R-Type III: The Third Lightning

Click the "Install Game" button to initiate the free file download and get compact download launcher. Locate the executable file in your local folder and begin the launcher to install your desired game.
a game by Irem Corp.
Genres: Action, Shooting Games
Platforms: SNESSNES, GBA
Editor Rating: 7.9/10, based on 6 reviews, 9 reviews are shown
User Rating: 7.0/10 - 2 votes
Rate this game:
See also: R-Type Games
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
R-Type III: The Third Lightning

R-Type III The Third Lightning is finally coming to the States courtesy of the folks at Jaleco. In this installment of popular series, you will witness awesome sound effects, intense graphics, and some totally unbelievable Mode 7 scenes! This shooter has everything you could ask for and a whole lot more. Now you can equip your ship with three different types of force pods, giving you more choices than ever before. Each pod is unique and different from one another when powered up. There is also a sound test so you can here the great sounds without the enemies.

THE GOOD

This is the perfect shooter! The graphics and sounds along with the guns and game play make this great.

THE BAD

This game, like all good shooters, is very challenging and a little hard--maybe a little too hard.

THE UGLY

Since the game plays so well, you have nothing and no one to blame but yourself when you die!

  • Manufacturer: JALECO
  • # of players: 1 or 2
  • Difficulty: MODERATE
  • Available: AUGUST 1994
  • Cartridge size: 16 MEG
  • No. of Levels: n/a

Download R-Type III: The Third Lightning

SNES

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Pentium II (or equivalent) 266MHz (500MHz recommended), RAM: 64MB (128MB recommended), DirectX v8.0a or later must be installed
GBA

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Fasten your seat-belts, rocket jockeys, R-Type III is airborne. You know what that means: solid side-scrollin' shootin' action against the evil Bydo Empire.

R-Gang

The latest in the R-Type series matches the high standards of its predecessors. Again you fly a fighter into six strange alien worlds, some of which resemble erector sets or the inside of a monster's bloodstream. The action's not frantically fast, but it's addictive.

ProTips:

  • Don't waste time shooting flying eyeballs. They're easy to dodge, and you have faster foes to worry about.
  • Line up these caterpillarlike enemies so they'll drop right into your line of fire.

You fire familiar R-Type weapons, most notably a plasma blast that wipes out everything in its path. The power- up Pods can fire fore or aft, as in previous R-Types. Crisp controls and the new ability to select three weapons systems before you launch will make you a space ace in no time.

Star Tours

The look is instantly recognizable to R-Type fans, but with some new touches. Additional foreground elements overlay the action, and some bosses zoom in from the background with effective scaling. The intro footage has almost disappeared, however, and some enemies get awfully small.

The sound effects are standard. Mediocre explosions and zaps punctuate the generic rockin' soundtrack.

If you fly to the right, aim your weapons behind you to nail enemies on your tail.

There's a reason the R-Types are still flyin' after all these years, and it won't take you long to discover what it is. For decent space shootin', blast off with R-Type III.

  • Machine: SNES
  • Manufacturer: Jaleco.

Mindless entertainment. You might say that, but this is one of the most excellent shooters to come down the pike in a long time! The levels are fiendish, and most of the bosses are huge and very nasty. Forget your brain and get that finger twitchin'!!!

  • # of players: 1 or 2-player
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Available: 1st Qtr. '94
  • Theme: Shooter

Just when R-Type fans thought there was nothing more to do, here comes R-Type III! This time it is 16-Meg, with bigger levels and badder Bosses! Now, you have three Pods to choose from, each with its own special powers, depending on what icon you collect! Loaded with Mode 7, killer sound effects and music, this is one shooter to keep an eye on! Play alone, or with two players in the "take turn" mode! Remember to grab the usual icons from Super R-type, like the Speed-Up icon, and fasten your seat belts and blast off!

Gameplay is still the classic R-Type way with huge levels and bosses. With your detachable laser unit, you can fire in front or behind your ship. R-Type III now features three different kinds of laser unit, selectable at the start of a game. Each offers different laser types depending on the power-ups collected.

The vile Bydo empire has returned to finish the planet Earth and her colonies once and for all. With their extensive armada they have swarmed the galaxy, slaughtering many hapless humans, leaving pain and suffering in their wake. Only one ship in the Earth's forces can possibly hope to save the human race from extinction; the R9. Equipped with a specialized Droid unit, the ship is able to annihilate large numbers of aliens. Will it survive? That is up to you.

R-Type III features a ton of levels, each varying from the vacuum of space to an alien nesting ground. All the levels will prove tough to crack. R-Type III is the latest in this popular line of shooters. Like the previous versions, this one features hot graphics, non-stop action and awesome power-ups. The one problem that plagued the earlier games has been almost eliminated: slowdown. With the slowdown taken care of, this cart proves to be one of the better shooter attempts in the market.

The Bydo empire is back, and this time in 16-bit S-NES style. Your task is to pilot the R-9 attack cruiser into the very center of the empire and take out the ultimate ruler once and for all. The Cruiser can be equipped with a special pod that can produce many devastating attacks such as reflector lasers, flaming balls, and ring lasers. Hold down the attack button for a major blast or hold it longer for even more power!

People say:

8.0

Super R-Type is a hodge-podge of the very best from both the arcade games with a large cup of new material thrown in for good measure. It's vintage R-Type, with incredible graphics, sharp weapons and awesome enemies. It's too easy and too short, but the trip is spectacular.

8.0

Easily the best S-NES shooter on the market. But, it appears that it is too good. Whether the massive slowdown is due to the slow CPU in the S-NES or inexperienced programmers, it is major! Stunning graphics, fantastic weapons and huge bosses make it a sight to see though!

8.0

Super R-Type is great, the sound to this game is incredible and the music tracks go on and on. The game play is what hurts the game a lot because it suffers from slow down and there is some flicker. If this game played like a Thunder Force 3 or a Gaiares it would be a definite 9.

8.0

Super R-Type is an amazing shooter with one minor flaw: slow down. After that, it's great!! All of the power-ups, HUGE bosses, and jamming music are all here with more to spare! Any shooter fan should pick this up, but be warned, it's a little easy, too. At least there's a difficulty mode!

You thought that the terror had ended. You assumed that the galaxy was a safe place to explore. You were wrong. Shortly after you ravaged the Bydo armada that tried to destroy the Earth, the Bydo Emperor launched a massive counterattack as an act of revenge. As the first glimpses of the Bydo empire appeared on the ege of the solar system, the Earth Defense League once again elected a lone soldier to pilot the R-9 and destroy the oncoming menace. This time desperate measure had to be taken because the Bydos are no longer interested in Earth's resources they're out for blood and won't stop until Earth is completely obliterated. You must invade the core of the Bydo Empire and go face to face with Emperor himself. I hope you've made out your will.

Much salivating ensued after we discovered the Super Nintendo version of R-Type is coming to the GBA. A direct port, this classic side-scrolling shooter has undergone a graphic overhaul and now supports six different languages (you know, for all those Deutsch friends you have), but thankfully it is still the R-type you played and loved back in the day.

Snapshots and Media

SNES/Super Nintendo/Super Famicom Screenshots

GBA Screenshots