 | Digital Release | Nintendo Wii January 23, 2007 (JP) |
| Delisting | March 2012 - Nintendo Wii (JP) | |
| Developer | Irem | |
| Publisher | Irem | |
| Available On | Digital Included in R-Type Dimensions PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Included in R-Type Dimensions EX Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 Steam Retail Original PC-Engine Release |
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| Links | PC-Engine Bible page |
Delisting
When it was released on the PC-Engine in 1988, R-Type was broken into two titles, R-Type I and R-Type II, that jointly encompassed the original arcade experience. The title screen of R-Type II uniquely identifies the game as R-Type Part-2 and this is the version that was released in Japan only on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console in 2007.
As with the 1989 TurboGrafx-16 version, the 2006 release on the North American Nintendo Wii Virtual Console included all stages from the arcade version of R-Type. As such, R-Type Part-2 is technically included in R-Type Dimensions and R-Type Dimensions EX but not in the standalone version released on the PC-Engine and Japanese Virtual Console. Continue reading for more on Irem’s delisted titles.
Irem’s Delisting History – 2011
Several factors resulted in Irem canceling two of its major upcoming releases and backing away from the console video game industry in 2011. The company changed its focus to the pachinko and slot machine industries where it originally got its start and as a result began delisting most of its digital console titles.
On July 22nd, 2011, import gaming site Andriasang posted a notice that Irem would be delisting many of their digital PlayStation releases on August 11th. This included demos, videos, themes and the following titles:
- Gussun Paradise (YoYo’s Puzzle Park [EU]) (PSN)
- Hammerin’ Hero (Ikuze! Gen-San: Yuuyake Daiku Monogatari [JP], GenSan [EU]) (PSP)
- Irem Arcade Classics [JP] (PSN)
- Puzzle Guzzle (Mousukesu based on Carton-kun [JP], Mawaskes [EU]) (PSP)
- R-Type Tactics (R-Type Command [US]) (PSP)
- R-Type Tactics II Operation Bitter Chocolate [JP] (PSP)
- R-Types [JP] (PSN)
- R-Type Delta [JP] (PSN)
- Narisokonai Eiyuutan: Taiyou to Tsuki no Monogatari [JP] (PSP)
- Sengoku Efuda Yuugi: Hototogisu Ran [JP] (PSP)
- Sengoku Efuda Yuugi: Hototogisu Tairan [JP] (PSP)
- Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament (Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot: Vehicle Battle Tournament [JP]) (PSP)
The Andriasang announcement also confirmed that several of Irem’s “spaces” for PlayStation Home would be shut down on September 1st, 2011. By September 30th, both the TurboGrafx-16 and Sega Master System versions of R-Type were delisted from the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console in North America; in Japan they were delisted by October 18th. The Japan-exclusive Spelunker Black on PlayStation 3 was delisted by December 20th, 2011.
Irem’s Delisting History – 2012
According to Irem’s website, the following titles were delisted in Japan by March 30th, 2012:
- Image Fight (Wii Virtual Console [JP])
- Image Fight II (Wii Virtual Console [JP])
- Legend of Hero Tonma (Wii Virtual Console)
- Ninja Spirit (Saigo no Nindou: Ninja Spirit [JP]) (Wii Virtual Console)
- R-Type Part-2 (Wii Virtual Console [JP])
- R-Type III: The Third Lightning (Wii Virtual Console)
- Super R-Type (Wii Virtual Console)
- Spelunker (3DS, Wii & Wii U Virtual Console)
- Vigilante (Wii Virtual Console)
Alongside Spelunker, Irem also delisted Spelunker HD on PlayStation 3, then a Japanese exclusive. After licensing the rights to the franchise from Irem, Tozai Games published new versions of Spelunker HD and the original Spelunker across all major territories and continued developing new collections and sequels.
No later than August 7th, 2012 the Western releases of the above titles, as well as R-Type Delta and R-Types on PlayStation 3, were delisted in their respective territories. R-Type Command was also delisted in North America at some point in 2012.
Irem’s Delisting History – 2017 to 2019
R-Type Tactics from publisher Rising Star Games was delisted across European territories between 2017 and 2019. Irem re-released several of their Wii Virtual Console titles on the Nintendo Wii U eShop in Japan in 2015 while Konami published some of these titles in Western territories between 2017 and 2018. Throughout 2019 these titles were delisted from the eShop as entries in the Arcade Archives series from Hamster were released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Wii U titles delisted in 2019 include:
- Battle Chopper / Mr. Heli
- Image Fight
- Image Fight II
- Legend of Hero Tonma
- Ninja Spirit
- R-Type
- Vigilante