R-Type

n/a

R-Type

System(s): Sega Master System, Virtual Console

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Compile

Licensor: Irem

Original system(s): Arcade boards

Developer(s) of original games: Irem

Peripherals supported: FM Sound Unit

Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1988-10-01	¥5,8005,800	G-1364
US	1988-12^[2]		9002
EU	1988		MK-9002-50
BR	19xx
KR	19xx		GB-4364
JP ▼	2009-05-19^[5]	500pts500^[6]
US ▼	2009-11-02^[3]	500pts500^[3]
EU ▼	2009-09-25^[3]^[4]	500pts500^[3]
AU ▼	2009-09	500pts500^[7]

Non-Sega versions
Amiga Amstrad CPC Arcade Atari ST Commodore 64 Game Boy MSX PC Engine PC-88 VA Super CD-ROM² X68000 ZX Spectrum

ESRB

PEGI

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R-Type is a critically acclaimed shoot-'em-up developed by Irem. Following its initial arcade release in 1987, the game was ported to a variety of home computers and consoles, including the Sega Master System in 1988; this version was ported without credit by Compile.

Gameplay

Stages

	Stage 1

	Stage 2

	Stage 3

	Stage 4

	Stage 5

	Stage 6

	Stage 7

	Stage 8

History

Legacy

The Master System version of R-Type was brought to the Wii's Virtual Console service in 2009. It is seen as an odd move, as a superior port to the TurboGrafx-16 had been available since 2006. This did not last long; it was removed from Virtual Console on 30 September 2011 in the US^[8] and 18 October 2011 in Japan^[9] presumably because Irem had been losing a lot of money at the time^[10].

Versions

At the time of release, the Master System version of R-Type was one of the most accurate (and complete) home ports of the game and the easiest to get ahold of. It is technically superseded by the PC Engine version released earlier in the year in Japan, however in this instance, the game was split into two parts due to the cost needed to manufacture higher capacity HuCards, and would not come together as one product until 1989.

Sprites in the Master System version are smaller than their arcade counterparts (and are smaller too relative to the scenery), and when too many on-screen can lead to flickering and slowdown which is less apparent in its original form. Nevertheless virtually all the enemy patterns are retained, although the numbers are decreased in high volume areas for performance reasons. The level layouts are sometimes artifically lengthened or shortened to try and manage this workload further while balancing the differing sizes of the graphics.

Incidentally the PC Engine version's approach to the smaller screen resolution is to introduce vertical scrolling, ensuring part of the playfield is obscured at all times.

Bosses are fought against a solid colour background (echoed in other Master System shoot-'em-ups such as Fantasy Zone). Some graphical effects have also been removed; for example, when player shots hit scenery there is no longer an explosion or flash as is seen in the arcade original.

Hints

US hints

Magazine articles

Main article: R-Type/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

JP TV advert

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #90: "April 1989" (1989-03-16)
also published in:

New Computer Express (UK) #21: "April 1, 1989" (1989-03-30)^[11]
Computer & Video Games (UK) #91: "May 1989" (1989-04-11)^[12]
ACE (UK) #20: "May 1989" (1989-04-06)^[13]
Computer & Video Games (UK) #92: "June 1989" (1989-05-16)^[14]
ACE (UK) #21: "June 1989" (1989-05-04)^[15]

Print advert in Pixel (GR) #66: "Máios 1990" (1990-xx-xx)

Print advert in Pixel (GR) #74: "Fevrouários 1991" (1991-xx-xx)

Print advert in Cumhuriyet (TR) #1991-12-29 (1991-12-29)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

ACE (UK)

81

^[1]

ACE (UK)

PAL

92

^[16]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

84

^[17]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

84

^[18]

The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)

PAL

91

^[19]

Computer Action (DK)

75

^[32]

Console XS (UK)

PAL

94

^[33]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

87

^[20]

Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)

92

^[34]

Games Preview (DK)

85

^[21]

Hobby Consolas (ES)

85

^[35]

Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)

70

^[36]

Mean Machines (UK)

92

^[37]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

91

^[24]

New Computer Express (UK)

75

^[25]

S: The Sega Magazine (UK)

PAL

91

^[38]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

90

^[26]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

100

^[27]

Sega Pro (UK)

96

^[29]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

92

^[30]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

94

^[39]

Soft Today (DK)

100

^[40]

Software Gids (NL)

80

^[41]

User (GR)

PAL

93

^[42]

Zzap! (IT)

94

^[31]

	88
Based on 25 reviews

R-Type

Master System, US
Cover
Cart Manual Poster

Master System, EU
Cover

Master System, EU ® variant
Cover

Master System, JP
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, KR

Master System, SE

Master System, SE (Rental)

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

?

