

[9] MegaTech magazine reviewed the Sega Genesis version, praising the game as a "robust shoot-em up with plenty of thrills ‘n’ spills" and noting that the levels are "packed to the gills with enemy ships and huge end-of-level guardians" and recommending Thunder Force 2 to fans of that game genre.