Take on the evil empire
A true classic of the genre, the original R Type was a hard as nails horizontal shooter, much like Gradius, which impressed with its lush visuals, challenging gameplay, innovative mechanics and stunning level design. It remains a watchword for shooter excellence even today, and fortunately this Super Nintendo sequel is just as epic and retains everything which made its predecessor great. Little has changed in many ways and the game remains true to its roots. Here though, we have seven scrolling levels of blasting mayhem to make our way through, as you once again take on the evil Bydo Empire in your dinky little R-9 fighter. You've got an impressive arsenal of weapons to collect and make use of, with the classic Force pod returning and which gives the game much of its depth and strategy. There are also heaps of huge, screen-filling bosses to contend with, with those from the first game and R Type 2 making an appearance and which are both impressive to look at and fun to take on. Super R-Type is showing its age a little, and does suffer from a few technical problems which bring the entertainment factor down a little, but this doesn't hide the fact that it's still a fine game. There is some slowdown to contend with when things get busy on screen which does get a little frustrating while the level design isn't quite as good as its predecessor. However, there's still much to enjoy here, with some super slick weapons to collect and some lovely enemy design to enjoy, while the game is also pretty challenging, so check it out if you're into old-school shooters.
