R-Type
Encyclopedia
is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game
produced by Irem
in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin. R-Type is recognized as one of the classics of the shooter genre from the 1980s arcade.
The original R-Type was well-received by most gaming critics. However, it was also infamous for its relentless difficulty. It earned 7th place in IGN's Top 10 most difficult games to beat.
The gameplay of R-Type is noticeably distinct among shoot 'em up
s. Invariably the player will lose, not because of an inequality in firepower, but because of the design of the levels themselves. There is usually a 'correct' way to get through a level, but players must learn these by experience - i.e. by losing and restarting from earlier in the level.
The Bydo backstory developed from being negligible into being a complex fictional example of retrocausality
, where humankind disposed of an experimental weapon into an alternate dimension and that weapon frees itself into mankind's own past.
' s most notable and unique innovation. Described as "an indestructible living weapon", it is a glowing, spherical pod that can be attached to the player's ship. Players of R-Type sometimes qualify the weapon's name with words such as 'Pod', or 'Unit', or even 'Droid', but officially it is simply a Force.
To obtain the Force, the player must collect a weapon power-up. When this is done, the Force arrives onscreen from behind. To attach the Force to the ship, the player simply flies into it. When the Force is attached, either to the front or back, it acts as a weapons system and will fire in whatever direction it is facing.
The Force has three levels of power. It is at its least powerful when it first appears, but increases in power whenever the player collects a new weapon power-up. The Force's visual appearance is different for each power level, and becomes more sophisticated as this increases:
The player has a single button with which to control the Force. By pressing the button when the Force is attached to the ship, it is rocket-ejected away in whatever direction it is facing. When detached, the Force can be made to fire, but it uses an array of simple blasters rather than the weapons it supplies to the ship. By pressing the button again, the Force can be called back to the ship. Because it homes in on the player's ship, the player can control it in a limited manner by moving the ship as it is returning.
The Force also, importantly, acts as a shield
. It is indestructible and can block normal enemy weapons. It can also damage or destroy enemies by collision.
It is almost customary to have at least one instance, usually during the final boss battle, where the Force can be ejected and launched into a boss' weak point, lodged there, and constantly damage it until the boss falls.
Further installments of the series see upgrades to the nature of the Wave Cannon's full discharge and give an added element to the gameplay. For example, in R-Type II, if the cannon is not fired when the 'BEAM' bar has been charged completely, the gauge is able to enter a second stage of charging, and if the cannon is fired during this time, it launches a wide spread shot of medium power energy shots instead of a single large shot.
In the history of the R-Type saga, Bits are the product of incomplete research that was intended to independently mimic the bioenergy technology of the Bydo, namely, the Force Device itself; only with human life force. The project was extremely controversial and was not completed in time for the R-9's initial launch, and thus the units were limited to defensive roles and minimal offensive capacity. The Bit Cores resemble smaller versions of the Force Core for this reason.
and was placed at number 6 in the Your Sinclair official top 100.
and Blazing Star
for the Neo Geo
bear a great similarity to R-Type, right down to the use of a Force-like device. A common myth is that ex-Irem employees left to start the game's developer, Aicom.
An R-Type port was produced as an unlicensed NES/Famicom cartridge by "Magic Series Corp" under the name "Magic Dragon". The level design and music are the same as the original game, but the graphics have been largely redone from scratch (for example, the R-9 more closely resembles a fighter jet, and the first enemies encountered have been changed to birds.)
One game very similar to the R-Type series was Konami
s 1991 shmup Xexex
. (a.k.a. Orius) The game played almost exactly like R-Type, even using a Force-like weapon called a 'flint'; and even going as far as using weapons of the same name, such as the Ground Laser and Search Laser. The game also took elements from Gradius
, such as the Speed Up and an announcer naming the craft's (Flintlock TMF-01) power-ups. The Flintlock's ship design is very similar to that of R-Type's R-9 fighter; also having three grips protruding from its back which locks on to its Force-like weapon, the 'flint'; hence the craft's name.
Another game similar to R-Type is Rezon
, released by Allumer in 1991.
