R-Type Dimensions III (NS2) - Review

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When it comes to the SNES versus Genesis debate, we will probably never arrive at a consensus. But I think we can all agree that each system outperformed the other in certain genres. And that disparity is arguably the largest when it comes to shoot-'em-ups, aka shmups. This is one area where the Genesis significantly outpaced Nintendo's fourth-generation offering. That's not to say there was nothing of note on SNES. Indeed, there were a few gems, including R-Type III: The Third Lightning, developed by Tamtex and released in 1993/1994. For anyone who missed it growing up, you're in luck. It's back in a remake called R-Type Dimensions III.

For those unfamiliar with the franchise, R-Type is a horizontally-scrolling shooter with a distinct hook: a Force pod you can attach/detach from the front or back of your ship. It functions as both an offensive and defensive asset, which is very much needed as you pilot an advanced (but fragile) fighter through the aggressive ranks of the Bydo Empire. R-Type III was the first series entry developed specifically for consoles, but rest assured: its arcade sensibilities are very much intact. 

When those arcade sensibilities meet the unique graphical capabilities on SNES, the results are often outstanding. The first stage is a show-stopper. You'll fly through a massive space station, which rushes past you or, in some cases, rotates around you. Then the final boss attacks, not from in front, but from the background. First, it fires laser blasts that grow in size until they fill the screen, and then it bears down on you in the foreground. It's a brilliant display of the scaling, skewing, and rotation effects available on the Super Nintendo. 

But that's R-Type III in a nutshell. It's always showing off. The game is filled to the brim with spectacular set-pieces, breathless escapes, and memorable moments. The level design is simply amazing, and it's enhanced with some mechanical novelties. That includes two new Force pods. Players accustomed to the rules in R-Type and R-Type II can now choose Shadow Force or Cyclone Force, in addition to the original Round Force. Each has its own strengths, weaknesses, and weapon variations. The SNES sequel also includes a new charge attack: the Hyper Wave Cannon, which grants you a temporary boost to your firepower but which will overheat your systems for a while. Together, these new options add a lot of depth to the gameplay.

Obviously, R-Type III has a lot going for it. However, it also has one significant problem: it's prohibitively difficult. You can probably endure through stages 1-3, but starting in stage 4 the game actively tries to end your life. In the final half of the game, you must navigate, among other things, crushing machinery, lava flows (both forward and in reverse), ceilings that turn into swarming monsters, illusory walls, and a portal that follows your ship and spawns waves of armored enemies. And that doesn't even include the multi-stage boss battles. In many instances, R-Type III is too punishing to truly enjoy.

Unfortunately, this remake, developed by KRITZELKRATZ 3000 and published by ININ, doesn't do enough to improve in this area. Now, to be fair, it does introduce a new Infinite mode, which allows unlimited lives and removes the original's stingy checkpoint system. This will allow you to see the end credits, but it feels a lot like a cheat code. It's just not very satisfying to F5 your way through the gauntlet. The game really needs to explore some middle ground between the impracticable and the foolproof. It could borrow a page from the excellent Gradius Origins collection, which provides an easy mode that shrinks the ship's hitbox and a training mode that allows you to practice challenging stretches. This is especially relevant to R-Type III, since so many areas require memorization.

In the absence of these resources, Dimensions III remains as punishing as the original R-Type III. Actually, it's a little bit harder, especially for those who've committed the SNES title to memory. That's because the remake is not an exact 1:1 transfer. There appear to be minor, but consequential changes to hit-boxes and collision calculations, which sometimes makes the player ship more vulnerable and enemy ships harder to take down. These are far from game-breaking, but they do make a notoriously challenging game even harder to master. The good news: ININ is aware of the issues, and has pledged to work toward a resolution.

So, if developer KRITZELKRATZ 3000 didn't work to make R-Type III more accessible, what did it work on? Well, the audiovisual piece. The Würzburg-based studio essentially rebuilt the game from the ground up, redrawing every stage, enemy, and bullet pattern. Not only that, but it reconstructed all the sound and music files, offering a high-fidelity interpretation of the amazing original soundtrack. The effort here is truly commendable. And the redone music is a great complementary piece. The 3D graphics, however, are a miss. The new visual identity of the game just doesn't work. It's plasticky and overly shiny. In a word, it's gaudy. 

Now, there are some scenes where the new graphics make things much more dramatic or detailed. Take the roving portal in stage 6. In the original, it's a flat disc. In the remake, you can actually see space and time being sucked in. Or take the explosions at the end of the stage 4 boss battle. In the original, they're little popcorn puffs. In the remake, they're enhanced with stray sparks and dark clouds of smoke. So, it's not all bad. But I did find myself constantly swapping back to the original sprites from 1993/1994.

Not only did I do this for the superior visual experience (and to avoid some tinny, high-pitched sound effects endemic to the 3D version), but because it made the game more manageable. Due to the remake's particle effects, lighting flourishes, and complex backgrounds, it's sometimes difficult to avoid obstacles and keep track of enemy projectiles. The SNES version has a cleaner look with flatter, drabber backgrounds that make hazards more obvious. In addition, there's a short stretch in stage 3 where the game lags significantly — but only with 3D graphics enabled. When I switched back to 2D, the lag vanished.

Apart from the major visual overhaul, Dimensions III offers a handful of welcome extras. The game now supports simultaneous two-player cooperative play, as well as online leaderboards, and a music player with original and re-orchestrated tracks. It also offers an advanced difficulty mode from the outset, although you'd need to be truly masochistic to try it. And it provides several fun visual overlays and camera tricks, including 3D retro filters and a "crazy" mode that makes it look like you're flying at an angle into the screen. Finally, one thing to note for the purists out there: the remake is based on the Japanese version of the game, which means an uncensored stage 2 boss.

Three decades later, R-Type III remains one of the very best shoot-'em-ups on SNES. Regrettably, the R-Type Dimensions III remake doesn't do it justice. It fails to seriously address the original's unforgiving difficulty, and the big things it does address — graphics, lighting, and art — end up faring worse. That said, the new modes and bonus features help elevate the overall package. And the greatness of the original shines through, despite some hit-box and collision issues.

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