CRC32	bb54b6b0
MD5	9e5507d51ac6f24c702a52a7abce0d3c
SHA-1	08ec70a2cd98fcb2645f59857f845d41b0045115

512kB

Cartridge

External links

Sega of Japan Virtual Console pages: Master System
Nintendo catalogue pages: AU

References

NEC Retro has more information related to R-Type

R-Type

Books: Sega Game Attack Manual Book R-Type & Kujakuou (1988)

[:File:ACE_UK_19.pdf_p60-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ACE, "April 1989" (UK; 1989-03-02), page 60

[:File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.7_10.pdf_p12-2] Computer Entertainer, "January 1989" (US; 1989-01-21), page 12

[http:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20170707063824.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fwww.nintendolife.com.2Fgames.2Fmastersystem.2Fr_type-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 http://www.nintendolife.com/games/mastersystem/r_type (Wayback Machine: 2017-07-07 06:38)

[https:.2F.2Farchive.is.2FhT2Od-4] ttps://archive.is/hT2Od

[http:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20180305233321.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fwww.nintendo.co.jp.2Fwii.2Fvc.2Fsoftware.2F10.html-5] ttps://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/10.html (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-05 23:33)

[http:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20090524023742.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fvc.sega.jp:80.2Fvc_ms_rtype.2F-6] ttp://vc.sega.jp:80/vc_ms_rtype/ (Wayback Machine: 2009-05-24 02:37)

[http:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20120328013212.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fwww.nintendo.com.au.2Findex.php.3Faction.3Dcatalogue.26prodcat_id.3D42.26prod_id.3D19900.26pageID.3D4-7] ttp://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=catalogue&prodcat_id=42&prod_id=19900&pageID=4 (Wayback Machine: 2012-03-28 01:32)

[http:.2F.2Fwww.joystiq.com.2F2011.2F09.2F28.2Fr-type-being-removed-from-virtual-console-on-sept-30.2F-8] ttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/r-type-being-removed-from-virtual-console-on-sept-30/

[http:.2F.2Fvc.sega.jp.2Fvc_ms_rtype.2F-9] ttp://vc.sega.jp/vc_ms_rtype/

[http:.2F.2Fwww.gamasutra.com.2Fview.2Fnews.2F36029.2FTroubled_Irem_Pulling_Titles_Home_Lounges_From_Japanese_PSN.php-10] ttp://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/36029/Troubled_Irem_Pulling_Titles_Home_Lounges_From_Japanese_PSN.php

[:File:NewComputerExpress_UK_021.pdf_p9-11] New Computer Express, "April 1, 1989" (UK; 1989-03-30), page 9

[:File:CVG_UK_091.pdf_p84-12] Computer & Video Games, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-11), page 84

[:File:ACE_UK_20.pdf_p68-13] ACE, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-06), page 68

[:File:CVG_UK_092.pdf_p89-14] Computer & Video Games, "June 1989" (UK; 1989-05-16), page 89

[:File:ACE_UK_21.pdf_p76-15] ACE, "June 1989" (UK; 1989-05-04), page 76

[:File:ACE_UK_26.pdf_p144-16] 16.0 ^16.1 ACE, "November 1989" (UK; 1989-10-xx), page 144

[:File:CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf_p69-17] 17.0 ^17.1 Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 69

[:File:CGtC_UK_04.pdf_p105-18] 18.0 ^18.1 Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 105

[:File:TheCompleteGuideToSega_UK.pdf_p60-19] 19.0 ^19.1 The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 60

[:File:CVG_UK_089.pdf_p95-20] 20.0 ^20.1 Computer & Video Games, "March 1989" (UK; 1989-02-xx), page 95

[:File:GamesPreview_DK_07.pdf_p41-21] 21.0 ^21.1 Games Preview, "7 1989" (DK; 1989-xx-xx), page 41

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_001.pdf_p73_.2881.29-22] Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1991" (ES; 1991-xx-xx), page 81 (73)

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_07.pdf_p88_.2888-90.29-23] Mean Machines, "April 1991" (UK; 1991-04-01), page 88-90 (88)

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p135-24] 24.0 ^24.1 Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 135

[:File:NewComputerExpress_UK_018.pdf_p47-25] 25.0 ^25.1 New Computer Express, "March 11, 1989" (UK; 1989-03-09), page 47

[:File:SegaPower_UK_15.pdf_p49-26] 26.0 ^26.1 Sega Power, "February 1991" (UK; 1991-01-03), page 49

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p59-27] 27.0 ^27.1 Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 59

[:File:SegaPower_UK_46.pdf_p101-28] Sega Power, "September 1993" (UK; 1993-08-05), page 101

[:File:SegaPro_UK_05.pdf_p63-29] 29.0 ^29.1 Sega Pro, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 63

[:File:SegaPro_UK_09.pdf_p31-30] 30.0 ^30.1 Sega Pro, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-18), page 31

[:File:Zzap_IT_59.pdf_p69-31] 31.0 ^31.1 Zzap!, "Settembre 1991" (IT; 1991-xx-xx), page 69

[:File:ComputerAction_DK_01.pdf_p34-32] Computer Action, "Juli/August 89" (DK; 1989-0x-xx), page 34

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p144-33] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 144

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p151-34] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 151

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_001.pdf_p81-35] Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1991" (ES; 1991-xx-xx), page 81

[:File:Micromania2_ES_021.pdf_p34-36] Micromanía (segunda época), "Febrero 1990" (ES; 1990-0x-xx), page 34

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_07.pdf_p88-37] Mean Machines, "April 1991" (UK; 1991-04-01), page 88

[:File:StheSegaMagazine_UK_04.pdf_p31-38] S: The Sega Magazine, "March 1990" (UK; 1990-02-01), page 31

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p72-39] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72

[:File:SoftToday_DK_04.pdf_p14-40] Soft Today, "April 1989" (DK; 1989-03-23), page 14

[:File:SoftwareGids_NL_01.pdf_p35-41] Software Gids, "Mei/Juni 1990" (NL; 1990-05-xx), page 35

[:File:User_GR_31.pdf_p52-42] User, "Dekémvrios 1992" (GR; 1992-1x-xx), page 52

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R-Type

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Stages

History

Legacy

Versions

Hints

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

External links

References