On the Commodore 64
and Amiga, a clone called Katakis
was produced by Factor 5
. It was considered by many C-64 players to be technically better to that computer's R-Type port, due to the C-64 version of R-Type being a rushed production. Katakis featured a rather unusual two-player mode, where the second player controlled the Force, creating a dual-role challenge - one of assault and one of protecting the vulnerable main ship. Due to legal challenges from Activision, the clone was later re-made and renamed Denaris.
A fairly accurate port of R-Type was released for the PC Engine and TurboGrafx 16 consoles, although both versions suffered from a slightly lower resolution, reduced colour palette, sprite flickering and slow down - due to the slightly reduced resolution, the playfield also scrolls slightly in the vertical axis whenever the player's ship approaches the top or bottom of the screen. The Japanese release for the PC Engine was split across two game cards (HuCards) titled R-Type I and R-Type II and the later North American release for the TurboGrafx 16 contained the entire game on a single card. The PC Engine version of R-Type is notable for having a boss at the end of Stage 6, rather than a prolonged wave of enemies as in all other versions.
The Turbografx 16 version of R-Type was one of the first games confirmed for Nintendo
's Virtual Console
. The North American and European versions include all eight levels while the Japanese release is split between two downloads, mirroring the original release formats for each region respectively. A Sega Master System
version became available for Japan on May 19, 2009, for North America on November 2, 2009 and for Europe on September 25, 2009, however due to licensing issues, this version has been delisted on September 30, 2011.
At the end of the second level of Turrican II, you can see the Force in the hangar where you go on a ship. The whole third level is made on a ship similar to R-Type.
The third boss of the game Radiant Silvergun
, was designed as an homage to the Arrowhead: it has an indestructible force, two bits, a wave cannon, and all three laser types (counter air, rebound, counter ground).
The Xbox Live Arcade
game R-Type Dimensions was released on February 4, 2009. It is a port of the original R-Type and the sequel R-Type II. It can be played either with the original 2D graphics or with new 3D graphics, and has added co-op gameplay functionality.
In the PlayStation 3
's communitarian-based social gaming network, PlayStation Home
, Irem has released a Game Space in the Japanese Home to promote the release of R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate on the PSP and PSPgo. This is the first PSP title to receive a PlayStation Home Game Space.
In 2010, DotEmu
developed an iOS port of R-Type, published by Electronic Arts
, released also for Android in september 2011.
Dobkeratops, the R-Type level 1 boss can be seen in Irem's Undercover Cops
, on a television screen, which can be picked up for points.
R-Type was later represented in the Japan-only Game Boy
title, Shuyaku Sentai Irem Fighter
along with three other Irem franchises: Mr. Heli, Ninja Spirit
and Hammerin' Harry
.
2000 saw them selling "traditional Japanese sweets" containing "Force". When asked in the phony order form on which one was your favorite, the three choices were "R9 (Standard Force)", "RX (Tentacle Force)", and "R13 (Anchor Force)". All three were the ship designation and Force names in R-Type Delta.
In 2003, they put up a website that was selling various versions of the R-9 fighter much in the same manner as a car. Three choices were offered: the standard model, the sport model, and the convertible model.
Irem set up "Irem Burger" as their 2004 prank. R-Type played a supporting role here, with three "Bydo Burgers": The Living Body Burger, the Machine Burger, and the Harmony Burger. As well, some of the other "burgers" were filled with game discs, the one for R-Type Final proudly on display right below the top bun.
2005 saw Irem debuting a phony console, the "EXIDNA". One of the "games" available at launch: R-Type Final 2. As if that weren't enough, they also had a triple-wide "Bydo Monitor" as a peripheral, that of course R-Type Final 2 would support.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
produced by Irem
Irem (company)
is a Japanese video game console developer and publisher, and formerly a developer and manufacturer of arcade games as well. The company has its headquarters in Hakusan, Ishikawa Prefecture....
in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin. R-Type is recognized as one of the classics of the shooter genre from the 1980s arcade.
Gameplay
R-Type is set in the 22nd century, and the player flies a futuristic fighter craft called the R-9a "Arrowhead", named for its shape, and because it is the ninth model in the 'R' series of fighter craft (but it is the first of the series to actually be used in combat; the previous models were all prototypes). The mission is to 'blast off and strike the evil Bydo Empire'. The significance of the R- in the series title refers to the production code as well as the term of endearment for the player fighter craft, the "Round Canopy".The original R-Type was well-received by most gaming critics. However, it was also infamous for its relentless difficulty. It earned 7th place in IGN's Top 10 most difficult games to beat.
