R-Type established a simple but brilliant game concept that subsequently proved both influential and difficult for others to replicate: you take control of a spaceship in a side-scrolling environment and fire an energy weapon that can either spit out pea-sized balls of semi-destructive power, or be held down to charge up a powerful beam weapon that cuts through multiple enemies at once. Added to the mix are power-ups, but not just any power-ups—if…
