Retro Game of the Day! R-Type Leo

Retro Game of the Day! R-Type Leo

R-Type Leo by Irem, arcade release in 1992.

Somewhat of a major diversion from the main series (relatively), R-Type Leo was a strange sequel that removed a lot of what made these games so memorable. While not a bad game at all, they could have called it "R-Type Plain."

This game was supposedly a prequel to the normal games, and the gimmick (invincible force pod) is nowhere to be seen; instead you grab powerups for your ship, as in many other similar titles. Survive to the end bosses, and blast away.

Interestingly, the game supported a 2-Player mode (I believe this is the only R-Type where you will see such a thing!) Though the gameplay is relatively uninspired compared to it's peers, it does pack the usual visual punch that is expected of these games. For its time, Leo was a pretty good-looking shooter taking place over some very exotic-looking locales.

A strange footnote in the history of one of the biggest space-shooter franchises in all of gaming, R-Type Leo is a bit of a yawn but still fun to blast through. Check it out if you are a completist, otherwise feel free to spend your time elsewhere.

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