The gameplay of R-Type is noticeably distinct among shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
s. Invariably the player will lose, not because of an inequality in firepower, but because of the design of the levels themselves. There is usually a 'correct' way to get through a level, but players must learn these by experience - i.e. by losing and restarting from earlier in the level.
Bydo
The R-Type series, until recently, never really explained much about the ubiquitous enemy of the series: the Bydo Empire.- The pre-mission text for Stage 5.0 of R-Type FinalR-Type FinalR-Type Final is a horizontally-scrolling shooter video game by Irem for the PlayStation 2 video game console originally planned as the last game in the series; however, R-Type Command was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2007.-Story:...
is a perfect summation of the background plot of the game:
The Humans of the 26th century abandoned a horrible weapon in space. That mistake has come back to haunt us in the form of the Bydo Empire.
- From the instruction booklet for R-Type Final:
The Bydo is the living embodiment of evil. A living weapon built with the self-replicating properties of DNA, the Bydo has physical mass, yet exhibits the properties of a wave. It diffuses easily, and fills any environment it encounters. The Bydo can even interfere with, and ultimately consume, human thought itself.
- From Irem's official R-Type webpage:
The Bydo were created by mankind in the 26th century to be used as weapons of ecological destruction against our enemies within the galaxy. Unlike conventional weapons of defense, the Bydo were conceived as limited range weapons with the purpose of destroying every ecological form in their path. The Bydo were placed inside a container almost as large as the moon where they consumed everything and continued to evolve. A combination of physics, genetic engineering, and black magic resulted in man-made creatures of evil. Mankind intended to send the Bydo through a wormhole to the enemy solar system to annihilate their planet. Everything appeared to be going as planned. However, there was a slight error and the Bydo became active in our own solar system. For 150 hours they raged until they were carried away to another dimension by a special weapon. It appeared that mankind in the 26th century was safe. However, the Bydo were still alive and continued to evolve in another dimension. After wandering for what seemed like an eternity, they reappeared in the 22nd century to demonstrate their power against Earth.
Retrocausality
Retrocausality is any of several hypothetical phenomena or processes that reverse causality, allowing an effect to occur before its cause....
, where humankind disposed of an experimental weapon into an alternate dimension and that weapon frees itself into mankind's own past.
- The Bydo Empire:
Within the heart of the Bydo Empire, a cloning plant was discovered. It lies in a steam cleaned area inside of a gigantic computer which controls the planet itself. Not only did they multiply as life forms, but achieved mass production of mobile weapons systems. These instincts of destruction and the feelings of terror which they caused, prompted mankind to call them the Bydo Empire.
Force
The Force is R-Type- From Irem's official R-Type webpage:
The Force is a piece of Bydo flesh. It has characteristics of both a life form and a mineral. By absorbing a certain type of energy, it undergoes a three stage transformation. When struck by a beam, a catalytic function causes the beam to change its form. Against the Bydo, the purest form of energy was extracted from this piece, and converged into a ball-like shape and manipulated through a control rod. The name "Force" implies both a physical and mental power. Four rods are needed to control the Force. Each one organically combines with the energy inside.
To obtain the Force, the player must collect a weapon power-up. When this is done, the Force arrives onscreen from behind. To attach the Force to the ship, the player simply flies into it. When the Force is attached, either to the front or back, it acts as a weapons system and will fire in whatever direction it is facing.
The Force has three levels of power. It is at its least powerful when it first appears, but increases in power whenever the player collects a new weapon power-up. The Force's visual appearance is different for each power level, and becomes more sophisticated as this increases:
- Red - Counter-air Laser - at full power, this is a powerful, horizontal double transverse waveTransverse waveA transverse wave is a moving wave that consists of oscillations occurring perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer...
. - Blue - Rebound Laser - fires three thin beams; one horizontal, two at 45° diagonals. These beams can rebound off walls.
- Yellow - Counter-ground Laser - fires two flamelike beams vertically upward and downward. These can travel along the ground and walls.
