No one can really say what Irem's been doing over the last few years - after the shooter market bottomed out in the early 90s, it's definitely a surprise to see a game from them at all, let alone a game as solid as R-Type Delta. Hopping on the industry classic-games-revival bandwagon, Irem has breathed new life into its genre-defining R-Type series and produced a truly excellent shooter.

R-Type was one of the first shooters to actively employ the concept of strategy in a side-scrolling shooter, primarily through the use of the "Force Unit." As before, the Force Unit is an indestructible satellite that can be strategically mounted on the front or back of your ship, in addition to being launched into remote corners of the screen to deal with enemies before your ship arrives there. Not only is this useful, in many cases it is essential to completing an area and surviving. R-Type Delta has two new ships in addition to the original, each with its own unique satellites and weapons.