Adding an extra dimension to the game is the choice of Orb Force weapons.

Round Force - Same as the one in Rtype 1, with slightly altered weapons, but still very familiar. For hard core R-Typers only!

Shadow Force - I've managed to get through the game once more using the Shadow Force. And it took me less time too, probably because I always previously insisted on using the red weapon on the front of the ship. Adds a significantly new dimension to the game, and definitely NOT the weakest force as I'd previously alleged :)

Cyclone Force - My (previously) fave Force, and the one I used to get through this review! I love the way the blue blobby stuff inside moves around when you're ship does. It's these tiny details that help make a game great.

The start of level one is fairly easy, which lets you try out your new spanky weapons. All the usual controls are present, with the beam powerup from Rtype2, which allows two stages of blasts. The best weapon though is a variation on the beam... The Hyper Shot.

Power this up, and the peacock feather effect on the left explodes on your ship, which turns roasty hot red, and you then have a limited hyper shot for a few seconds which does major damage. But there's a drawback, it takes your ship a while to cool down again until it can be repeated.

After a lot of floating garbage, you come across this excellent section. R-types levels are long and varied, which several different parts in each. This part consists of floating and spinning pipework, and there's a few surprises in store here.

One of the best bits is here, when a baddie just realises there's a lot of pipework coming up behind him...captured here in Super-AniGif-Matovision™

As mentioned, Mode 7 effects are used often...here the pipework spins around and fires bolts of energy... followed by...

... two pipes closing in, and have a wee spin around your ship, leaving you sweating in the middle, hoping you've left enough room.

Is there any end to the variety? This is still level 1 remember!

A great hexagonal floating tube spins around in the background, and sundry baddies pop up from behind it.

Then things quieten down, and you know there's a boss ahead.

Suddenly the iron plate behind you is ripped apart by blasts, and level one boss attacks...

At first quite small and unassuming, this extra from Star Wars spins around and fires Space Harrier-like missiles. You can only shoot it when it zooms towards you a bit, best done with a powerup blast!

Now we're speeding into level TWO...