The player has a single button with which to control the Force. By pressing the button when the Force is attached to the ship, it is rocket-ejected away in whatever direction it is facing. When detached, the Force can be made to fire, but it uses an array of simple blasters rather than the weapons it supplies to the ship. By pressing the button again, the Force can be called back to the ship. Because it homes in on the player's ship, the player can control it in a limited manner by moving the ship as it is returning.
The Force also, importantly, acts as a shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
. It is indestructible and can block normal enemy weapons. It can also damage or destroy enemies by collision.
It is almost customary to have at least one instance, usually during the final boss battle, where the Force can be ejected and launched into a boss' weak point, lodged there, and constantly damage it until the boss falls.
Wave Cannon
The Wave Cannon is a special weapon integrated into the R9 craft. By simply holding the fire button down, the player can build up energy in their ship, drawing in tiny, glowing particles through the ship's nose. A 'BEAM' bar at the bottom of the screen indicates how much energy the ship is charged with. Releasing the fire button discharges this energy as a destructive beam, which at full power can tear through waves of enemies. The Wave Cannon is a powerful weapon, but has the disadvantage that the player cannot fire while charging the cannon. In addition, it can only fire forward.Further installments of the series see upgrades to the nature of the Wave Cannon's full discharge and give an added element to the gameplay. For example, in R-Type II, if the cannon is not fired when the 'BEAM' bar has been charged completely, the gauge is able to enter a second stage of charging, and if the cannon is fired during this time, it launches a wide spread shot of medium power energy shots instead of a single large shot.
Bits
Bits are small, floating orbs, resembling miniature Forces in appearance. The player can acquire up to two Bits at once; they hover a short distance above and below the fighter. Bits can shield the ship from certain enemy weapons and can also be rammed into enemies to cause damage. When used in conjunction with the Counter-air Laser, they can fire small projectiles. This trend continues in later R-Type games - some Bits have the ability to use a miniature version of the Red weapon of some Forces.In the history of the R-Type saga, Bits are the product of incomplete research that was intended to independently mimic the bioenergy technology of the Bydo, namely, the Force Device itself; only with human life force. The project was extremely controversial and was not completed in time for the R-9's initial launch, and thus the units were limited to defensive roles and minimal offensive capacity. The Bit Cores resemble smaller versions of the Force Core for this reason.
Critical response
The Sinclair ZX Spectrum version of R-Type was awarded 9/10 in the January 1989 issue of Your SinclairYour Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
and was placed at number 6 in the Your Sinclair official top 100.
Sequels
- R-Type IIR-Type IIR-Type II is a horizontal scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Irem in 1989. It is the second game in the R-Type series.-History:...
(1989) - Armed Police Unit GallopArmed Police Unit GallopArmed Police Unit Gallop is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1991. It is part of the popular R-Type video game series.-Story:...
(1991) - Super R-TypeSuper R-TypeSuper R-Type is a shooter game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System , developed and published by Irem in 1991. It is an original game based on elements from both R-Type and R-Type II...
(1991) - R-Type LeoR-Type Leois a horizontally scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Irem. It is the fourth game in the R-Type series.-Story:While somewhat canon, the plot deviates from the original story line: Mankind find themselves at a financially and technologically peaceful state between the constant...
(1992) - R-Type III: The Third LightningR-Type III: The Third LightningR-Type III: The Third Lightning is a 1993 horizontally-scrolling shooter video game developed by Irem.-Description:R-Type III was originally released only on the Super NES, but later ported to the Game Boy Advance. The SNES version has been recently released for download at Virtual Console. It was...
(1993) - R-Type DeltaR-Type DeltaR-Type Delta is a horizontally scrolling shooter video game.Released only on the PlayStation, this is the fourth game in the R-Type series , and also the first game offering different fighters, with different Force and Wave Cannon combinations for the player to choose from...
(1998) / US version (1999) - R-Type FinalR-Type FinalR-Type Final is a horizontally-scrolling shooter video game by Irem for the PlayStation 2 video game console originally planned as the last game in the series; however, R-Type Command was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2007.-Story:...
(2003) - R-Type CommandR-Type Command, known in North America as R-Type Command, is a turn-based strategy game/tactical role-playing game released in 2007 in Japan, and 2008 in the United States and Europe for PlayStation Portable. The main part of the game consists of two consecutive campaigns, in which the player controls first the...
