Best R-Type game?

[Squire Grooktook]

If there's one thing that confuses me about the first R-Type, it's the bosses; the first boss seems just... off; you blast the chest a few times, it dislodges from the wall, then explodes when you shoot it again. The second boss just seems impossible to kill without cheesing it and just camping with the force partially lodged in the blue central eye.

Legitimate complaints. There is basically nothing to the first boss. You shoot the force into it's chest and than it goes down instantly. Second boss is all about using the force to hit the eye and also grind the bulbs of the snakes (so they can't shoot). After that the bosses really pick up though. The whole third stage IS a boss, the fourth stage boss is fun, the fifth is really hectic random dodging, etc.

[ciox]

The second boss doesn't need to take a long time, it's designed to be killed instantly, you need to throw your Force away from the boss (it damages the eye as soon as it opens, causing it to close again immediately, makes the next part harder) and use a single full power shot on the open eye.
Most of the bosses are designed to die instantly if you know what you're doing, I thought that was an estabished R-Type thing, it's clever how the first boss in R-Type needs a force throw and full power shot for an instant KO, while for the first boss in R-Type II you must use the new spread wavecannon for the same effect.

[MR_Soren]

R-Type
R-Type Delta
R-Type III
R-Type Leo
R-Type II
R-Type Final
Super R-Type


Super R-Type is the game that got me into the series, so it was great to discover that all of the other R-Type games were better.

Also, the R-Type Tactics games are great, but I won't put them into the ranking because they are too different to make useful comparisons.

[1983parrothead]

For those of you who picked the original R-TYPE, then which version? From the prototype Arcade version to the Android version.

One reason why R-TYPE LEO alienates from the R-TYPE franchise is that before its development began, the original creators moved from IREM to SNK and worked on Last Resort, Pulstar and Blazing Star.

[MathU]

They didn't "move" to SNK, many of R-Type's original developers were still very much involved in IREM game development all they way up until the company died and they formed Nazca Corporation. What work they did for SNK's scrolling shooters (if that rumor is even true, I've never looked into the details) was freelancing.

[1983parrothead]

R-TYPE LEO might not feel like an R-TYPE, but I believe Irem was trying to innovate while adding a new kind of pods while they thought most R-TYPE fans outside of Japan wanted the series to become easier, but now most gamers believe it alienated from R-TYPE's original formula (especially the European version).

I guess I'm one of the many who suck at freakin' muzukashi shmups. My parents would fuss at me if I attempt to practice hard at playing muzukashi shmups.

Muzukashi: Japanese word for "difficult". I learned it from someone who often uses it when trying to pronounce difficult English words and phrases.

They didn't "move" to SNK, many of R-Type's original developers were still very much involved in IREM game development all they way up until the company died and they formed Nazca Corporation. What work they did for SNK's scrolling shooters (if that rumor is even true, I've never looked into the details) was freelancing.

Hmmm. Can you give me a legitimate source that proves it, so I can share it with many gamers that are too lazy to research it? Some people are saying that some ex-Irem employees were involved in the development of Last Resort, Pulstar and Blazing Star, but perhaps not the main designers of the R-TYPE titles.

[MathU]

Just check out the credits to various games.

You can find some good information here too but it's not completely comprehensive. "Akio" for example, one of IREM's major character designers, is credited on the original R-Type within the high score table (also in at least one interview) and all the way up to Gunforce 2, IREM Corporation's final game.

I just had a quick look at Last Resort's end credits myself and am not seeing any familiar IREM names. They don't appear to be pseudonyms like IREM credits usually use though, so it's still possible there's some shared staff including those of whom nobody has ever figured out their real names.

[ACSeraph]

The second boss doesn't need to take a long time, it's designed to be killed instantly, you need to throw your Force away from the boss (it damages the eye as soon as it opens, causing it to close again immediately, makes the next part harder) and use a single full power shot on the open eye.
Most of the bosses are designed to die instantly if you know what you're doing, I thought that was an estabished R-Type thing, it's clever how the first boss in R-Type needs a force throw and full power shot for an instant KO, while for the first boss in R-Type II you must use the new spread wavecannon for the same effect.

I feel like I just learned a ton about how to approach R-Type from this post. I'm gonna have to give it a go when I get off work today.

[ZaKa-tokyobassist]

After replaying all of them, Delta by far was the best one.

I'd say R-Type Dimensions and Final are tied for second best. Gotta play R-Type 1 with the old sprites though! I just think 2-player coop was such a great inclusion in Dimensions. As for 2&3, I've actually grown to really dislike these two games. Leo is actually solid and has some good bop tracks too.

[MR_Soren]

For those of you who picked the original R-TYPE, then which version? From the prototype Arcade version to the Android version.

