R-Type (1987)

Eradicate an entire race of Giger inspired aliens in a tiny spaceship.

Side scrolling shooters don’t come much better than the original R-Type, often cited as the definitive 2D space shooter. Back in the late 1980’s it stood out thanks to polished production values that were sometimes overlooked in other shooters. Featuring chunky sprite graphics inspired by H.R.Giger & Aliens, amazing music, sharp and accurate controls, cool powerups and the Force! A detachable pod that can be attached to the front or rear of your R-9 Arrowhead fighter and used as a shield or a secondary floating weapon, allowing the player strategic choice on how to manage firepower, but without overcomplicating the controls. Then there’s the awesome, screen filling bosses and varied level design, Level 3 being a personal favourite as the entire stage is just one big mothership.

R-Type is a masterclass in game design of the era, rewarding repeat play but not allowing the player to just memorise enemy placement and attack patterns. The levels themselves introduce new play mechanics here and there, which demand absolute attention and inevitable death for the inexperienced. It is incredibly punishing at times and in certain points of the game, if you die, it’s near impossible to get power ups back before the game overwhelms you. Try to hold on to your power ups by not dying, that’s the best solution.

It was during a trip to an arcade in Japan that Fran, one of our founders played it and drew a small crowd as he’d made it to level 4 on one life, this experience was an inspirational flashpoint in the creation of Four Quarters as it left him with the impression that something could be achieved with retro gaming in social spaces in the UK. In 2020, R-Type remains an absolutely top quality game and has aged very well, but it’s one to play early in your night at Four Quarters, that’s for sure.

FQ Tip – Newcomers, listen up! Holding the shoot button down powers up your shot, learn the timing to use full power as much as possible and put the Force on the front of your ship, it’s a shield for small bullets.