(2007) - R-Type DimensionsR-Type and R-Type II (compilations)Irem's side scrolling shoot-em-up Arcade, R-Type and R-Type II have been rereleased several times in collective works which include both games.-R-Types:R-Types is a PlayStation and PlayStation Portable and PSN release...
(2009) - R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter ChocolateR-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter ChocolateR-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate is a turn-based strategy game/tactical role-playing game released in 2009 in Japan for the PlayStation Portable game console. It is a direct sequel to 2007's R-Type Tactics...
(2009)
Influence
PulstarPulstar (video game)
is a shoot 'em up developed by now defunct Aicom Co. Ltd and published by SNK for the Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD and arcade; it is the prequel of Blazing Star. Pulstar, as well as its sequel, are often regarded as among the best-looking shoot 'em up games for the Neo Geo.-Story:In the year 2248, the first...
and Blazing Star
Blazing Star
is a scrolling shooter video game for the Neo Geo home game system. It is the sequel to the acclaimed Neo Geo shooter Pulstar, which was itself a close cousin to the R-Type franchise...
for the Neo Geo
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
bear a great similarity to R-Type, right down to the use of a Force-like device. A common myth is that ex-Irem employees left to start the game's developer, Aicom.
An R-Type port was produced as an unlicensed NES/Famicom cartridge by "Magic Series Corp" under the name "Magic Dragon". The level design and music are the same as the original game, but the graphics have been largely redone from scratch (for example, the R-9 more closely resembles a fighter jet, and the first enemies encountered have been changed to birds.)
One game very similar to the R-Type series was Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
s 1991 shmup Xexex
Xexex
Xexex is a 1991 side-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game by Konami. It draws on R-Type and Gradius, adding the tentacle mechanics of X-Multiply...
. (a.k.a. Orius) The game played almost exactly like R-Type, even using a Force-like weapon called a 'flint'; and even going as far as using weapons of the same name, such as the Ground Laser and Search Laser. The game also took elements from Gradius
Gradius
The Gradius games, first introduced in 1985, make up a series of scrolling shooter video games published by Konami for a variety of portable, console and arcade platforms. In many games in the series, the player controls a ship known as the Vic Viper...
, such as the Speed Up and an announcer naming the craft's (Flintlock TMF-01) power-ups. The Flintlock's ship design is very similar to that of R-Type's R-9 fighter; also having three grips protruding from its back which locks on to its Force-like weapon, the 'flint'; hence the craft's name.
Another game similar to R-Type is Rezon
Rezon
is a horizontal scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game developed and published by Allumer. It is the first game created by Allumer under their label. It was modeled after Irem's arcade hit R-Type.-Gameplay:...
, released by Allumer in 1991.
On the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Amiga, a clone called Katakis
Katakis
Katakis is a side scrolling shooter style arcade game developed for the Commodore 64 by Rainbow Arts in 1987, and converted to the Commodore Amiga by Factor 5 in 1988. It was re-released as Denaris in 1989.-Introductory plot:...
was produced by Factor 5
Factor 5
Factor 5 GmbH is an independent software and video game developer. The company was originally co-founded by five former Rainbow Arts employees in 1987 in Cologne, Germany, which served as the inspiration behind the studio's name....
. It was considered by many C-64 players to be technically better to that computer's R-Type port, due to the C-64 version of R-Type being a rushed production. Katakis featured a rather unusual two-player mode, where the second player controlled the Force, creating a dual-role challenge - one of assault and one of protecting the vulnerable main ship. Due to legal challenges from Activision, the clone was later re-made and renamed Denaris.
A fairly accurate port of R-Type was released for the PC Engine and TurboGrafx 16 consoles, although both versions suffered from a slightly lower resolution, reduced colour palette, sprite flickering and slow down - due to the slightly reduced resolution, the playfield also scrolls slightly in the vertical axis whenever the player's ship approaches the top or bottom of the screen. The Japanese release for the PC Engine was split across two game cards (HuCards) titled R-Type I and R-Type II and the later North American release for the TurboGrafx 16 contained the entire game on a single card. The PC Engine version of R-Type is notable for having a boss at the end of Stage 6, rather than a prolonged wave of enemies as in all other versions.
