R-Type

This article is about the video game. For the game series, see List of R-Type video games. For other uses, see Type R (disambiguation).

R-Type
Japanese arcade flyer
Developer(s)Irem
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Kinte
Designer(s)Abiko
Programmer(s)
  • Sum
  • Misachin
Artist(s)
  • Akio Oyabu
  • Yoshige
Composer(s)Masato Ishizaki
SeriesR-Type
Platform(s)
Release
May 15, 1987
  • Arcade
    Turbografx 16
    • JP: March 25, 1988 (part 1)
    • JP: June 3, 1988 (part 2)
    • JP: December 20, 1991 (CD complete)
    • NA: 1989
    Master System
    • JP: October 1, 1988
    • NA: December 1988[4]
    • EU: March 1989
    PC-88
    • JP: October 1988
    MSX2
    • JP: December 9, 1988
    Atari ST
    Commodore 64
    ZX Spectrum
    X68000
    • JP: June 9, 1989
    Amiga
    Amstrad CPC
    Game Boy
    • JP: March 19, 1991
    • NA: May 1991
    • EU: 1991
    Java ME
    Xbox Live Arcade
    • WW: February 4, 2009
    iOS Devices
    • WW: August 26, 2010
    Android
    • WW: September 12, 2011
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemIrem M72

R-Type[a] is a horizontally scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and released by Irem in 1987 and the first game in the R-Type series. The player controls a star ship, the R-9 "Arrowhead", in its efforts to destroy the Bydo, a powerful alien race bent on wiping out all of mankind. The R-9 can acquire a glowing orbicular device called a "Force", protecting it from enemy fire and providing additional firepower. The arcade version was distributed by Nintendo in North America; it is the last arcade title Nintendo distributed.

R-Type was the first game to run on Irem's 16-bit M72 arcade system. The development team drew inspiration from Gradius, Aliens and works by H.R. Giger. The music was composed by Masato Ishizaki, while character designs were by Akio Oyabu.[6][7] The game's title stems from the word "ray", as in a ray of light, in reference to the player's raylike weapons used throughout the game.

R-Type was commercially successful and celebrated by critics for its graphics and addictive gameplay, but was criticized for its difficulty. It is commonly cited as one of the best shoot 'em up video games, and one of the greatest video games of all time. Its success inspired several sequel and spinoff games, and home ports and releases for digital distribution services. A remake of the game was released as R-Type DX for the Game Boy Color in 2000. A 3D remake, R-Type Dimensions, was released for the Xbox 360 in 2009; for the PlayStation 3 in 2014; for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows in 2018; and for iOS in 2019.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference CVG70 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "R-Type (Registration Number PA0000340908)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  3. ^ "Nintendo's 'R-Type' Dedicated Game". Cashbox. October 24, 1987.
  4. ^ "Availability Update" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. January 1989. p. 12.
  5. ^ "Video Game Flyers: Electrocoin Sales (UK)". The Arcade Flyer Archive. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  6. ^ Tanaka, Haruhisa (March 25, 2014). "R-Type Creator Interview (クリエイターインタビュー): Masato Ishizaki (石崎正人)". Shooting Gameside (in Japanese). Vol. 9. Micro Magazine. pp. 50–57. ISBN 978-4896374551. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived 2020-01-23 at the Wayback Machine).
  7. ^ "R-TYPE ORIGINAL SOUND BOX". Clarice Shop (in Japanese). City Connection. 2021. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.


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