R-Type Dimensions EX Review

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Title: R-Type Dimensions EX
Developer: Tozai Games
Publisher: Tozai Games
Website: http://www.tozaigames.com/r-type-dimensions/
Genre: Shooter
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Audience: Action fans
Release Date: Out Now
Price: £13.49 – Rapid Reviews UK was very kindly provided with a review copy for this game.

What the developers say

Fight through all 14 Bydo-infested stages in retro 2D graphics or shiny 3D graphics – and swap back and forth with the touch of a button ‘on-the-fly’. The new 3D graphics are accompanied by fully re-imagined arrangements of the timeless R-Type music tracks! The classic game-play remains untouched while the new Infinite game mode allows continuous progression from game start to final boss… the Bydo will not evade you this time! Both game modes can be played as single player or local multiplayer. Pull yourself together, save the earth and strike down the Evil Bydo Empire!!

Two Complete Games!: All 8 original R-Type levels + all 6 original R-Type II levels. Classic gameplay is unchanged and just as challenging as the original coin-op versions.

Hi-Res 3D Graphics + Fully Revamped Music!: Choose between 2D graphics with classic, retro music or shiny 3D graphics with snazzy, reworked music and sound effects. Switch between graphic and audio modes with the press of a button during play!

New Infinite Mode!: With infinite ships you’re sure to finally conquer the Bydos! Stage select allows you to practice and play the levels you want.

Classic Mode!: Play the classic R-Type & R-Type II just like the original version!

Co-Op Mode!: Go it alone or blast the Bydos with a buddy. Play friendly without collision, or flip it on for competitive play!
New features!

Breeze through the bullets with your slow-motion button, or increase your speed with the fast-forward button. In Infinite mode, you can also power-up your ship to its maximum with one button!

Introduction

R-Type is a proper blast from the past and has probably released on everything including your fridge by now. But now it’s time for a Switch release that’s heavily doused in nostalgia. Players can expect some old skool, side-scrolling, 2D shooter action with some new bells and whistles.

This EX edition features both R-Type and R-Type 2 covering a combined 12 levels, so it’s a packed release! But did the nostalgia goggles blind me from an otherwise ho-hum game or is it worth revisiting those old memories? Even better, is there anything here for newcomers? Read on and let’s find out!

Looks and Sounds

As expected for an EX edition, R-Type has had a graphical makeover. Enemy sprites have been replaced with new 3D models and environments have been given a nice bit of spit and polish. Everything conveys a lot more detail than the old sprites but remains true to the original look. Speaking of which, a nice addition is that you can tap the X button and play the game with the original arcade graphics. I like a bit of retro so being able to play as much as I wanted in the old style was welcome.

Both games have a unique look with the first game being more organic in style. Enemies look like bugs and environments make it feel like your inside huge living beings. The second game is more industrial/technological in design. Enemies look more like robots, and the environment gives a feeling of being inside alien bases.

Sound effects and the soundtrack has been remastered. As with the graphics, I much preferred the original.

Gameplay and Replayability

Gameplay is still the same rock solid, side scrolling, 10p guzzling, hell that I remember from the 80s. You’ll be expected to blast every enemy on screen, dodge incoming projectiles and obstacles and then take out a boss — no mean feat in claustrophobic levels filled with things that can kill you.

Weapon upgrades can be collected to make things a little easier, but every death sees you go back a stage, so younger doubly punished in the later levels. You also get a little orbiting drone that gets weapon upgrades. This can be attached the front of the rear of your ship to boost your direct fire.

The edition lets you play the 1st and 2nd games in the series in either infinite or classic modes.

Playing on classic mode sees you having to finish either game with three lives. This is a mean game so managing this is a massive test of patience, skill and memory that I don’t have.

Infinite mode is the same game, but you get unlimited lives. This was the only way I was able to experience the full game as it kicked my ass repeatedly. Once you get to the end, you’re given a score from your level totals, and it tells you how often you died.

Bosses have your typical weak spots and soak up tons of fire while filling the screen with tentacles, projectiles and all manner of obstacles. It’s a classic R-Type, and I loved it.

You can go back and play the campaign over and over again to improve your high scores for the leaderboard. Or you can choose any stage you like to try and practice particularly hard areas. Maybe you’ll get good enough to finish the game in classic mode!

There’s also local multiplayer which works precisely as you’d expect, but there are way more bullets on the screen. It also doesn’t make things any easier!

Conclusion

I have some memory of this game back when I played it on the Amiga back in the day. Seeing parts and remembering the simpler, harder times was brilliant but it also reminded me that these things were designed to be coin chewers. It’s incredibly difficult even when you remember enemy patterns and level layouts, and that’s likely to be enough to put some people off. However, I’d argue that with the addition of infinite mode, everybody should go and experience this classic shooter.

Rapid Reviews UK Rating

You can purchase R-Type Dimensions EX on the Nintendo eShop on the following link, https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/R-Type-Dimensions-EX-1470335.html