R-Type

Description

R-Type is a side scrolling shoot 'em up best known for its extremely tough and strategic gameplay. You control the R-9 spaceship as it launches a last-ditch effort to repel the evil Bydo empire.The R-9 comes equipped as standard with a small gun which can only take down the smallest of enemies without firing several shots. By holding down the fire button, it can be loaded up so as to release a large burst of energy, eliminating all but the strongest enemies in its path. From time to time, pods will come flying in your direction. Upon being shot, they release an upgrade. The first one will invariably be the one called "The Force", which is a weapons pod that clings either to the front or the back of your ship, absorbing any enemy bullets or acting as a bumper with which you can fly head-on into them. You can also use it as an offensive weapon by firing it and pulling it back in. Mastering the Force is vital to surviving in R-Type, since it must be used both as protection against bullet clusters, as a remote controlled cannon, and in order to clear the screen from obstacles. Other upgrades give you target-seeking missiles or a bigger main gun. Different gun types, differentiated by their colour, serve different purposes. The blue one sends laser beams bouncing across the screen (good for tunnels), the red one fires straight ahead, and the yellow one follows any walls it may encounter (good for artillery emplacements).The stages of R-Type are made in an organic style, certainly inspired by H. R. Giger's artwork for the Alien movies. When it came out, it was considered trend-setting since it broke off from the stereotypical sci-fi mould of other shoot'em'ups. In part, the levels themselves are your enemy, which is exemplified by the fourth, where spider-like creatures weave webs that cover the screen and block your path, or levels with intricate tunnel systems. Still, the levels are best handled with a combination of strategy and reflexes, without the memorisation that is required of R-Type's contemporary rival, Gradius.

Genre

Action, Sci-Fi / Futuristic, Shooter, Side-Scrolling

Size

163 kb

Screenshots

Cheats and codes:

Click here to see cheats and codes...

Secrets

Access the Sound Test

In the continue screen, rotate the D-Pad in a counter clockwise direction until the sound test screen comes up. Inputing 00 will return you to the continue screen and if button 2 is held during choosing the various sounds, sounds 01 to 95 would be available.<p />

Invincibility

You need to have 2 controllers and plug them both in. With the system off, on controller 1, hold Down-Right, and on controller 2, hold Up-Left + Button 1.
Turn on the system. After R-Type finishes flashing across the screen, you can let go.
This usually takes a few tries to accomplish.

Codes

Extra Continues

Push in a clockwise circle to get free continues. Keep going in circles until time is about to expire, then hit button 1. This can earn you up to 12 continues. You don't have to get all 12 in one try. When those are expired, push the pad counter-clockwise to bring up the sound test. Hold button 2 and go right to sound 62. Play it 3 times then exit the test. Then resume the clockwise circles to earn more continues. After getting 30 more, you will need to replay sound 62 3 times again to get more.

"Easter eggs"

Secret Level

In the stage with all the green cells (either Level 4 or 5), look for a section about 45 seconds in where the top border suddenly has a gap about 3 ship lengths long. Fly into the gap and move backwards. If you're quick and the back edge doesn't scroll off screen, you will teleport to a bonus stage. As a note, the boss of the secret stage doesn't flash when he's hit, unlike all the others.

Release date:

1988

Developer:

Irem Corp.

Publisher:

SEGA of America, Inc.

User rating

Downloads

741