The Turbografx 16 version of R-Type was one of the first games confirmed for Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
. The North American and European versions include all eight levels while the Japanese release is split between two downloads, mirroring the original release formats for each region respectively. A Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
version became available for Japan on May 19, 2009, for North America on November 2, 2009 and for Europe on September 25, 2009, however due to licensing issues, this version has been delisted on September 30, 2011.
At the end of the second level of Turrican II, you can see the Force in the hangar where you go on a ship. The whole third level is made on a ship similar to R-Type.
The third boss of the game Radiant Silvergun
Radiant Silvergun
is a vertically scrolling shooter video game, developed by Treasure. It was released in arcades on the ST-V platform in 1998 and subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn, with added cutscenes by noted animation studio Gonzo...
, was designed as an homage to the Arrowhead: it has an indestructible force, two bits, a wave cannon, and all three laser types (counter air, rebound, counter ground).
The Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
game R-Type Dimensions was released on February 4, 2009. It is a port of the original R-Type and the sequel R-Type II. It can be played either with the original 2D graphics or with new 3D graphics, and has added co-op gameplay functionality.
In the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
's communitarian-based social gaming network, PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
, Irem has released a Game Space in the Japanese Home to promote the release of R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate on the PSP and PSPgo. This is the first PSP title to receive a PlayStation Home Game Space.
In 2010, DotEmu
DotEmu
DotEmu is a French video game company created in 2007 by Xavier Liard and Romain Tisserand, with its headquarters in France. This company initially dedicated to B2B adaptation and emulation of old games and now provides a B2C distribution service on dotemu.com.Distribution service: Users can...
developed an iOS port of R-Type, published by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, released also for Android in september 2011.
Humor
Irem has used R-Type and its Bydo villains for more than a few of their trademark elaborate April Fool's Day pranks.Dobkeratops, the R-Type level 1 boss can be seen in Irem's Undercover Cops
Undercover Cops
is an arcade-style beat 'em up video game by Irem. It is Irem's first attempt in the modern beat 'em up genre that was founded by Capcom's Final Fight. A few years later after its release, a lot of the team who made the game went on to form Nazca, who created the Metal Slug game series...
, on a television screen, which can be picked up for points.
R-Type was later represented in the Japan-only Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
title, Shuyaku Sentai Irem Fighter
Shuyaku Sentai Irem Fighter
is a 1993 strategy video game developed and published by Irem exclusively in Japan for the Nintendo Game Boy on July 30, 1993. It features characters from four of Irem's franchises: R-Type, Mr. Heli, Ninja Spirit, and Hammerin' Harry....
along with three other Irem franchises: Mr. Heli, Ninja Spirit
Ninja Spirit
Ninja Spirit, known in Japan as , is a 1988 platform arcade game developed and published by Irem.- Story :The game's hero, Moonlight , is a young ninja who lost his father to a mysterious half-man half-beast creature...
and Hammerin' Harry
Hammerin' Harry (series)
Hammerin' Harry, known in Japan as , is a series of platforming video games developed and published by Irem in 1990. The titles were developed and published for the arcades, NES, Game Boy, Famicom and Sony PSP platforms.-Games:...
.
2000 saw them selling "traditional Japanese sweets" containing "Force". When asked in the phony order form on which one was your favorite, the three choices were "R9 (Standard Force)", "RX (Tentacle Force)", and "R13 (Anchor Force)". All three were the ship designation and Force names in R-Type Delta.
In 2003, they put up a website that was selling various versions of the R-9 fighter much in the same manner as a car. Three choices were offered: the standard model, the sport model, and the convertible model.
Irem set up "Irem Burger" as their 2004 prank. R-Type played a supporting role here, with three "Bydo Burgers": The Living Body Burger, the Machine Burger, and the Harmony Burger. As well, some of the other "burgers" were filled with game discs, the one for R-Type Final proudly on display right below the top bun.
2005 saw Irem debuting a phony console, the "EXIDNA". One of the "games" available at launch: R-Type Final 2. As if that weren't enough, they also had a triple-wide "Bydo Monitor" as a peripheral, that of course R-Type Final 2 would support.
External links
- R-Type Mobile official website (free demo)
- The R-Type Hangar
- Full game list at UVL
- R-Type for Amstrad CPC at CPCWiki
- R-Type at thelegacy.de
- Old Computer Games R-Type at Old Computer Games
- Complete video from the Arcade version