R-Type - PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 - 1989

Dobkeratops - The archetypal R-Type boss.

Along with Gradius, R-Type is one of my favourite shoot ‘em up franchises.  I have enjoyed every game I have played in the series, from the 1987 arcade classic to the excellent R-Type Final on the Playstation 2. 

In 1988 I had already dismissed the Sega Master System and 8-bit computer conversions of the original game.  Now in 1989 it’s the turn of the big guns – the Sharp X68000, the Commodore Amiga and the NEC PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16.  Each has major flaws compared to the arcade original so do any deserve a place on my blog?

I had great expectations for the Sharp X68000 conversion and knew it could handle a pretty accurate rendition of the arcade game.  Arcade quality graphics? Check.  Arcade quality sound? Check.  Fast moving, flicker free sprites? Check.  Accurate gameplay?  Erm…  Now, I like challenging games and R-Type is already a tough game so why make it even harder?  In this version you spend more time dodging bullets than you do shooting enemies which is not much fun.  There are also two difficulty levels – normal and hard.  The only difference I can see with normal mode is that the hit box of your ship is made smaller so bullets can pass through parts of it without registering.  Why mess up the collision detection when a reduction in the number of bullets would suffice?  Disappointing to say the least.

R-Type on the X68000 looked and sounded the part.  It was let down by the hike in difficulty level.

Contrary to the X68K conversion I didn’t have high hopes for the Commodore Amiga.  I used to own the subpar Atari ST conversion of R-Type and was expecting another lazy port.  To my surprise it turned out to be much smoother and faster than on the ST.  Having a limited palette, the graphics can’t hope to compete with the Sharp and NEC machines, and some backgrounds are missing altogether.  Additionally, with only one fire button you have to take your hand off the joystick and use the spacebar to control the ‘Force’ pod - not ideal in this shooter.  Having said that, the Amiga version of R-Type is a pretty good game in its own right.

A good shooter for the Amiga but out-classed in this company.

Finally we have the legendary conversion of R-Type for the PC Engine/Turbografx-16.  The Engine wasn’t released in the UK but screenshots of the game appeared in several magazines of the time and practically kick-started a grey import market on their own. R-Type on the PC Engine was released in Japan as R-Type I and R-Type II with the eight levels split equally across two Hu-Cards. Lucky Turbografx-16 owners got the game in its entirety.  The issue with this version is that instead of reducing the size of the graphics, the developers decided to have the levels scroll slightly in the vertical plane.  This is easy to become accustomed to but does mean you can’t see, for example, gun emplacements at the top of the screen if you are in the lower half.  Nevertheless, the game gets through since this blog is about my favourite video games, not how accurately they were converted.

The NEC console makes a good stab at the graphics.  Only a few shades are missing.

In the game you control an R-9a “Arrowhead” starfighter and must take on the mysterious Bydo – an amalgam of biological and mechanical components.  The R-9a is initially armed with a quick fire laser.  This weapon can also fire a powerful laser pulse by holding down the fire button for a few seconds to charge it.  The Arrowhead can also be upgraded by collecting power-ups.  Upgrades include ‘bits’ (help protect the top and bottom of your ship and fires weak lasers), speed ups, homing missiles and three different lasers (by picking up coloured crystals).  The most famous power-up has to be the ‘Force’ pod.  The ‘Force’ is an indestructible pod that follows the up/down movement of your ship and fires small laser bolts.  It can also be attached to the front or rear of the R-9a where it provides protection and allows the upgraded laser types to work. As it is indestructible it can soak up bullets and harms any enemy it comes into contact with.  Astute use of the 'Force' is needed to successfully navigate the eight levels of the game.

Each of the stages I completed ended in a boss.  The only exception was the third where the boss is a giant ship that takes up almost the entire stage.  Each has one or more weak points that need to be hit several times to take them down.

This boss splits into 3 parts.  The first one has just exploded

If your ship gets hit or you touch the scenery you will lose a life.  You restart a game at the last checkpoint passed but any upgrades you were carrying will be lost.  Depending where this happens restarts can often be frustrating.  And short-lived.

So, although it’s not perfect, R-Type on the PC Engine/Turbografx-16 is the best version I have found so far.  The graphics are pretty close to the arcade original losing out due to fewer colours and lower complexity in places.  There is the occasional slow down, flickering sprites, and that annoying vertical scrolling but it still deserves a place on my blog.  I guess I’ll have to wait for R-Types on the Playstation for the definitive conversion.

Level 3 is basically one huge boss.

Example gameplay....

Raid on Bungeling Bay - Commodore 64 - 1984

Bland graphics, great game.

Raid on Bungeling Bay is a multi-way scrolling shoot ‘em up released on the Commodore 64 in 1984, and for the MSX and NES in 1985.  The best version is on the Commodore 64.  It was the first commercial game designed by Will Wright who would go on to design SimCity and cash cow The Sims.

The game is set on a planetoid that has been occupied by the Bungeling Empire where they are constructing a war machine with which to attack Earth.  They have built 6 different coloured factories which produce their weaponry.  The factories are supplied by ships of the same colour.  The game takes place on a large 2D wraparound playfield viewed from above.

In Raid on Bungeling Bay you take control of a helicopter and start on an aircraft carrier which acts as your base.  The helicopter is armed with an unlimited supply of missiles and 9 bombs.  Your aim is to disrupt the Bungeling infrastructure and ultimately destroy the factories whilst protecting your carrier.

Most of the enemy installations and weapons can be destroyed by missiles but the factories need to be bombed. These factories are protected by AA batteries initially but as the game progresses the enemy develops a more advanced arsenal of weaponry including tanks, fighter and bomber aircraft.  Your helicopter can take a certain amount of damage before it is destroyed although this can be repaired and your bombs replenished when you land on the carrier.  A nice touch is that the screen border changes from green to yellow to red as you take more damage so you know when to land without looking at the damage counter.  You start with five lives but if the carrier is destroyed you are only left with the helicopter you are currently flying. 

At its heart Raid on Bungeling Bay is a simple shoot 'em up but there is some strategy involved in disrupting the Bungeling supply lines and destroying the factories to slow down their technological advancement.  Your helicopter is quite nippy but can initially be difficult to control accurately due it's inertia.  Graphics and sound are best described as adequate, the graphics mostly being a drab combination of black, blue and gray.  Overall, though, it’s a fun little game.

River Raid - Atari 2600 (1982) & Atari 5200 (1983)

Back in my early teens I used to spend a lot of time drooling over a certain section in my mum’s Littlewoods catalogue. Sometimes I would to flick through towards the back, scan through the games and dream of owning an Atari VCS, ColecoVison or Vectrex.  Of the games that were shown River Raid stood out and I have always wanted to play it.  It has taken 30 years but now I finally have due to the wonderful world of emulators.

I am a sucker for a good scrolling shoot ‘em up and this is definitely one of them.  As expected, it has a rather simple scoring system and there are no power-ups to collect.  The game play involves navigating a jet fighter down a never ending river canyon shooting enemy planes, helicopters, boats etc.  There is also the occasional bridge that must be destroyed.  The only tactical decision to make is whether to shoot fuel silos for bonus points or to fly over them to replenish your constantly diminishing fuel.

The best versions are for the Atari 2600/VCS (released 1982) and Atari 5200 (released 1983). Although the 2600 has weaker graphics, both play the same and have practically the same sound. Overall a very solid vertically scrolling shoot 'em up.

Just to add that I did play the Commodore 64 version but the controls didn’t feel as tight as the Atari duo.

The sound and gameplay on both systems is virtually identical.....

.....although the 5200 benefits from better graphics