R-Type Delta Has Been HD Boosted

In 1998, the R-Type series reached the polygon generation with the sequel R-Type Delta. It’s never been re-released anywhere since in 27 years….until now. IREM and Clear River Games have announced a shiny, polished new version of the game is coming to modern platforms, boldly calling itself R-Type Delta HD Boosted. R-Type doesn’t need much explanation: you steer a ship around bullet hell environments, you shoot ships and monsters and eventually confront giant bosses with obvious weak points. You probably never knew R-Type Delta even had a story, but here it is, courtesy of IREM: The year is 2163, and the badly damaged R-9A Arrowhead has just returned to earth after defeating the Bydo Empire, and is recovered by the battle cruiser, Croque Monsieur. Peace doesn’t last for long though, because one year later, deadly objects begin to fall from the sky. Control is lost over the deadly Moritz-G orbiting annihilation platform, and a city is destroyed. Its advanced defence systems make it almost impossible to approach….but the military responds by deploying the R9all Delta, a prototype ship that is the last hope for humanity. This desperate battle is where R-Type Delta HD Boosted begins! Got that? If you didn’t, who cares. […]
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I played the original R-Type Delta on my cousin’s old PlayStation back in the early 2000s. I didn’t understand the plot back then, and honestly, I still don’t really care. I’m just happy to see it coming back. The smooth gameplay and cool ship designs were always the best parts. I remember how satisfying it was to time your Force attack just right. I’m curious if they’ll tweak anything for this HD Boosted version, or if it’s just visual polish. Either way, it’s nice that younger players who never had a PS1 can try this classic now. I’ll probably get the Switch version.

I think it’s exciting that they’re bringing R-Type Delta to new systems. It always felt like one of those games stuck in time, and I never got to play it because I wasn’t born yet. I know some people play these games for the gameplay only, but I actually like the story part. The Bydo, the ship names, the future war—it’s all kind of fun to imagine. I hope they include an art gallery or story notes, like how some remasters do. I’ll get it on PS5 for sure.

I’ll be honest, I’m not that impressed. IREM could have done more than just boost the graphics. This is a 27-year-old game. Why not add a new mode? Or let us play co-op online? I get that some fans want a perfect copy of the original, but we already have tons of perfect copies from other franchises. If you’re re-releasing something this old, give it something extra. I’ll probably skip it unless reviews say they added deeper content. “HD Boosted” just sounds like marketing fluff to me.

R-Type Delta returning like this is something I didn’t expect. I still own my PS1 disc, but getting it to run properly today is hard. If this version keeps the original soundtrack and keeps the controls tight, then I’ll gladly double dip. I always liked Delta more than Final—it felt smoother and more balanced. And yes, I actually enjoy reading the lore in R-Type. It’s weird and abstract, but it gives flavor to the missions. The Moritz-G platform thing? Sounds great. Bring on the pain.

When I read the name Croque Monsieur for the ship, I had to pause and check again. That’s hilarious and strangely charming. R-Type has always been serious with a touch of oddness, and this fits perfectly. I hope the Boosted version keeps all that personality. I want the same tough bosses, but with cleaner resolution and maybe better sound. I didn’t grow up with R-Type Delta, but I’ve played many shooters. I’ll give this a go when it hits Steam. Bullet hell done right is always welcome.