R-Type II, released in 1989, developed the beam weapon further by giving it an extra level of power. If the player continued to charge beyond full beam strength, eventually the ship would become supercharged and capable of releasing a massive storm of energy waves, capable of wiping out every enemy on the screen.
R-Type III refined the weapons and charging system somewhat, and added a new mode called 'Hyper' to the ship, which the player could use instead of the Beam if they desired. By supercharging in Hyper mode, the ship could temporarily become super-powerful, capable of firing rapid beam-bolts. However, once the power is depleted, the ship must spend several seconds recharging, during which time weapon power is reduced.
R-Type III was also the first game in the series to provide three different Force Units, each with a different set of weapons and unique enhancements. The latest title in the series, R-Type Final, expands this massively by offering 100 different ships (which can be unlocked through the course of the game), each with different weapons, Forces, and handling.
R-Type and R-Type II were also ported to the Amiga, and R-Type III to the Gameboy Advance.
On the Usenet newsgroup alt.games.mame, there is a running gag involving R-Type. Whenever someone asks for help identifying a game, and provides an inadequate description, one of the answers is always "R-Type".
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