Growing up in the 80s was a great time for going to the arcade and spending your allowance on your favourite cabinet. The biggest genres of the time were beat ‘em ups and shoot ‘em ups. More of a fan of the beat ‘em ups, I did enjoy a good shoot ‘em up. City Connection has developed and published R-Type Delta: HD Boosted with the assistance of Developer IREM and publisher Clear City Games, to revitalise the 1988 classic R-Type Delta.

I must have been living under a rock, because unfortunately, I do not remember R-Type Delta at all. So, I was excited to dive into a classic shoot ‘em up that made me feel I had missed out.

Casting my mind back to this era of gaming, plots were practically non-existent in the shoot ‘em up genre. R-Type Delta: HD Boosted prides itself on its story. Before playing, I conducted some research and discovered that R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is set in 2163.

An R6 Arrowhead returns to Earth badly damaged after its excursion to destroy the Bydo Empire. A year passes, and suddenly the orbital defence station, Moritz-G, crashes to Earth. This is when the prototype R9all Delta is launched, and your battle as the pilot begins.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? The only way to learn this story is by conducting the same research I did. Granted, the gameplay is very atmospheric, but your imagination would easily make its own narrative. So, with that aside, I can’t exactly fault it for having a weak plot, after all, this is a refresh of a 1988 game. So, the gameplay must be good, right?

Gameplay is exactly what you would expect from a two-dimensional shoot ‘em up. Enemies fly on screen, and you blast them to pieces. Power-ups are collectable on-screen when you destroy specific enemies, which alter your firing pattern.

There are three patterns you can collect, and they are recognised by their colour of red, blue, and yellow. Collecting the same colour power-up a second time improves it, making it easier to clear the screen of enemies. Additional power-ups are also collectable, such as missiles or pods, which all assist with destruction and survivability.

There are three types of ships. The Standard type, the Tentacle type, and the Anchor type. The difference between the types alters the firing pattern and how the ship’s attachment performs in battle when switching it from the front to the back of your ship. It is difficult to explain, but I will do my best.

At the front of the ship is a large pod. This pod can be detached, and when doing so, it will alter the firing pattern from the standard firing pattern, depending on the power-up you have and the ship you are using. The pod can then be reattached to either the front or the rear of the ship, returning it to the original firing pattern. This action allows you to defend against enemies who enter from behind you.

Outside of the game, you can find all the standard trappings of a game of this era. Menus with gallery pictures, stat sheets on your performance, and even a ranking page, as was the style of the time, getting that high score was the ultimate bragging right.

Unfortunately, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted brings with it many annoying design choices that only the hardcore shoot ‘em up genre fans will appreciate. R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is unforgiving. One mistake and your ship is destroyed.

The checkpoints are numerous; however, you restart at the base firing pattern, you only get three lives before you must use a continue, and you are only allowed five continues in total.

After that time, you must start from the very beginning. With incredibly tight hallways in which to fly and fight, I found myself swearing profusely in frustration. A practice mode has been added, allowing you to spend time learning enemy placements and the best approach lines to maximise your success.

Graphically, the HD boost in the title is well deserved. The presented three-dimensional polygons are sharp and bright. Combined with the flashy animations, it’s a huge improvement, making for a visual delight. The backgrounds also add to the action, if you have time to notice them, as they play out with actions like barrel rolls as you fight the enemy.

Sound effects are standard. Rata tat tat for your gun, pew pew for your lasers, and boom for your explosives. Where R-Type Delta: HD Boosted excels is with its music. The original team, USP Sound Team, have returned, adding additional music, along with Chris Hulsbeck and Masahiko Ishida. All this talent is expanding on the eerie and atmospheric music.

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is a shoot ‘em up genre for those looking to get that nostalgic hit. Its unforgiving gameplay is only for the hardcore fans of the genre. With updated graphics and newly added music, it certainly deserves the HD boost in its title.

Written by: Ashley Barnett-Cosgrove