Irem‘s 1989 sequel to their hit shooter, R-Type, is definitely an upgrade to the series, rather than a recycling of parts of the first game (as the other supposed ‘sequels’ turned out to be).

In this, the game mechanics have been tweaked, and the weapons have been expanded upon.

You pilot a ship called “R-9C“, which is an improved version of the previous craft. The Wave Cannon has been given a new charge level, and two new types of weapons have been added (the Search Laser and Shotgun Laser), bringing the total number of weapons to five. Levels are shorter than before, and enemies more numerous. At times the screen can truly be “bullet hell”…

Making some areas more difficult is the fact that water from waterfalls will push your ship down if underneath one. This can be a right royal pain in the arse when you’re trying to not crash your ship. And especially when fighting a boss. Waterfalls are not just decorative!

Picking up too many speed-up power-ups might also contribute to your crashing! It did with me…

R-Type II retains the horizontal screen of its predecessor, which was different to many of its competitors at the time, which used vertical screens instead. In fact, the R-Type series probably contributed greatly to the soon-to-happen switch to widescreen games in arcades in the mid 90s.

Graphically, R-Type II is very good, with more biological/technological horrors, made real in stunning 2D pixel art. It’s not as visually impactful as the first game, IMHO, but it certainly does have its moments.

Gameplay-wise, R-Type II is more of the same, with some extra, new bells and whistles thrown in to the keep the fans happy. It’s a tough shooter, though, with some luck needed to make it through the first couple of stages.

More: R-Type II on Wikipedia