Guide Note

R-Type III is a space shooter originally released for the SNES, ported to the Game Boy Advance and currently available on the Wii Virtual Console. Developed by Irem and published in the US by Jaleco, the R-Type series is one of the best known and respected series of "shoot-em-up" games out there. The game's full, original name is R-Type III: The Third Lightning.

Fast Facts

1. Developer: Irem
2. Publisher: Jaleco (US), Irem (JP)
3. Platform: SNES, GBA, Wii Virtual Console
4. Genre: Shooter
5. Mode: Singleplayer
6. ESRB Rating: Everyone (E)
7. Release Date: 1993

The second sequel to the original R-Type is very short on actual story, as you are off and shooting within ten seconds of starting the game. R-Type III features the return of the Bydo empire, and once again you must fend them off and save the world.

R-Type III allows you to choose between three different forces, each with their own different abilities: Shadow Force, Round Force, and Cyclone Force. You can choose between a rapid fire gun, and a charged shot which is more powerful, but can overheat your ship. For this third installment in the series, the designers reverted back to the "Red-Blue-Yellow" weapon system of the first game, as well as using the original's more standard "Wave Cannon," rather than the "Diffusion Wave Cannon" of R-Type II. The game consists mostly of killing tons of enemies, with the occasional Boss fight, featuring enormous, unique bosses that fill up the screen. There is a two-player mode, where a friend can join you in the action.

1. R-Type
2. R-Type II
3. Super R-Type
4. Gallop
5. R-Type Leo
6. R-Type III
7. R-Type Delta
8. R-Type Final
9. R-Type Command