R-Type Dimensions EX

Genre: Compilation / Shmup

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local), Online Leaderboards

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Review:

R-Type Dinemsions is a compilation and remake of the first two Shmup games in the R-Type series, originally released in arcades in 1987 and 1989 respectively. Repackaged as R-Type Dimensions, these dames were re-released on Xbox 360 in 2009, and finally reworked as R-Type Dimensions EX with added Co-Op multiplayer and new slow-mo and high-speed buttons added, with this release brought to multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch in 2018.

One of the more interesting things about this release is that both of the games in this package not only include the original 2D visuals and remade 3D visuals, but that players can swap between the two looks at any time at the press of a button. The original 2D graphics still look stylistically interesting, really doing a good job of conveying the alien look of the planets and enemies you fight. Meanwhile, the 3D look remains faithful to the original while doing what it can to modernize the visuals. It looks decent, but curiously it seems somewhat generic in its 3D look. Not bad by any stretch, but some of the original’s creativity feels like it’s lost in the transition to 3D.

In terms of gameplay, the R-Type series’ signature feature is an impervious satellite ship, called a “force”, that players can attach to the front or back of their ship or fling out toward enemies. I’ve honestly always felt like this gameplay element was one that was good in theory, but never quite felt right in implementation, in part because it was so darn frustrating to get the thing to attach to the side of the ship you wanted it to.

The other thing these games were known for was their absurd levels of difficulty, and this game does its darnedest to try to moderate that, both with the aforementioned “slow-motion” feature (which many players will opt to simply leave on the entire time) as well as the new “infinite” mode that lets players keep playing from the same spot when they die, noting the number of deaths in the final results on leaderboards.

While both of these features are greatly appreciated, on some level it needs to be said that the original games were simply just flawed – players’ default movement speed before getting pickups is slow as molasses, enemies don’t telegraph their attacks well enough for players to evade them, often take up so much space that players are only left with a tiny sliver they can fit in, and enemies have vulnerable spots located in places that are nearly impossible for players without certain power-ups to hit.

I appreciate R-Type Dimensions for what it is – the best anyone could hope for in a remake of two classic but highly-flawed Shmup games. This release adds tons of features to improve the presentation and to help make the challenge not quite as punishing, and fans of Shmups may want to get this to have the best version of two of the genres more influential titles, but most will be better off playing the many other better entries the genre has received on the Nintendo Switch.

tl;dr – R-Type Dimensions EX is a Compilation and remake of two classic Shmups, and while this version improves the graphics and adds plenty of features, including some meant to help with the game’s incredibly high difficulty, those features can only help so much when the original games were seemingly designed to be nearly impossible. This is a game only genre fans can appreciate.

Grade: C

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