This 1994 Super Nintendo exclusive (at the time) is half sequel, half remake of Irem‘s classic arcade shooter, R-Type.

R-Type was one of the first ‘progressive weapons shooters’ – meaning: you picked up power-ups that allowed you to choose your weapons.

R-Type III: The Third Lightning is brilliantly presented, with great graphics and sound, and cut scenes, and action. In fact, the only thing that lets it down is the sprite tearing, but even that is minimal.

Up there with the best shoot ’em ups on the SNES, R-Type III has since been re-released on the Game Boy Advance, and also on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console.

More: R-Type III: The Third Lightning on Wikipedia