Post by Nester the Lark on Feb 25, 2007 11:49:47 GMT -5
3PS #15
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
Developer: Irem
Publisher: Irem (JP), Jaleco (US)
System: Wii Virtual Console, SNES
Cold sweat crawls down your face. You try in vain to calm your trembling hands. The darkness pierces you like an invisible knife. The only sounds you hear are the hum of your ship’s engine and the pounding of your own heart. The intensity almost consumes you, but you take a deep breath and focus all your senses as you blast off to strike the evil Bydo Empire!
Such is the experience you may have playing Irem’s R-Type III: The Third Lightning. This game is not for the faint of heart, and those of you who get frustrated easily my want to start running home to mommy. This is a classic, hard-core shmup that is not only one of the best in its series, but one of the best in its genre.
Irem’s legendary sci-fi series began in the arcades in 1987. In fact, the original R-Type was manufactured and distributed in the US by Nintendo and was an instant success. The sequel, R-Type II, repeated this success in 1989. Irem followed-up with a couple of side-steps: a heavily modified version of the second game for the SNES called Super R-Type, and the arcade anomaly R-Type Leo. Then, in 1993, Irem’s American office went out of business just before it could release R-Type III. Fortunately for us westerners, the SNES exclusive was picked up by Jaleco and finally unleashed on the masses. Now you can easily access and enjoy this classic shmup on the Wii Virtual Console.
A signature of the R-Type series is the Force orb, which acts as a shield and weapons system for your ship. R-Type III allows you to choose between three different Force units, and each one has different weapons and physical abilities. The Shadow Force, for instance, has two extra gun orbs and quick movement, while the Cyclone Force has no independent firing ability but causes tremendous damage by direct contact. The Round Force is simply the classic Force unit from previous games. All three are unique and creative, and they bring strategy and variety to an otherwise straightforward game.
There are only six levels in the game, but once you reach the latter half, you may be thanking your lucky stars. In the classic R-Type tradition, this game is tough! You’ll travel from the remains of a battered space colony, to an acid drenched cavern, through a Bydo factory, and even into another dimension. Typical for the series, the level design is exquisite.
In 2004, R-Type III received an infamous port to the GBA by Raylight Studios. The developer was on its own, receiving absolutely no help or materials from Irem, and using only the original SNES game as a reference. The result was a sloppy and pale shadow of the source material. It’s safer to stick with the Wii Virtual Console version, or the original SNES cartridge, if you can find it.
The R-Type series began to wind down with 1998’s R-Type Delta for the original PlayStation. In 2004, R-Type Final on the PS2 brought the saga to a distinct finish—a rarity for the game industry. But as with any classic series, the R-Type games are still just as enjoyable today… if you’re strong enough. For those of you with guts, determination, and the ability to let defeat roll off your shoulders, R-Type III: The Third Lightning is worth checking out on the Wii Virtual Console. Find out what you’re really made of!
Bonus links:
A YouTube video play-thru of most of the first stage.
Shmups.com's review, including a rundown of each level, with screenshots.
Hardcore Gaming 101's retrospective of the R-Type series.
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
Developer: Irem
Publisher: Irem (JP), Jaleco (US)
System: Wii Virtual Console, SNES
Cold sweat crawls down your face. You try in vain to calm your trembling hands. The darkness pierces you like an invisible knife. The only sounds you hear are the hum of your ship’s engine and the pounding of your own heart. The intensity almost consumes you, but you take a deep breath and focus all your senses as you blast off to strike the evil Bydo Empire!
Such is the experience you may have playing Irem’s R-Type III: The Third Lightning. This game is not for the faint of heart, and those of you who get frustrated easily my want to start running home to mommy. This is a classic, hard-core shmup that is not only one of the best in its series, but one of the best in its genre.
Irem’s legendary sci-fi series began in the arcades in 1987. In fact, the original R-Type was manufactured and distributed in the US by Nintendo and was an instant success. The sequel, R-Type II, repeated this success in 1989. Irem followed-up with a couple of side-steps: a heavily modified version of the second game for the SNES called Super R-Type, and the arcade anomaly R-Type Leo. Then, in 1993, Irem’s American office went out of business just before it could release R-Type III. Fortunately for us westerners, the SNES exclusive was picked up by Jaleco and finally unleashed on the masses. Now you can easily access and enjoy this classic shmup on the Wii Virtual Console.
A signature of the R-Type series is the Force orb, which acts as a shield and weapons system for your ship. R-Type III allows you to choose between three different Force units, and each one has different weapons and physical abilities. The Shadow Force, for instance, has two extra gun orbs and quick movement, while the Cyclone Force has no independent firing ability but causes tremendous damage by direct contact. The Round Force is simply the classic Force unit from previous games. All three are unique and creative, and they bring strategy and variety to an otherwise straightforward game.
There are only six levels in the game, but once you reach the latter half, you may be thanking your lucky stars. In the classic R-Type tradition, this game is tough! You’ll travel from the remains of a battered space colony, to an acid drenched cavern, through a Bydo factory, and even into another dimension. Typical for the series, the level design is exquisite.
In 2004, R-Type III received an infamous port to the GBA by Raylight Studios. The developer was on its own, receiving absolutely no help or materials from Irem, and using only the original SNES game as a reference. The result was a sloppy and pale shadow of the source material. It’s safer to stick with the Wii Virtual Console version, or the original SNES cartridge, if you can find it.
The R-Type series began to wind down with 1998’s R-Type Delta for the original PlayStation. In 2004, R-Type Final on the PS2 brought the saga to a distinct finish—a rarity for the game industry. But as with any classic series, the R-Type games are still just as enjoyable today… if you’re strong enough. For those of you with guts, determination, and the ability to let defeat roll off your shoulders, R-Type III: The Third Lightning is worth checking out on the Wii Virtual Console. Find out what you’re really made of!
Bonus links:
A YouTube video play-thru of most of the first stage.
Shmups.com's review, including a rundown of each level, with screenshots.
Hardcore Gaming 101's retrospective of the R-Type series.