Dimensions.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

10 years too late, but I'm really enjoying R-Type Final without slowdown. (via emu)

[Pretas]

Dimensions.

Dimensions has several glaring inconsistencies that anyone who's spent a decent amount of time with the original arcade/PS1 version will eventually notice.

[To Far Away Times]

So I played a little bit of Super R-Type today, and man... that game is rough around the edges. Why is diagonal movement so fast? Why doesn't the audio cue for the level 1 to level 2 charge shot work like the other games? Why do you have to go through almost the whole first level without getting the force pod? Why is there slowdown everywhere, even when there isn't much happening? I played a little bit of R-Type III right after just to make sure I wasn't just imagining things and sure enough, despite being on the same console, Super R-Type just feels way off.

[BIL]

Why is there slowdown everywhere, even when there isn't much happening?

It's a very early SFC shooter, it's a miracle of engineering the cart doesn't explode at boot and burn your house down. ^_~

[trap15]

Why is there slowdown everywhere, even when there isn't much happening?

Because it's a Super Nintendo game

[Despatche]

just imagine if super r-type and gradius iii sfc were made later on

Kinda, but not entirely.

gradius ii introduced the entire concept of "gradius syndrome", something the original simply did not have. i'm not sure it's defensible

gradius iv really isn't that much "better" than iii. the game is still complete bullshit and still gets completely impossible fairly soon (stage 6 after a few loops). oh, it seems more fair for a little while...

no mention of gaiden of course, far more of a "next gradius" than silly old v, and relatively well-designed at that (though i think the custom bar is a bit much)

v isn't even remotely a gradius game, other than branding. it has about as much common with gradius as stuff like slap fight or ajax do. it's also not particularly well-designed when it requires an entire hour just to loop the thing

[Despatche]

Hmmm. Can you give me a legitimate source that proves it, so I can share it with many gamers that are too lazy to research it? Some people are saying that some ex-Irem employees were involved in the development of Last Resort, Pulstar and Blazing Star, but perhaps not the main designers of the R-TYPE titles.

there are three legends, one that's been unconfirmed:

-very specific irem employees are said to have left to snk early on. they are generally believed to have created cyber-lip, may have created robo army, may have created last resort, etc. this is the unconfirmed one.

-some irem employees are known to have left for the first aicom, which was picked up by sammy in the early-'90s. they eventually made a separate aicom in the mid-'90s and made pulstar, then renamed themselves to yumekobo and made other games such as blazing star. for all intents and purposes, y2k claimed an actual victim :V

-irem employees are known to have left irem after geostorm was done, and they would create nazca. nazca made metal slug and big tournament golf before being swallowed up by snk

fun fact: apparently the name "daisuke nagata" was found in the blazing star special thanks. hmm, i wonder...

[MR_Soren]

Why is there slowdown everywhere, even when there isn't much happening?

Because it's a Super Nintendo game

It was a launch title. Later SNES games have a lot less slowdown because programmers got better at utilizing the Super Nintendo's slower processor. I originally hated both Super R-Type and Gradius III because of slowdown.

I got hooked on Super R-Type years later (~2006) when the owner of the defunct place I rented from in 1991 had a garage sale with a bunch of complete (but heavily rented) Super NES games for $2 each. Almost didn't buy Super R-Type because of the bad experience, but I decided to give it another chance for $2. That decision ultimately brought me into the genre and this forum.

[Captain]

R-Type Delta
R-Type
R-Type III
R-Type II
R-Type leo
Super R-Type
R-type Final, as a game in the series, in its own right, it should get 3rd place.

[jepjepjep]

Hmmm. Can you give me a legitimate source that proves it, so I can share it with many gamers that are too lazy to research it? Some people are saying that some ex-Irem employees were involved in the development of Last Resort, Pulstar and Blazing Star, but perhaps not the main designers of the R-TYPE titles.

there are three legends, one that's been unconfirmed:

-very specific irem employees are said to have left to snk early on. they are generally believed to have created cyber-lip, may have created robo army, may have created last resort, etc. this is the unconfirmed one.

-some irem employees are known to have left for the first aicom, which was picked up by sammy in the early-'90s. they eventually made a separate aicom in the mid-'90s and made pulstar, then renamed themselves to yumekobo and made other games such as blazing star. for all intents and purposes, y2k claimed an actual victim :V

-irem employees are known to have left irem after geostorm was done, and they would create nazca. nazca made metal slug and big tournament golf before being swallowed up by snk

fun fact: apparently the name "daisuke nagata" was found in the blazing star special thanks. hmm, i wonder...

I would love to see how much of the staff was in common among these games. Cyber-lip feels a lot like a proto-Metal Slug to me, especially in the way the player controls. Of course the graphics of In the Hunt, UCops, and Gunforce 2 really look similar.